Plume (company)

Plume was founded in 2014. The company began offering its cloud-delivered services in June 2016.^[3]

In 2017, Plume raised $63 million in funding.^[4] In 2018, the company changed to a subscription model beginning with its Adaptive Wi-Fi service^[2][5] and new SuperPods.^[2] The SuperPods are slightly larger than the first generation pods, capable of faster speeds, and contain two integrated Ethernet ports.^[2]

In February 2019, TalkTalk, a UK-based telecommunications company, signed a deal with Plume to bring Plume Wi-Fi to TalkTalk’s broadband customers.^[6] After a month, Plume's services became available to all UK households.^[6][7] In November, the company expanded into Asia when it announced a deal with J:COM, Japan's largest cable-TV operator.^[8]

In November 2020, Plume acquired British Columbia-based network intelligence and security software firm Walleye.^[9] Plume also started working with POST Luxembourg.^[9]

The company works with more than 400 service providers including Comcast, Charter, Qualcomm, Cablevision, Shaw Communications, Bell Canada, and Liberty Global.^[10][11][12] It also partners with U.S. cable television cooperative NCTC, Sagemcom, and customer-premises equipment (CPE) vendors and resellers such as Technicolor and ADTRAN.^[13]

In October 2021, it was announced that Plume raised $300 million in a Series F round, bringing Plume's valuation up to $2.6 billion.^[14][15]

Plume provides an adaptive WiFi platform with cloud management services that works automatically to self-optimize network connections.^[16][17][18] It provides interoperability for homes and businesses that may be using smart devices from different manufacturers.^[19] Plume’s products are open, allowing them to work with any CSP.^[19][20]

Using its cloud management, Plume can identify and measure network traffic and then make changes to provide better performance.^[21] For example, if the bedrooms in a home are empty because everyone is in the living room streaming a movie in HD, Plume’s network will route more bandwidth to the streaming device in the living room.^[3] The company provides WiFi through its tri-band pods, which plug into wall outlets, or through an OpenSync integration into a CSP’s existing Customer Premises Equipment (CPE).^[22][23]

Plume’s services include:

• Adaptive WiFi:^[24] Plume adjusts bandwidth as load demand shifts throughout the day.^[25]

• Control:^[26] allows users to set up profiles and manage devices and usage, set individual WiFi passwords for guests, and restrict guest access to certain devices
• Motion sensing:^[27] uses WiFi radio waves to detect motion in areas of a house. The functionality uses OpenSync nodes or, Plume’s SuperPods, and connected IoT devices to provide the sensing information.^[27]
• AI Security^[27]