62% of smart home device owners find AI-powered cybersecurity monitoring appealing

PLANO, Texas and PALO ALTO, Calif., July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ahead of NCTC’s The Independent Show, Parks Associates and Plume released research that details the shift in broadband competition as providers need to deliver a superior customer experience based on reliability, proactive management, and personalization. As gigabit speeds surpass 25% in the US, broadband providers must refocus beyond speed and on engagement, leveraging advanced AI platforms to account for the unique needs of each subscriber.

The new white paper, Owning the Broadband Subscriber Experience in the AI Era, warns ISPs of risks in ceding the subscriber intelligence layer to device OEMs, satellite providers, and technology platforms. Consumers, especially younger generations, are increasingly sensitive to service issues, including outages and poor customer service, while also wanting proactive services that improve reliability, protection, and the overall connected home experience:

56% of US households report at least one home internet service problem in the past 90 days.62% of smart home device owners find AI-powered cybersecurity monitoring appealing, and 27% are willing to pay at a tested price point.

“Consumers expect providers to deliver reliable connectivity, proactive support, and protection,” said Jennifer Kent, SVP & Principal Analyst, Parks Associates. “AI enables providers to anticipate problems, personalize service, and create experiences that build long-term loyalty.”

The research distinguishes between current AI applications, such as automated network optimization and predictive diagnostics, and the emerging wave of agentic AI, where tools autonomously execute multi-step tasks across the network and care environments. It examines how agentic AI is enabling broadband providers to scale services, maturing from reactive customer support to predictive operations.

Key findings:

Subscribers experiencing poor customer service are 7x times more likely to consider switching providers than those without service issues.Younger consumers are far less likely to report their internet service as reliable and are significantly more willing to switch providers.Consumer adoption of AI tools continues to accelerate, creating new network demands and the need for intelligent network management.Connected households face between 36 and 86 blocked security threats per month on average, with botnet attacks growing 89% year-over-year.

“Subscribers just want their video call to work, their kids to be safe online and their smart lock to respond when they’re away from home,” said Rebecca Stone, CMO, Plume. “What they can’t see is that our platform is blocking up to 86 security threats a month in their home and that botnet attacks grew 89% in a year. Only a platform that learns globally across hundreds of operators and half a billion devices can spot those patterns and act on them before the subscriber ever notices. That is what turns network intelligence into subscriber confidence, and subscriber confidence into lower churn and cost to serve.”

The white paper includes a case study with TELUS, which deployed AI-powered journey orchestration to achieve a 91% digital care engagement rate and is projected to prevent more than 500,000 support calls annually.

Download the white paper. Contact Parks Associates for data or for an interview.  

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates helps companies identify new opportunities, refine strategy and accelerate growth in connected technology markets through data-driven insights and industry expertise. The firm delivers proprietary consumer and industry research, market forecasts, and strategic analysis that guide business decisions across personal, connected home, SMB, and commercial technology ecosystems.

https://www.parksassociates.com.

About Plume

Plume created the first managed WiFi platform for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in 2016, enabling the company to scale across the globe and expand into managing the entire subscriber experience, including approximately 500 million connected devices, in 40 million homes, on behalf of more than 450 ISPs, across 58 countries. By integrating managed WiFi, cybersecurity and customer care, Plume created the first open, hardware-agnostic SaaS Subscriber Experience Platform for ISPs. Powered by an unmatched global dataset and AI optimization, the Plume Platform builds subscriber confidence through improved WiFi experiences, seamless new service implementation and proactive customer care. Plume’s open-source framework OpenSync® is pre-integrated and supported on the leading silicon, CPE and platform SDKs, and supports leading industry standards like RDK-B and prplWave. Discover more at www.plume.com.

Elizabeth Parks
Parks Associates
972.490.1113
419288@email4pr.com 

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SOURCE Parks Associates

National Campaign Calls on CEOs and C-Suite Executives to Share Their Perspectives on Freedom, Leadership, and Opportunity

NEW YORK, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chairman and Founder of C-SUITE NETWORK™, today announced a strategic partnership with Emovid™, and Didit to launch Voices of 250, a nationwide initiative inviting business leaders to share what freedom means in America as the nation continues celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026. Voices of 250 is a proud participant in Freedom 250.

As America continues celebrating its 250th birthday, Voices of 250 is bringing together business leaders from every industry and every corner of the country to celebrate the freedoms that make innovation, entrepreneurship, and opportunity possible. This isn’t about red states or blue states, it’s about red, white, and blue.

“We’re going to see business leaders tell their own stories about why they are proud to own, lead, and build businesses in America,” said Jeffrey Hayzlett. “This is the perfect time to share with future generations, customers, partners, employees, and communities how proud we are to support free enterprise and the opportunities it creates.”

A growing number of influential business leaders have already shared public messages about freedom, opportunity, leadership, and the nation’s 250th anniversary, including Kathy Warden, Chair, CEO, and President of Northrop Grumman; Dave Ricks, Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company; Lynn Martin, President of the New York Stock Exchange; and Adena Friedman, Chair and CEO of Nasdaq. Their publicly posted messages helped inspire Voices of 250 and are featured on the website as examples of the growing national conversation. The campaign is now calling on executives from Main Street to Wall Street to join the movement and help celebrate freedom, opportunity, and America’s 250th anniversary.

The campaign calls on CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, and C-level executives across the country to record and share a brief video message reflecting on three questions:

What freedom means todayHow it shows up in your organizationWhy this moment matters

These videos will become part of a coordinated national movement designed to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, leadership, and opportunity that have helped define America for 250 years. Business leaders can get a Voices of 250 toolkit by going to voicesof250.com.

“For generations, freedom has fueled the builders, dreamers, innovators, and risk-takers who make this country exceptional,” said Jeffrey Hayzlett. “As business leaders, we’ve experienced firsthand the power of freedom to create jobs, launch companies, solve problems, and improve lives. Voices of 250 gives us an opportunity to come together and tell that story in our own words.”

As a proud participant in Freedom 250, the initiative is being powered through a collaboration between C-SUITE NETWORK™, the world’s most trusted network of C-suite leaders; Emovid™, the innovative Verified Human Communication(tm) platform making participation simple, trusted, and scalable; and Didit, the leading digital marketing agency helping amplify the message and extend its reach nationwide.

“America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the freedom, entrepreneurship, and leadership that have always driven our nation forward,” said Keith Krach, CEO of Freedom 250. “Voices of 250 gives business leaders across the country a powerful way to share what freedom means to them and the communities they serve.”

“Freedom isn’t just a historical concept, it’s something we exercise every day through innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and service,” Hayzlett continued. “This initiative isn’t political. It’s personal. It’s about recognizing the opportunities that freedom creates and inspiring future generations to continue building on that legacy.”

Through the initiative, Emovid™ will provide business leaders with a simple and efficient way to record and share their messages, making participation accessible to executives regardless of schedule or location. Didit will help drive awareness, engagement, and amplification of the campaign, ensuring these stories reach audiences across industries and communities throughout America.

“Technology and storytelling are powerful forces when combined,” said Hayzlett. “With Emovid™ simplifying the creation process and Didit helping amplify these voices, we’re making it easier than ever for leaders to participate in a historic national conversation.”

Participating executives will record a personal 60–90 second video that reflects on the meaning of freedom, how it is expressed within their organizations, and why America’s 250th anniversary represents an important moment for reflection and optimism. Participants will need to go to voicesof250.com to record their video, share it through their social channels, to their employees, customers, vendors, and partners. Videos will be released as part of a coordinated national campaign and featured across executive, corporate, C-SUITE NETWORK and other participating media channels.

The initiative is expected to reach millions of employees, customers, stakeholders, and community members through executive networks, social media, digital platforms, national compilation videos, industry-specific showcases, and media events.

“Business is one of the greatest expressions of freedom,” said Hayzlett. “Every company started, every customer served, every innovation launched, and every employee empowered is a reflection of the opportunities made possible by freedom. That’s a story worth celebrating.”

As a proud participant in Freedom 250, C-SUITE NETWORK™ Emovid™, and Didit are inviting business leaders from organizations of every size and every industry to participate and help create a lasting tribute to the American spirit.

“As leaders, our voices matter,” Hayzlett added. “The story of America is still being written, and business leaders are helping write it every day. Voices of 250 is our chance to reflect on where we’ve been, celebrate what we’ve built, and inspire what comes next.”

Proud participant in Freedom 250.
More information on Voices of 250 and how executives can participate is available at www.voicesof250.com.

About Voices of 250
Voices of 250 is an independently owned and operated national initiative bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives to share personal reflections on freedom and its role in innovation, leadership, opportunity, and economic growth. Voices of 250 is a proud participant in Freedom 250, the national effort commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

About Freedom 250
Freedom 250 is a national initiative dedicated to celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States by engaging citizens, communities, organizations, and leaders in honoring America’s history while inspiring its future.

About C-SUITE NETWORK™
C-SUITE NETWORK™ is a trusted network for C-suite executives to get great reach, discovery and conversion using content, community, and the marketplace for scale.

About Emovid™
Emovid™ is dedicated to restoring trust and authenticity in digital communication. Its patented process and visual verification seal ensure that every message sent through its platform is verified human, transparent, and trustworthy. Each message is encrypted, tracked, and validated across all formats–video, audio, text, and translation–allowing people and business to communicate with confidence in the age of artificial intelligence.

About Didit
Didit is a leading digital marketing agency helping organizations grow through innovative digital strategy, search marketing, content, and performance-driven campaigns.

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SOURCE Voices of 250

Rising costs are influencing 89% of job seekers’ decisions to pursue new work.

OKLAHOMA CITY, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Finding a job feels difficult for many Americans actively looking for work, according to a new Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey, especially when the right role must match their qualifications, pay needs and long-term goals.

Forty-one percent of U.S. job seekers say they are actively looking for a new job, with 82% focused on full-time positions. Both figures are unchanged from the fall of 2025.

Still, more than half of job seekers (54%) say it will be difficult to find a job in the next six months.

Pay, Fit and Competition Top the List

The survey breaks down where job seekers are feeling the most pressure:

Finding opportunities that match their qualifications: 46%Finding a job with enough pay to cover basic expenses: 44%Standing out in a competitive job market: 41%Navigating automated hiring processes instead of feeling heard by people: 31%

The experience can also feel uncertain. Nearly a third of job seekers (31%) say companies that claim to be hiring but only collect resumes make it harder to find their next opportunity. Others say their experience does not align cleanly with available roles, with 28% citing overqualification as a barrier and 22% citing underqualification.

Current Job Worries Are Also Driving the Search

Among employed job seekers, concerns about pay, job security and the economy remain top of mind.

Their biggest fears about their current job include:

Not getting the salary increase or raise they deserve: 37%A slowdown in work opportunities because of the economy: 31%Their company reducing the workforce due to the economic climate: 30%Technology or AI negatively impacting their role: 25%

However, uncertainty isn’t the only reason employed job seekers are exploring other options. Many are motivated by quality-of-work factors, with 41% seeking better work-life balance, 40% looking for stronger growth opportunities in their current industry and 37% hoping to find or negotiate better compensation.

Rising costs are also part of the equation, with nearly 9 in 10 job seekers saying increasing prices have had at least some impact on their decision to pursue new employment. For 63%, that impact is moderate or substantial.

“The job search may feel difficult, but that does not mean the market is standing still,” said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, president and chairman of Express Employment International. “Job seekers are being more intentional about what they want, and employers should be just as intentional about what they offer. Clear expectations, realistic qualifications and strong communication can help turn a challenging search into the right match.”

Discover more research and real-world workforce trends from the America Employed series at ExpressPros.com/Newsroom.

Survey Methodology

The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from May 19 to June 8, 2026, among 1,000 adults ages 18 and older who are employed but looking for a new job or not employed and looking for work.

For full survey methodologies, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena.Hollander@ExpressPros.com, Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

About Robert (Bob) Funk Jr.

Robert (Bob) Funk Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Express Employment International, a global staffing franchisor founded and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He leads a portfolio of workforce solution brands, including the flagship Express Employment Professionals franchise, along with several affiliated brands serving specialized markets. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, we’re in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing more than 11 million people globally since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

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SOURCE Express Services dba Express Employment Professionals