The Z-Wave Alliance said that adoption of its long-range smart home technology is accelerating, as the number of certified Z-Wave Long Range devices available on the market reached 125.
Announcing the milestone at the CES technology show in Las Vegas, the industry body said manufacturers were increasingly deploying the standard across residential, multifamily, and commercial buildings, citing demand for wider coverage, improved reliability, and locally managed connectivity.
Z-Wave Long Range, an extension of the Z-Wave wireless protocol, allows devices to communicate directly with a central hub over significantly greater distances than traditional mesh-based systems, with a theoretical range of up to 1.5 miles under ideal conditions. The technology also supports up to 4,000 devices on a single network, compared with far lower limits under earlier versions.
The Alliance said the expanded capacity and simplified star-network architecture were making the technology particularly attractive for large properties, including apartment complexes and mixed-use developments, where maintaining connectivity has historically required extensive use of signal repeaters.
Bettina Roll, Certification Program Manager at the Z-Wave Alliance, said uptake had exceeded expectations. She said that about 80% of products currently entering the Alliance’s certification pipeline were seeking approval for Z-Wave Long Range, underscoring what she described as growing confidence in open, interoperable standards.
Manufacturers at CES showcased a broad range of newly certified devices, including smart locks, safety sensors, lighting controls, gateways, and building management hardware. Several vendors highlighted battery efficiency as a key advantage, with some sensor devices designed to operate for up to 10 years on a single coin cell battery by dynamically adjusting transmission power.
Security remains a central selling point. All Z-Wave Long Range devices are required to support the protocol’s S2 security framework, which uses encrypted communication and authenticated device onboarding. Vendors and installers argue this makes the technology appealing to consumers and property managers seeking to limit reliance on cloud-based services and third-party data processing.
The Z-Wave Alliance said sales of Z-Wave and Z-Wave Long Range devices were benefiting from heightened concerns over data privacy and resilience, as homeowners and operators look for systems that can function locally during internet outages.
Z-Wave technology, which operates on sub-gigahertz radio frequencies, is recognised internationally under the ITU G.9959 standard. The Alliance said more than 4,500 Z-Wave-certified devices are now available globally, with long-range capabilities increasingly positioned as a foundation for applications beyond single-family homes.
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