Looking to further expand into an emerging market coveted by telecom companies including Comcast, Amazon has purchased start-up WiFi mesh gear maker eero for an undisclosed sum.

"We are incredibly impressed with the eero team and how quickly they invented a WiFi solution that makes connected devices just work,” said Dave Limp, senior VP of Amazon Devices and Services, in a statement. “We have a shared vision that the smart home experience can get even easier, and we’re committed to continue innovating on behalf of customers.”

Amazon has already infiltrated the home with a range of devices powered by its Alexa voice technology—everything from smart speakers to thermostats.

Beyond merely competing with telecom companies for the home automation market, analysts believe controlling a key piece of home WiFi infrastructure serves perhaps more sinister goals for Amazon.

“One entity might own all the devices in your home. It can form a very complete profile of you as a person in both the physical and digital world, and this is extremely concerning from a personal privacy perspective,” said Sydney Li, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), told BuzzFeed. 

Broadband and video provider WOW! said it is rolling out a whole-home WiFi mesh internet service across its 19 markets after first introducing it in Columbus, Ohio, and Pinellas, Fla., on July 10.

The service uses the eero home WiFi system of multiple access points rather than a single router, promising to eliminate dead zones, and enables sharing and WiFi management. WOW charges $9.95 per month plus $5.99 for additional eero plug-in beacons, according to www.wowway.com/WholeHomeWiFi, on top of monthly broadband charges.

“For WOW! customers everywhere, there are now no slow zones – just WOW! zones, meaning hassle-free downloading, streaming and gaming from every corner of the home,” CEO Teresa Elder said in a WOW! release. WOW! operates in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia.

Eero, a startup that makes whole-home WiFi equipment and management software, confirmed that it has laid off about 30 employees as it applies more focus to its “core business.”

TechCrunch first reported on the layoff, noting that the reduction impacted about 20% of the company’s total workforce.

Eero released this statement:

“Our goal is to provide perfect WiFi in every home. Over the past year we explored several related projects, and we've now made the tough decision to eliminate one new project in favor of greater focus on our core business. We do not take this lightly, and unfortunately this shift means about 30 colleagues will no longer be working at eero. We will continue our work to make eero the most reliable, secure, and easiest home WiFi solution.”

Eero declined to elaborate on the project that was eliminated.

Last year, eero introduced a second-generation of whole-home WiFi products, including a new “Beacon” device that can plug directly into power outlets and a premium “network protection” subscription service.

RELATED: Eero Upgrades, Expands Whole-Home WiFi Platform

Also of recent note, eero broadened its sales channels with a new lineup that is dedicated to professional installers.

Eero has also complemented its retail business with one focused on ISP partnerships. Blue Ridge Communications, eero’s first cable operator partner, launched a new premium offering, called HomeFi, that features eero’s compact WiFi access points working in tandem with the customer’s cable modem and an MSO-branded app that lets users manage their home WiFi networks.

RELATED: Blue Ridge Greenlights Eero for Whole-Home WiFi Offering

Founded in 2014, eero has raised about $90 million, according to CrunchBase.

Blue Ridge Communications, a cable operator that serves parts of Pennsylvania, is entering the premium whole-home WiFi market through a partnership with eero.

Blue Ridge’s new premium offering, called HomeFi, offers eero’s compact WiFi access points for $5.95 per device (Blue Ridge’s FAQ for the product suggests one HomeFi eero for every 1,000 square feet, or one to two devices per floor). Those access points, which extend coverage in the home, work in tandem with the customer’s cable modem and an MSO-branded app that enables users to manage their home WiFi networks and set up elements such as parental controls.  

Early into the program, Blue Ridge requiring pro installs of HomeFi (with a one-time activation fee of $49.95), but the operator also intends to make a self-install option available, according to John Del Viscio, Blue Ridge’s director of operations.

Del Viscio said the need for a premium whole-home WiFi product was driven by customers that are connecting more and more devices to the network and desire solid coverage in all corners of the home.

“For us, this seems like a natural extension to the product and services we offer,” Del Viscio said, noting that Blue Ridge put several vendors through the paces before picking its horse for HomeFi, but was partially attracted to eero’s performance and ease to set up.

Blue Ridge soft-launched HomeFi about 30 days ago, but intends to ramp up marketing soon via email, TV spots, mailers and other tactics, he said, adding that contractors and service agents have also been trained to support the new offering.

Blue Ridge is also the first announced cable operator partner for eero, which has largely been focused on selling its platform at retail. Eero also has a partnership with Cincinnati Bell whereby the service provider is selling the vendor’s devices at its retail stores.

“With the proliferation of OTT/connected devices and smart-home technologies, Blue Ridge understands how important the WiFi connection is to support their customers’ broadband needs and viewing experiences,” Matt Packard, head of ISP sales and business development, said in a statement.

Blue Ridge initially leased out eero’s first generation hardware, but is now mixing in vendor’s latest wares soon. Eero’s gen-two product set includes the “Beacon,” a more compact access point that plugs directly into power outlets and is equipped with a Thread radio and an LED nightlight.

RELATED: Eero Upgrades, Expands Whole-Home WiFi Platform

With HomeFi, Blue Ridge joins a growing group of ISPs and cable operators that have developed and launched whole-home WiFi products. Comcast, for example, has launched “xFi,” a cloud-based home network management platform and is developing a new line of wall-pluggable WiFi “pods” in partnership with Plume that will extend WiFi coverage in the home.

RELATED: Comcast Leads $37.5M Investment in Plume 

The trend is also opening up opportunities for other vendors, such as Google, Netgear, Luma, Linksys, Arris, and AirTies, which is already working with U.S. providers such as Atlantic Broadband, Frontier Communications and Midco.

Eero, a vendor that specializes in whole-home WiFi gear and management software, is looking to broaden its sales channels with new product lineup dedicated for professional installers.

Giving pro installers the option to wall-mount those whole-home systems, eero has expanded its lineup with a PoE+ (power over Ethernet) Adapter and mount, as well as a remote network management tool that has typically been supported through the company’s retail and service provider products.

RELATED: Whole-Home WiFi Heats Up (subscription required)

eero, which recently launched its second-gen product line, has teamed up with about 1,500 dealers for the pro installation segment of the company’s business, according to Doug Bieter, head of sales at eero, which added the professional installer channel to its repertoire last August.

He said the new designs give professional installers more flexibility and options with respect to access points are placed, enabling in-wall or on-ceiling deployments.

RELATED: Eero Upgrades, Expands Whole-Home WiFi Platform

Bieter added that a common request from that segment of the market was a remote management tool that lets dealers gain visibility into the network, check performance and diagnose and correct technical issues that could reduce the need for truck-rolls. Those partners can also monetize that part of the product solution as well, he added.  

eero said pro installers can purchase the new PoE+ adapter and mount later this year from major distributors such as Access Networks, Catalyst AV Group, PowerHouse Alliance, and Wave Electronics. 

eero introduced the new product lineup ahead of CEDIA 2017, set for September 5-9 in San Diego. 

eero is taking bigger aim at the whole-home WiFi product sector with a more capable second-generation product as well as a new, complementary “Beacon” component that plugs directly into power outlets, and a premium “network protection” subscription service.

eero, which also announced an expansion into Canada , said the second-gen primary device looks the same but is about twice as powerful as its predecessor, and uses a triband WiFi set-up that combines three wireless bands. The device, a foundation of the company’s mesh-based platform, is also equipped with a Thread radio for low-power devices such as connected locks, doorbells and other sensors, and has two auto-detecting Ethernet ports (one that connects to the modem and another optional one that can plug into printers, consoles or other devices linked to the home network).

The eero Beacon is about half the size of the core eero device and is used to broaden the reach of the home’s WiFi network in places such as stairwells, kitchens and hallways. The Beacon also comes with a Thread radio, is compatible with eero’s other products, and is equipped with an LED nightlight.

RELATED: Eero Adds WiFi SmartsThe second-gen product and Beacon are available for pre-sale now, and expected to start shipping in a “few weeks.” In the U.S., eero is selling it at its own site, via Amazon.com and BestBuy.com, and later at certain Walmart and BestBuy stores and regional retailers, as well as a cadre of pro installers.

eero is selling a Home WiFi System comprised of a second-gen eero device and a Beacon for $299, a package with two Beacons for $399, or a Pro Wifi System with three second-gen eero devices for $499.

RELATED: WiFi ‘Volcanos’ No Longer Cut It

eero Plus, the company’s new premium security service, will sell for $9.99 per month or $99 per year. It includes advanced security against malware, ransomware and phishing attacks, enhanced parental controls, and VIP-level customer support. The first month of eero Plus is free.

eero, founded in 2014, competes in the whole-home WiFi sector with companies such as AirTies, Google, Netgear, Luma, Linksys, Plume, and Arris, among others.

eero has cut its teeth at retail, but also has an effort underway to forge deals with cable operators, telcos and other ISPs. Last year, eero teamed up with Cincinnati Bell to provide its WiFi products at eight retail stores run by the telco.

Plume, meanwhile, has the pole position at Comcast, which has invested in the startup. Comcast and Plume are developing wall-pluggable WiFi ‘pods” that are tailored for the cable operator’s new ‘XFi’ platform. Liberty Global Ventures, Shaw Ventures and Presidio Ventures, a unit of J:COM, are also Plume investors.

RELATED: Comcast Leads $37.5M Investment in Plume 

AirTies has already notched partnerships with a batch of U.S. service providers, including Atlantic Broadband, Frontier Communications and Midco.