by
dane » Mon Feb 18, 2019 6:55 pm
troybob wrote:Looks like Jasper has given his endorsement to the Amazon/eero deal, a move that undermines everything both Sonic and eero have assured us about security. I guess those Amazon gajillions are too hard to resist, but giving them a back door into our homes is a sleazy move.
Hopefully this doesn't predict that Sonic is on the verge of selling out as well.
[Insert boilerplate sonic/eero response that Amazon respects our privacy, though Amazon's only assurance is that they don't plan to use our private data. The big data companies have already shown us that plans change and that new policies are retroactive to old data.]
I'll respond on all the points here, but the first two stand out.
First, I haven't given my endorsement to anything. This was as much of a surprise to me as it was to everyone else. But after giving their transaction some thought, I'll respond below with a bit of the "boilerplate" as you suggest, but I hope you'll read it with an open mind, because there is a key point in conclusion there.
Second, what any equipment supplier does by no means predicts anything that we might do. Sonic has been independent for nearly 25 years, we are not a VC-backed startup headed for a quick exit. (In fact, are you aware of any telecom, cable, or internet company with our consistent longevity?) It makes no sense to draw any conclusion or make any accusations about Sonic's "selling out" based upon the behavior of our equipment suppliers. Before Eero selling to Amazon, it was Pace selling to Arris and then SmartRG selling to Adtran. While each transaction has brought change that Sonic has had to adapt to, we do adapt.
Finally, the boilerplate - with a really key point for our members:
Today, Eero has privacy policies and practices that echo those of Sonic, with good consumer protections and limitations or their use of customer proprietary information. Of course, the team at Eero tells us they've got no plans to weaken those policies, but clearly they're not fully in control - and if/when changes to their policies or practices occur, we'll certainly reassess. We'll also assess critically any future equipment or capabilities that they offer, for example if they were to integrate Alexa, far-field microphones, etc. Some members might want that, while others may not - and we need to accommodate that either way.
But good news for those who prefer not to use Eero: the equipment rental program has full flexibility for Sonic members. So, unlike folks who purchased Eero gear and simply own it now and are somewhat stuck with it, our members can at any time opt out, get a return label from us and ship back the equipment.
As a result, I think our members are in a much better position than they'd otherwise be in, both today and into the future if/when Eero policies change. Right now, for those who would prefer a non-Eero router and WiFi solution, we provide either a Pace/Arris product, or one from SmartRG/Adtran.
I remain hopeful that Eero will be a good actor and will not allow Amazon to corrupt their policies and practices, but clearly we must keep a close eye on Amazon's behavior. I think everyone will be watching them equally well, as they've certainly received a lot of scrutiny on this topic.