Broadband provider and alarm monitoring provider NextAlarm.com is among the security companies jumping on the remote video trend.
NextAlarm announced today this it would be unveiling its NextView system on Monday, May 7. The system is designed for residential and business security, and allows for easy-to-access video.
Most notably, however, is how NextAlarm is going to market with the service. The company is offering the NextView system for free through July 1 of this year. After that point, said founder and CEO Alex Elliot, "there will be a nominal fee" that is based on number of cameras and the storage and archival requirements. Elliot said the price for the service would be surprisingly low and would likely start with a flat price for four cameras and 14-days back-up/recording.
NextAlarm’s customers will go to their normal web-based alarm interface at www.nextalarm.com to access the NextView video system, allowing them to control cameras and view the system without needing special software. The video can also be accessed by NextAlarm’s monitoring/dispatch centers, and images/video can be pushed to customers’ cell phones if needed. During non-alarm events, the system takes occasional still photos for archiving, but is designed to switch to video when an alarm event occurs.
The system primarily is based around common consumer-grade wireless cameras like the Linksys cameras that came out in the past year, though the company says it is working to make the system compatible with other types of surveillance cameras, including those traditionally used by professional security dealers. NextAlarm is introducing the service at The Cable Show, a tradeshow for the cable and broadband industry.
NextAlarm has offered a number of different monitoring offerings for systems, from traditional UL-monitoring to low-cost and even free non-dispatched self-monitoring using automated sytems. The company has approached security from both the traditional dealer-installed model as well as a retail/self-install model.
