Trends in consumer communications: networked homes [Guest Editorial]

A major theme in the consumer communications area has been networked homes. In the past this has often focused on networking consumer devices within a single home to offer added value or better control. Initially, these solutions were often closed and only worked with devices of a single manufacturer. Subsequently, this interworking has been extended to include equipment from different sources. With the increasing number of solutions available, and the increasing demand for sharing audio and video, the demands on the home network have grown substantially. Another focus of increased activity is extending the sharing of devices and services within a single home to across many homes. These two themes are covered by the two articles in this current issue of the Consumer Communications and Networking Series.