Home Assistant
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By the way, the current ZBT-2 is based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 (MG24) MCU SoC, so while we are making requests on improving the hardware I might as suggest to use the EFR32MG26 (MG26) MCU SoC instead to make it even more future-proof. The newer ERF32MG26 should on paper make it more future-proof product in the long term as the newer MG26 series has even faster CPU, more RAM and Flash Storage resources. ERF32MG26 series radio MCU chips also feature an RX Sensitivity of -105.4 dBm which is better than the -104.5 dBm of the EFR32MG24 (making it have even better signal reception in theory because its radio recieving circuits are more sensitive). 
But, it should however also be noted that there is an unresolved rumour that Silicon Labs is working on an upcoming EFR32MG28 (MG28) that will have built-in Dual-Band support, and even though I can not find any information on that it would make sense since Silabs does have other families of SoCs for Proprietary Wireless Sub-GHz that are in their EFR32xG23 (xG23) and EFR32xG28 (xG28) series, (like example EFR32FG23L and EFR32FG28 ) but none of them officially support the IEEE 802.15.4 -based specification needed for Zigbee support, nother does those have Dual-Band support. Should also mention that Texas Instruments already has dual-band MCU radios with IEEE 802.15.4 support, including Sub-GHz for Zigbee Smart Energy ,(and currently CC1352R, CC1352P, CC1314R, CC1354R, CC1354P are available), where CC1354P is probably best optimized as Zigbee Coordinator right now, and includes their official "LP-EM-CC1354P10" (CC1354P10 LaunchPad) development kit: Here is by the way an overview schematic of TI's CC1354P10 radio MCU showing Dual-Band DSP modem with recievers and transmitters for Sub-1GHz and 2.4GHz: 
In addition, I hope that the physical radio chip components on its circuit board could have better RF Shielding metal cover that is properly grounded as well, unlike the first batch of ZBT-1 (and ZWA-2) adapter circuit boards which does not have RF shield on its PCB (but then Z-Wave is way less sensitive to EMF/EMI/RMI interference compared to Zigbee and Thread so is not as important as having RF shielding for Zigbee and Thread circuit boards). 
So please also improve the hardware design of the circuit board all type of radio adapters by adding RF Shielding metal covers, (I am at least curious if and why it was decided not to add an “RF shield” covering, e.i. an EMF shielding plate cover for electromagnetic shielding / EMI / RF shielding for faraday caging on top of the radio chip and its components on the PCB?). |
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I mean it'd hope that Nabu Casa might have advance access to new soon to be released chips as a (somewhat big? I don't know how much they actually sell) corporate customer of theirs and being involved with protocol design and being at the forefront of new features usually. |
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Well, considering that there are no consumer products available to buy yet and the fact that Nabu Casa primarly targets the direct to end consumers market and practically almost exclusivly sell to just the Home Assistant userbase, I do not think that Nabu Casa will or even should be prioritizing being "first to market" with a Suzi or Zigbee 4.0 Coordinator radio adapter with Sub-1GHz support. I was more generally posting to ask/discuss if anyone in the DIY community or small businesses that make smaller batches of Zigbee Coordinator USB adapters would consider Zigbee Coordinator adapter with 2.4GHz and Sub-1GHz Dual-Band radio that support "Suzi" Sub-GHz Zigbee standard, which will use chips that might eventully end up in a future ZBT-3 or similar hardware adapter. |
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I'd say they are end consumer focused, but they do usually prioritize cutting edge, tinker-friendly hardware. I'd doubt they'd make a new version of the ZBT without Suzi support. How long it'll take IDK, but I could imagine them being pretty stoked on getting something to market if they can actually produce a version that's worth an upgrade (which Suzi would be I think). And that Suzi has a real brand helps here as well I'd think, as they can effectively communicate these changes to the end consumers. |
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I think we should wait before a Nabu Casu coordinator is developed. Two things need to happen first: the protocol needs to prove adoption among device manufacturers, and coordinators need to demonstrate stable, well-supported implementations. Right now we only have initial SDK support and a handful of chip implementations - but nothing proven stable or production-ready. These are lab-grade implementations, not something we can confidently build user-facing features around. ZBT devices aren't aimed only at geeks - they serve beginners and the entire community. Premature Suzi support would create real costs without real value:
If someone wants cutting-edge protocol support, they'll naturally gravitate toward niche devices built specifically for that. We don't need to bundle it into the mainstream product. Better to add it once it's stable and proven than to rush it and spoil the user experience. |
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I don't think any device officially supports Suzi yet. We'll probably have to wait for chip manufacturers to certify their MCUs, and then device manufacturers to develop and release their first ZigBee gateways, and then even later to release the first devices compatible with those gateways, and then the community will buy those devices and add support for them in zigpy/Z2M. That sounds like at least two or three years to me. |
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Describe the enhancement
Back-story; Starting this hardware request discussion for additional features in future Zigbee Coordinator adapters to avoid more hardware requests noise in the existing Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 announcement comments about its hardware missing "Suzi" Sub-GHz Zigbee support (i.e. the new standard for Zigbee over Sub-1GHz frequency bands).
Fact is that the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 that recently lauched by the Open Home Foundation and Nabu Casa is missing a Sub-GHz (Sub-1GHz) radio frequency band reciever/transmitter to that hardware wil 'as-is' not out-of-the-box be able to support the new "Suzi" Sub-GHz Zigbee standard that was announced last week by the CSA (Connectivity Standards Alliance):
CSA (formelly the Zigbee Alliance) announced ”Suzi” as a new Sub-GHz Zigbee radio frequency bands/range (to enable Zigbee Long-Range feature) as part of its Zigbee 4.0 announcement, and as such this thread is a hardware request (and open discussion) for a new/updated Zigbee Coordinator adapter that also supports Suzi Sub-GHz Zigbee devices as well (perhaps a future ZBT-2+ or ZBT-3?):
The EFR32MG24 (MG24) radio microcontroller chip used inside the Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 does unfortunatly not support Sub-GHz Zigbee radio frequencies on its own, and even if you used a radio that did support Dual Band / Dual-PHY (a.k.a. multi-band) then you also need separate physical antennas for 2.4GHz and Sub-1GHz.
Silabs MG24 (EFR32MG24) can be made to become Dual-Band if complimented with a Si4468 Sub-GHz PA (Power Amplifier chip from Silabs EZRadioPRO ISM Band Transmitters, Receivers and Transceivers series) which as a Dual-PHY combination to support Dual-Band (a.k.a. multiband) transciever inside a Zigbee Coordinator adapter:
That specific EFR32MG24X + Si4468 Dual-PHY (BRD4197) combo is even pre-certified for Zigbee by the CSA for simultaneous Dual-PHY ZSE:
At least their marketing spiel make it sound as if ”Suzi” is more or less just a Zigbee Coordinator operating a Zigbee network on a Sub-GHz frequency band frequency range(?)
"Alongside Zigbee 4.0, the Alliance introduces Suzi, the new brand for the standards-based wireless technology that extends the reach and reliability of IoT connectivity through long-range, Sub-GHz mesh networking. Built on the proven Zigbee network layer, Suzi combines long-range performance, low power consumption, and multi-vendor interoperability to unlock new opportunities in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. From connecting outdoor living spaces to enabling large-scale networks in buildings and cities, Suzi delivers robust, efficient communication in environments demanding extended coverage and minimal interference. Adhering to the same strong security principles that define all Alliance technologies, Suzi aligns with international standards to ensure a secure and trusted ecosystem. Its framework allows developers, manufacturers, and consumers the freedom to build and deploy interoperable devices from a global ecosystem of trusted suppliers. The Suzi Certification Program is planned to open in the first half of 2026, enabling manufacturers to begin certifying products that bring the benefits of long-range, low-power mesh networking to the connected world."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg3wZjp8uw8
For reference, also see this related zigpy and zha feature requests Suze and for Zigbee Smart Energy (ZSE) profile in upstream library dependencies for ZHA:
[REQUEST] ”Suzi” - Sub-GHz Zigbee feature zigpy/zha#582
[REQUEST] Zigbee Smart Energy (ZSE) profile / "Zigbee Smart Energy Profile" (SEP) support in zigpy zigpy/zigpy#1709
Note! We do not yet know if the Zigbee EmberZNet SDK from Silicon Labs will support concurrent dual-band (a.k.a. multi-band) support or if a single Zigbee network (PAN/PANID) simultaneously support spanning over two frequency ranges to allow Zigbee binding and such between Zigbee devices on different frequency bands. It might be that the Suzi network need to have its own PAN/PANID and thus be a totally seperate Zigbee network:
FYI, Silicon Labs Zigbee EmberZnet SDK 7.2.0.0 was the first version that added support for Dual-PHY Zigbee Smart Energy needed to support Dual-Band (a.k.a. multiband / multi-band):
Only speculations so far but looks like ”Suzi” is kept slightly seperate from Zigbee 4.0 by having its own logo, so not quite sure yet if Suzi will be as integral to Zigbee 4.0 as Z-Wave Long Range is to Z-Wave 800 series, or if you always have to have Suzi as its own seperate Zigbee network(?).
Device information
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Use cases
Zigbee Coordinator adapter radio that supports "Suzi" Sub-GHz Zigbee standard. Suzi unlocks new applications and use cases in the residential, commercial, and industrial space by enabling the first widely adopted standard for Sub-GHz mesh network. Suzi is built on market-proven Zigbee network-layer routing, offers many of the same features, but on a lower frequency.
Anything else?
From my research it seems that Suzi was actually suppose be released back in 2023 as part of the Zigbee PRO R23 (R23.0) specification when it was delayed the first time, and then it was suppose to be released in 2024 as part of the Zigbee PRO R23.1 spec when it was delayed again, and now it was finally released in 2025 as part of the Zigbee PRO R23.2 specifications.
PS: Dual-Band 2.4GHz and Sub-GHz support for Zigbee end-devices is also already available via some EFR32MG13 and EFR32MG12 parts can today already be used in a Zigbee Smart Energy (ZSE) end device.
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