Verizon Home Monitoring and Control gets CES demo

Verizon today gave a tease of a minor but potentially significant home automation service ahead of its appearance at CES next week. Home Monitoring and Control will give home owners a Z-Wave based system that will control any suitably connected part of the home through a computer, smartphone, tablet or FiOS-equipped TV, even when out of the home network. Residents could lock the doors, turn on appliances, lights or the thermostat, and watch what's happening at home if security cameras are installed.

To show what the service can do, Verizon is planning a trial in New Jersey that will upgrade the test homes to use the technology. Every home will have one each of intelligent energy readers, power strips and doors. They will also have multiple switches and thermostats, multiple window locks and a security system that includes both three cameras and motion sensors, the latter of which should also help trigger events as people walk into rooms.

Both the CES demo and the New Jersey dry run are due to start up in January, when Verizon might give an indication of how much it will cost. The carrier hasn't said which platforms will work as controls other than web browsers, although Android is certain and may be accompanied by iOS given at least sales of iPads in Verizon stores.

By Electronista Staff