How Is AI Changing the Customer Experience for Home Internet?
For years, getting help with home internet has often followed the same pattern; something stops working, you notice, and you call for support.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to change that. On At Home With Hotwire, Pragash Pillai, Chief Technology Officer at Hotwire Communications, explains how AI is helping internet providers identify potential issues sooner and develop better tools for customers.
The big takeaway? AI can help providers make service more proactive, speed up the development of customer tools like the MyFision app, and improve the support experience, with people still involved to ensure those tools meet customer needs.
How can AI make support more proactive?
Many service issues are first reported when a customer calls for help. Hotwire is working with its network operations team to better understand each customer's experience and identify opportunities to address issues sooner.
The challenge is the sheer volume of network data. There are more data points than people could reasonably review one by one. AI can analyze that information much faster, helping teams identify patterns and potential problems earlier.
How is AI improving customer tools?
The MyFision app gives Hotwire customers a convenient way to manage their services and home network. AI also helped speed up its development. According to Pragash, the app went from start to finish in about six months, compared with the 18 to 24 months projects like it can often take.
With MyFision, customers can:
- Schedule a technician visit.
- Check for service outages.
- Test Wi-Fi speed and review network health.
- View connected smart-home devices, including cameras, through the smart-home dashboard.
The app also receives updates approximately every two weeks, helping Hotwire continue to improve the customer experience.
Does AI mean less personal service?
Not at all. The goal is to give customers more ways to get help, not fewer.
As Pragash explains, Hotwire aims to meet customers where they want to be met. That might mean troubleshooting through the app, speaking with a support agent, or scheduling a technician to visit the home.
AI can help streamline the work happening behind the scenes, while people remain involved in making sure the technology works as intended and supports customers' needs.
What does this mean for your home internet?
As AI becomes more integrated into internet services, customers may benefit from earlier issue detection and more convenient ways to manage their connections.
Here are a few ways to make the most of the tools available today:
- Check your network health. Use MyFision to review your Wi-Fi speed and network status.
- Check for outages. Consult the app’s outage tracker when your service isn’t working as expected.
- Choose how you get support. Use the app, call a support agent, or schedule a technician visit based on what works best for you.
FAQs
How do internet providers use AI?
AI can analyze large volumes of network data, identify patterns, and help providers detect potential issues sooner.
What is the MyFision app?
MyFIsion is Hotwire's app for its customers to manage their services and home network in one place.
Can I still talk to a person for support?
Yes. Customers can use the app, speak with a support agent, or request a technician visit.
Want to hear more from Pragash?
Watch the full conversation on YouTube to hear more about AI, fiber networks, and the future of connectivity.