ATT foray into automation

[pete]

Interesting article about one telco / broadband providers foray into automation.

Interesting "box" but no touch screen.

Kind of reminds of the first residential microwave ovens from around 1976 or so.

The article is here:

http://www.electronichouse.com/article/inside_an_att_digital_life_home/

[LGNilsson]

Interesting read, thanks for the link

[AARON]

Everyone is doing exactly the same thing these days... AT&T, Cox, Comcast, Verizon, etc.  They are using Zwave devices mixed with a call-home security core + very basic automation/control. 

[pete]

Yup; its kind of a race these days pushing automation while starting to lose TV revenue's and folks cut here and add there type stuff.

Today using Verizon Fios and Comcast BB.  QOS is decent these days.

I have been pushing for adding AT&T and Verizon to our little subdivision of 100 homes in the midwest.  Also utilize wireless BB to Chicago a while back.  I am noticing oversubscribing on the 3G networks while pushing some on the 4G networks lately.

Started with Verizon DSL in Florida then went to Comcast BB and then to Verizon Fios.  Subdivision in Florida is only 50 homes and we have the choice of Comcast, Verizon or AT&T for Internet these days which is really nice.

[Pestus]

I've been watching Rogers do the same trick up here.  I'm also in the security industry as well, being a small independent.  Honeywell, DSC, Alarm.com 2Gig, and many other companies would have me sell these sorts of closed but complete systems to my clients.  They are capable machines, but tend to be massively overpriced, and are very basic in their software design.  So much so that it certainly wouldn't appease the geek in me, or others of this community.  What's worse, is largest of the companies in this game also employ proprietary designs.  People will end up stuck in a very expensive and powerless position. 

If you weren't technically oriented, had enough money that the monthly fee didn't matter, and you only had simple HA needs, it might be worth considering.  Sophisticated home automation needs won't likely be satisfied with this kind of machine unless the software improves.

Stick to stuff like traditional old DSC, Honeywell, Paradox, Elk etc alarm panels, and tie them into automation controllers such as Almond+, Micasaverde, Homeseer, etc.  You'll have a far more impressive and versatile system than these all in one monstrosities.  You can keep the monthly fee down to only the traditional alarm monitoring this way, too.  You just might need to wade through much more set up to get it done right

A fool and their money are soon parted.

[pete]

Yup; see the issues.

Thing is most folks do want automation "yesterday" these days and are willing to pay a monthly fee for it with nary a thought.

The "idea" of automation to many is really just to be able to remote control their lighting via some widget on their phone or turn on their Television from 2000 miles away.

I think that is "fine and dandy" and does provide a new widget to play with on your phone and sparkles of dinner conversations with friends and family and work peers.

Yup; here utilize software and hardware automation stuff. 

Did the mobile phone stuff in the late 1990's; mostly to bug my wife while traveling on business; and talk to her via the text to speech that I could get to via a simple browser connection.  It was fun.

I am old and a bit of a curmungeon when it comes to this stuff which is actively utilized for security, automation et al; while concurrently always playing much new stuff cuz its there to play with.

[Pestus]

I try to be on the bleeding edge, while selling the cutting edge.   Most users aren't anywhere near this.  I think you're right.  Manual control is what most of them are looking for, and that's the bare basics that this technology is capable of.  These all in one hardware packages suit these needs just fine.  I'd sell/install them too, if they weren't so greedy about it.  Hardware manufacturers used to just sell their parts, and walk away.  The service was handled by others, and so they had the monthly recurring revenue to keep them fed.  Now, the manufacturers are trying to weasel their way into charging the service dealers a monthly fee, bloating everything to an absurd level to the end user.  I prefer not to screw people like that, frankly. 

If the security industry doesn't wake up, it's going to lose large portions of the residential market.  When automation systems and cell phones get good enough, it detracts from the need from traditional monitoring service to begin with.  These days, if you don't offer something more, you don't deserve the business to begin with.