Will Amazon share your internet with your neighbors if you have an Echo? What to know
Echo device users could soon have their internet bandwidth shared with their neighbors through Amazon.
The company said last month that on June 8 Echo devices will join Amazon Sidewalk — a service that pools portions of internet bandwidth together to create a shared network. Other devices will be on-boarded later, including Tiles.
Here’s what to know about Amazon Sidewalk — and how to opt out.
How Sidewalk works
Amazon describes Sidewalk as a “shared network that helps devices work better.”
Users who participate in Sidewalk contribute a small portion of their internet bandwidth to the shared network that can be used by all Sidewalk-enrolled devices in an area, Amazon says. There is no extra charge for participating.
Sidewalk is not a replacement for a home WiFi network and requires WiFi access to operate, Amazon says. But it can “extend the working range” of connected devices or keep devices online if they are outside the range of the home WiFi network.
“Amazon Sidewalk uses Bluetooth, the 900 MHz spectrum and other frequencies to extend coverage and provide these benefits,” the company says.
Amazon says Sidewalk coverage can vary by location and the number of participating devices in a given area..
The maximum bandwidth a Sidewalk-enabled device can contribute to the network is “80Kbps, which is about 1/40th of the bandwidth used to stream a typical high definition video.”
“Total monthly data used by Sidewalk, per account, is capped at 500MB, which is equivalent to streaming about 10 minutes of high definition video,” Amazon says.
What devices are included?
In addition to some Ring products, Echo devices that provide connection to Sidewalk include third generation or newer Echos, Echo Dots, Echo Dots for kids and Echo Dots with clocks and all generations and models of Echo Plus, Echo Show, Echo Spot, Echo Studio, Echo Input and Echo Flex.
Amazon says Tile will join the service on June 14.
Devices that provide connection to Sidewalk are called “Sidewalk Bridges.”
How do you opt out of Sidewalk?
Echo dot users that don’t want to participate in Sidewalk can opt out.
Sidewalk will launch on all eligible devices starting June 8, an Amazon spokesperson told McClatchy News. But users can opt out at anytime.
Those who want to disable Sidewalk on an Echo device should open their Alexa app, select “more” and open their settings. Next, select “Account Settings” then “Amazon Sidewalk” and turn Sidewalk on or off.
“Ring customers who own an eligible device can choose to update their Amazon Sidewalk preferences anytime from the Control Center in the Ring app or Ring website,” Amazon says.
Will information be shared with other users?
Amazon says Sidewalk Bridge owners will not receive “any information” about other Sidewalk Bridges.
“Information transferred over Sidewalk Bridges is encrypted and Bridge customers are not able to see that Sidewalk-enabled devices are connected to their Bridge,” it says.
Those who use Sidewalk Bridges will know they are connected to the Sidewalk network but will not know which other device they are connected to, according to Amazon.
Amazon also says it limits “the amount and type of metadata” needed to manage the network.
Only the owner of a Sidewalk-enabled device can “view information that pertains to the normal operation of their device,” Amazon says.
This story was originally published June 1, 2021 at 1:27 PM with the headline "Will Amazon share your internet with your neighbors if you have an Echo? What to know."
