Verizon officially announced the launch of their Home Monitoring service today, which is a key component of their smart digital home strategy. It’s an issue we’ve been covering for well over a year and was initially revealed to us at the 2010 Digital Home Summit.
The new platform, which uses Z-wave technology, allows customers to control a variety of home functions from Internet connected devices including smartphones, laptops and their FiOS connected TV.
Customers can perform a variety of functions, including:
- turn lights on and off remotely
- monitor their home through networked video cameras
- remotely lock and unlock doors
- control thermostats and temperature
- control and monitor home appliances
- monitor electricity usage
Verizon Home Control and Monitoring will sell for $9.99/month. Customers will have to buy home monitoring kits, starting at $69.99, and install them themselves or through Verizon installation partners.
Beyond Verizon’s goal of building a business around the smart home, they also hope to achieve some specific green initiatives, by lowering both their carbon footprint and that of their customers.
Jim Gowen, Verizon’s Chief Sustainability Officer was the keynote speaker at our recent 2011 Digital Home Summit and he revealed a two prong strategy for the digital home. “Pardon the electricity pun, but knowledge is power and enabling consumers to proactively and reactively manage their electricity usage through their smart devices is one way to reduce energy consumption,” said Gowen in his address.
Verizon and Gowen are quite excited at the prospects of their smart home initiative. He shares more insight on how FiOS, 4G LTE, and Verizon’s green initiatives are coming together in the below video interview.
