A new standardized interface from the Broadband Forum could help broadband service providers and application developers deploy smart-home services more quickly by providing a common way to manage Matter-enabled devices across manufacturers.

The Matter Service API, based on Broadband Forum’s TR-517, MatterService Data Model for USP Enabled Devices, gives service providers a unified view of Matter-powered devices connected to a smart-home network. Rather than developing separate integrations for individual Matter ecosystems, providers and application developers can use a common interface to develop services once and deploy them across compatible devices.

“Industry efforts around Matter have successfully made smart home devices work together, but access to those devices is still frequently controlled through proprietary ecosystems,” said Jason Walls, Connected User Work Area Co-Director at the Broadband Forum and Director of Technical Marketing at QA Cafe.

“This means that customer experience services, such as diagnostics, automation services, energy management solutions, and customer support tools can be deployed at scale to fix Matter-related smart home issues before customers even notice them,” Walls continued.

Matter is designed as a universal connectivity standard, enabling smart-home devices from different manufacturers, including Apple, Google, Amazon, and Samsung, to communicate over a network. As Matter adoption expands, the need for a common service layer to manage those devices is also growing.

Recent Matter releases have expanded the standard to additional device categories, including cameras, energy-management devices, appliances, sensors, and shading systems. These devices are increasingly becoming part of connected-home services, creating new opportunities for broadband providers to offer services beyond connectivity.

However, many Matter-enabled deployments remain associated with proprietary cloud platforms, mobile applications, and vendor-specific integrations. That fragmentation can make it difficult for service providers and third-party developers to create services that operate consistently across devices from different manufacturers.

“Many Matter-enabled smart home deployments remain tied to proprietary cloud platforms, mobile applications, and vendor-specific integrations,” said Xavier Roubaud, Connected Home Product Line Director at Orange Innovation. “As a result, service providers and third-party developers often face a fragmented landscape when attempting to build services that work across devices from different manufacturers.”

“Thanks to the Matter Service API, gateways and smart home hubs can now become stable platforms for innovation, making it easier for service providers to launch new monetizable services,” Roubaud said.

At the technical level, TR-517 combines Broadband Forum’s User Services Platform (USP/TR-369) with the Matter protocol. The resulting MatterService data model provides a consistent API and platform for managing customer-experience services through broadband gateways, routers, and smart-home hubs.

The data model is also designed to remain aligned with Matter's evolving device definitions, giving service providers a framework intended to accommodate new Matter device types as the smart-home ecosystem develops.

• Visit the Broadband Forum website for more information on TR-517.
• Jason Walls and Matthieu Anne discuss the Matter Service API in a Broadband Forum video.
• The Broadband Forum is scheduled to host a webinar on August 27 at 2:00 PM UTC covering the Matter Service API and its potential for building open smart-home services.

Source: Broadband Forum

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