Amazon’s Echo devices will soon serve as home internet routers.

Bloomberg reports that Amazon is working on a new Echo smart speaker that doubles as a home internet Wi-Fi router. The tech giant wants to replace your home’s internet access device of choice and eliminate the need for you to use equipment provided by your internet service provider (ISP).<br><br>The product is codenamed “Project Frontier,” and it’s meant to connect your devices to the internet. The router Echo device will also allow for voice commands, the use of smart home devices, and other benefits that come with Amazon’s Alexa assistant. The Echo was introduced in 2014 and has expanded into many different products of late, including the Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Auto, Echo Frames, Echo Show, Echo Pop, Echo Buds, Echo Sport, Echo Studio, and Echo Sub.<br><br>Echo devices are more than just smart speakers. They are voice assistants that can control smart home devices, play music, set alarms, check the weather, report on traffic, make hands-free calls, send and receive messages, and more. Providing internet services for the home is a new way for Amazon to expand its Echo line, an innovative approach that other tech companies have not attempted yet.<br><br>Amazon is not the only tech firm expanding its reach beyond its standard business model. Google offers internet services via a fiber-optic network in many areas. T-Mobile is also a wireless carrier offering home internet that, even with data caps, is cheaper than most internet services.<br><br>The router Echo device Amazon is working on is said to be about the size of a standard Echo smart speaker, so it’s not something that would be hidden in the non-descript router fashion of today. Bloomberg says that the device “plugs into a modem and connects to the internet via a coaxial or Ethernet cable.”<br><br>While the Echo router is designed for your home, Amazon is also working on a more powerful Echo router for businesses, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman notes. The Echo router for businesses is codenamed “Project Frontier Plus.”