Unlocking the Full Potential of Tomorrow's Home: The PRPL Revolution

For years, we’ve talked about the “smart home.” We’ve filled our houses with connected devices, from thermostats and security cameras to lights and speakers. Yet, for most people, the experience isn't truly smart. It’s a collection of separate gadgets, each with its own app, often failing to work together in a seamless, intelligent way. The true potential of a connected home—one that anticipates our needs, secures our digital and physical lives, and operates with maximum efficiency—has remained just out of reach.

At Verizon, our goal is to change that. The home is the center of our family's world, and the key to unlocking its future isn't another gadget; it's a fundamental shift in its digital foundation. That foundation is the router, and its future is an open-source platform called PRPL. 

A New Operating System for the Home

Think of what iOS and Android did for the mobile phone. They transformed a simple communication device into a powerful platform for millions of applications, unleashing a wave of innovation that changed the world. We are bringing that same revolutionary approach to the home network.

PRPL is a powerful, open-source operating system for the router based on OpenWRT.   By embracing an open, collaborative platform, we can move away from closed, proprietary systems that limit innovation. This is why Verizon is a founding member of the PRPL Foundation. We are all in on PRPL because we know that a global, shared ecosystem is the fastest way to develop the secure, scalable, and interoperable solutions our customers deserve.

This isn't just a theoretical commitment. We are putting our investment and expertise to work to make this a reality. We're actively proving the power of this platform, and we’re proud to be the first carrier in North America to complete the initial deployment of a full PRPL-based router for customer usage. This is a crucial step in learning how to seamlessly upgrade the brain of the home network, paving the way for a new generation of experiences.

From Connectivity to Orchestration

So, what does a PRPL-powered home look like for our customers?

First, it means greater reliability and robustness. A standardized platform enables us to manage and update network devices more effectively, keeping routers up to date with critical fixes and security patches, and delivering new features faster.

But the real magic lies in the applications. By creating an open platform, we are swinging the door wide open for developers to create a vast ecosystem of services that can be easily integrated and deployed. The number of applications available for the home could scale exponentially. 

A Home That Cares for Your Family

Beyond simple automation, a PRPL-powered home has the potential to become a true partner in managing and protecting your family. The router evolves from a simple internet gateway into a central nervous system that is aware and responsive, helping you create a safer, more efficient, and less stressful environment for the people you love most.

• Peace of Mind, Redefined: Imagine getting a simple, secure notification on your phone—not just that your kids are home from school, but that they’ve logged off their school tablets and the gaming console is still off. The home network itself, orchestrated by PRPL, understands the digital and physical state of the home, giving you peace of mind while respecting your family's privacy.
• A Safety Net for Loved Ones: Consider an elderly parent living independently. A PRPL-powered router could securely coordinate with discreet wellness sensors—detecting changes in routine that might signal a problem—and enable a crystal-clear, instant telehealth video call directly on their TV if needed. It’s about creating a safety net that is supportive, not invasive, ensuring help is there right when it's needed.
• Effortless Efficiency for a Busy Life: Think about the morning chaos of getting everyone out the door. A truly smart home doesn’t just raise the blinds; it helps manage the family's rhythm. It could gently remind your teenager about soccer practice on the kitchen display, check the traffic, suggest an earlier departure time, and ensure all the lights are off and the thermostat is lowered the moment the last person leaves. This effortlessly saves energy and, more importantly, reduces the mental checklist for busy parents, giving them back precious time and energy.
• Privacy and Control with Local AI: PRPL enables functionality right on the device providing a privacy enhancing solution. In the near future, your router could host a local AI assistant. Small language models running securely within your own network could use information from your connected devices to manage your home, answer your questions, and assist your family without sending your personal data to the cloud. You get the convenience of AI and a solution that gives you peace of mind that your data is private.

Building the Future, Together

This transformation is bigger than any single company. It requires a collective effort from operators, device manufacturers, and application developers around the world. Our early customer deployments are just the beginning. They are the launchpad from which we will build this bigger, more connected future. By pioneering this open, innovative ecosystem, we can finally move beyond the fragmented 'smart home' of today and deliver the truly intelligent, secure, and helpful home of tomorrow—one that genuinely cares for the family at its heart.