The Connectivity Standards Alliance has announced Zigbee 4.0, an updated version of the wireless mesh networking standard with improved security, better battery life, and the ability to mass-deploy new devices like smart lights, switches, and outlets. It is also announcing a new feature called Suzi, which is short for Sub-GHz and Zigbee.
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While Zigbee smart devices typically operate in the 2.4GHz band, which can experience signal loss due to obstacles such as thick walls, the Suzi-branded devices will be able to operate in the 800MHz band in Europe and 900MHz in North America. This will provide coverage for smart devices installed outside and further away from the home, without the need for additional equipment to extend the networks.
Suzi is similar to other branded features that have been added to the 802.15.4 over the years, such as Zigbee Smart Energy and Zigbee Green Power devices that harvest energy from sources such as light or heat instead of using batteries.
As companies like Ikea transition to Matter over Thread, which also operates in the 2.4GHz band, Suzi’s advantages will help keep the Zigbee protocol competitive, particularly in commercial and industrial use cases, which introduce challenging environments such as thick walls, multiple levels and large installations. “Suzi is a strong choice for commercial and industrial use cases,” explained Genie Peshkova, president of the Zigbee Product Marketing Team.
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The list of improvements coming with Zigbee 4.0 includes a simplified certification process, increased information exchange between devices, better security, and improved battery life for devices with communications that can be limited to specified schedules.
A new feature called Batch Commissioning will simplify large-scale installations by allowing multiple smart devices to be set up at once. An electrician could install Zigbee-compatible light bulbs in a new home long before power is available, and once a hub is up and running, they can be turned on all at once instead of being added to the network individually.
Zigbee Direct, an optional feature added two years ago, is now standard in 4.0. It allows smartphones to directly connect, control, and even add nearby Zigbee devices to a network using Bluetooth Low Energy without a hub.
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Zigbee 4.0 is fully compatible with Zigbee 3.0 and Smart Energy devices, and devices with “sufficient operational resources” can potentially be upgraded over the air once they are certified. However, it is not yet known which devices will be eligible to take full advantage of the improvements. The Suzi certification program is scheduled to begin sometime in the first half of 2026.
