Oct
12
Confirming rumblings we've touched on previously, Verizon today officially unveiled the company's new home monitoring platform for existing broadband, TV and phone customers. The "Home Monitoring and Control" service costs users an additional $10 a month on top of their existing bill, in addition to a one-time price for whatever hardware configurations the users selects -- starting at $70 and up. Packages are available at the product website and come in one of three flavors.
For $70 users get a home monitoring kit, which enables customers to remotely turn on and off lights and access networked cameras. For $170 users get an energy control kit, featuring energy-monitoring equipment and remote thermostat control, special adapters that control appliances -- plus a sensor placed on the circuit box to measure electricity use throughout the house.
For $220, users can get the home monitoring and control kit, which offers both home- and energy-monitoring equipment. With the full package, users can control and monitor doors, thermostat controls and appliances and view home-energy use using a smart phone, PC, or FiOS TV set top. Verizon says tablet support is in the works. According to Verizon, they partnered with hardware providers ActionTec, Aeon Labs, SerComm and Trane and Shlage. Motorola Mobility/4Home drives the equipment.
This is a field Verizon's been eager to get into for some time, and it's functionality that has been promised by ISPs for much of the last decade. Verizon's move comes as a growing number of cable companies are also getting into the home monitoring and security services game. According to Verizon, the service is available for both FiOS and DSL customers across the company's 12-state footprint.
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