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VIEWS AND OPINION


                    The state of smart home adoption in SA



                                           by Dr Andrew Dickson, CBI-electric: low voltage


            outh Africa lags behind the world in smart home ownership, with a 23% gap between
            South African and global consumers when it comes to embracing the use of internet-
       Sconnected devices to enable the remote monitoring and management of appliances
        and systems. 1
           “While there are some understandable barriers to smart home adoption in South Africa,
        opportunities also exist for smart home proliferation,” says Dr Andrew Dickson, Executive:
        Engineering at CBI-electric: low voltage.
           He notes that one of the critical hindrances is internet accessibility. According to the
        latest Digital Quality of Life survey, which ranks countries based on five pillars - internet
        affordability, internet quality, e-infrastructure, e-security, and e-government - South
        Africa placed 68th out of 110 countries. “While we took the 26th spot for affordability, we
        didn’t perform as well on internet quality where we ranked 57th and 87th for electronic
        infrastructure – both of which are essential for effective use of smart home technology.”
           However, he says there is hope. “Earlier this year, the Minister of Communications and
        Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, stated that every South African will be given
        access to the internet as a core utility. During her State of the Nation debate, she shared
        that ‘data has become a new utility, like water and electricity, that our home needs. At some
        point, a South African household, whether they are rich or poor, will be given access to 10
        GB per month, because that is what the government will deliver’.”         enormous cash outlays; homeowners
           Another hurdle Dr Dickson has observed, locally and globally, is mistrust of smart home   themselves will need to be smart in
        tech. Surveys conducted amongst consumers in Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the UK   how they go about doing so, such as by
        and the US, have found that many are sceptical about consumer Internet of Things devices   installing one smart device at a time and
        which include smart home technologies. For example, 63% of people surveyed said they find   focussing on energy intensive appliances
        connected devices ‘creepy’ in the way they collect data about people and their behaviour,   or security areas first.”
        while 28% stated they will not own a smart device due to security concerns. 2  Despite the obstacles, Dickson believes
           “If these are the attitudes of consumers in more developed countries where smart   that current market conditions, like the
        devices are more pervasive and more advanced, one need only imagine the perceptions of   accelerated digital adoption rate, will
        the local market. Education around the capabilities and safety elements of these devices is   enable increased smart home device
        clearly lacking and will be crucial for putting consumers’ minds at ease and expanding the   implementation: “Since the Covid-19
        South African smart home market.”                                         pandemic struck, homes have been turned
           Cost is an additional concern. “The most recent BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index has   into digital hubs for work, study and
        revealed that the average South African real take-home salary is R16 022, which makes it   entertainment. Smart homes are a natural
        all the more difficult for South Africans to adopt smart home technology, especially when it   evolution.”
        comes to devices from overseas. That said, there are several locally developed products that   He concludes by saying, “As more
        are available at a more affordable rate. Plus, there are ways to make homes smarter without   South Africans become aware of the
                                                                                  benefits smart home devices offer, such
                                                                                  as monitoring and managing electricity
                                                                                  consumption, as well as providing
                                                                                  appliances with some protection in the
                                                                                  event of load shedding surges, the adoption
                                                                                  rate will increase in the country. Simply put,
                                                                                  smart is the way for homes of the future.”

                                                                                  References
                                                                                  1. Click here for Reference 1
                                                                                  2. Click here for Reference 2

                                                                                  Contact CBi-electric, Phone 011 928-2000,
                                                                                  cbi@cbi-electric.com,
                                                                                  https://cbi-lowvoltage.co.za



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