Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth network created from a combination of existing networks developed by Amazon. Utilizing Amazon devices such as Ring and Echo, a local network can be created that extends the connection range beyond the limitations of one's router. First announced in 2019, it is still in the development phase. Therefore, there are still many uncertainties about the innovation including the level of security that will be provided and the reliability of the network if there aren't many bridge devices.
The Idea
The main goal of Amazon Sidewalk is to provide a secure connection for devices that go beyond the range of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. With constant technological innovation such as video-recording doorbells and smart lights becoming normalized in households, Amazon wants to ensure customers have reliable connections for their devices used outside of their homes. Only Amazon-authorized devices will be allowed to connect to the network created by the Amazon Sidewalk. With the utilization of this network, consumers won't be required to purchase new hardware. Rather, software updates will be released for existing devices such as the Echo and the Ring.
How it works
Amazon Sidewalk's network will utilize Bluetooth, the 900MHz spectrum (radio communication) and other frequencies to create a secure network throughout a neighborhood or community. To build the network, customers will have a small portion of their internet bandwidth transferred to the Sidewalk network. The bandwidth offered by all nearby participants will combine and create the foundation for Amazon Sidewalk in a community. The more people that participate in the network, the wider the coverage and the better the strength will be.Ranges for devices can increase by over half a mile. The maximum bandwidth that a bridge device can offer to the Sidewalk server is 800Kbps(kilobits per second). To put the speed into perspective, it is equal to 1/40th of the bandwidth required to stream a high definition video. The data usage will also be capped at 500MB for every customer.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- No fee to join
- Stay connected almost anywhere
- Multiple layers of encryption
Cons:
- Low-bandwidth = slower speeds
- Not fully developed
- Connection strength is dependent on number of participants
Security Concerns
Amazon stated that protecting customers' privacy and security is one of the top priorities with the project. However, there are still concerns about the possibility of 3rd party users tapping into the network and accessing the information of other users. When connected to Amazon Sidewalk, customers will have full knowledge that they are connected, but will not know the specific bridge that they are connected to. Additionally, data could possibly be collected from the devices by Amazon without the owners' knowing.
Amazon's answer
Amazon revealed a detailed list in September of all the steps that the company will take to ensure that Sidewalk transmissions are private and secure. The list shows that a Ring motion alert will pass through 3 levels of encryption before reaching Ring servers. Throughout the trip, Amazon will not be able to see any of the information transmitted. Only the data needed to authenticate the device and send the transmission to the correct location will be captured by Amazon. To put simply, Amazon Sidewalk is like a postal service. Mail is delivered from one location to another and the post office isn't able to read the contents of the mail. Only the outside of the envelope is read to know exactly where the mail is supposed to go to.
Future Plans
Working with Ring, Amazon plans to develop a pet tracker called "Fetch" to reduce the amount of time it takes to find a lost pet. "Fetch" is a small, lightweight device that can be attached to a pet's collar. As soon as the device exits the borders set manually by the customer (indicating that the pet has left the boundaries of a home), the Ring app will immediately alert customers and provide real-time location information of the pet. This will allow the owners to retrieve their pet efficiently.
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|title=(help) - ^ Rayome, Alison DeNisco. "Amazon Sidewalk extends your network range, but security is already in question". CNET. Retrieved 2020-11-12.