Parks Associates and Support.com, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based technology services and software that create new revenue streams and improve customer experience, today released the whitepaper "Expanding to the Home Network: The Evolution of Premium Tech Support," which addresses the impact of home networking and connected CE adoption on consumer demand for technology support services.

The international research firm Parks Associates finds 78% of U.S. broadband households have a home network, which is expected to increase to 95% by 2016, with an average of 4.5 connected devices. Connectivity in the home expands the capabilities of all devices but also creates challenges in setup and troubleshooting, which drive consumer need and desire for comprehensive tech support.

"The adoption of connected devices and usage of high-bandwidth applications add new layers of complexity for the consumer," said Patrice Samuels, Research Analyst, Parks Associates. "Nearly 75% of consumers set up new devices on their own, but one-half indicate they would prefer assistance with future acquisitions. Adding new connected devices changes the dynamic of the home network and increases consumers' need for professional assistance."

Connectivity can rapidly expand a device's use cases, putting greater demand on the home network. Parks Associates finds nearly 50% of broadband households watch movies and TV shows online, and 25% watch video on a mobile phone or tablet. High-bandwidth applications such as video calls, interactive games, and streaming videos can create network performance problems, which will drive consumers to seek more comprehensive tech support options.

"Consumers are increasingly dependent on connected devices, and customer experience is increasingly driven by the ability of devices to seamlessly connect to each other and the Internet," said James Morehead, Vice President Product Management and Corporate Marketing, Support.com. "The complexity of home networking has created opportunities for companies to deepen customer engagement and create new revenue streams through premium technology support services."

This whitepaper examines the market for premium technology support, market conditions driving future adoption of subscription-based support services, and strategies to bundle premium support services with product and service sales to achieve brand differentiation, revenue growth, and a differentiated customer experience.

From the article, "78% of U.S. Broadband Households Have a Home Network Router, Driving Demand for Tech Support."