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The Comfort Zone. Bleeding edge offers opportunity for integrators.
Out with the old and in with the new. In today’s fast-paced market, communication has changed immensely.The Latest from SIW
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By Deborah L. O'Mara
Editor-in-Chief
Browser-based connectivity, text messaging and interactive video monitoring is changing what we as the industry call a turnkey residential security, fire and automation design. For the integrator, it opens up a host of applications and new ways to create recurring revenue.
For example, text messaging or SMS, which stands for Short Message Service, is one communication method morphing the way an alarm or supervisory signal is transmitted while offering new options to integrate the home’s functions. The SMS protocol allows the interchange of text messages and these are now used to transmit alarm notifications or other alerts to the user and/or the central station. In its simplest form, residential customers can receive notifications or alerts to telephone, PDA or laptop. But many take it a step further by adding pictures to the mix.
Now, the customer gets a notification and video link to the captured action – which may be a child, or teen, opening a liquor cabinet or other alarm incident.
Considering there’s only some 23 percent penetration for security systems in the U.S., there’s a whole untapped residential market and this may just be the greatest thing since sliced bread to many of those who are still unconvinced.
National Security Inc., Fairfax, Va., has an extensive remote video monitoring demonstration area at its HQ showcasing the service to customers. Seeing is believing and there’s been increased interest and demand for remote video monitoring, said Lou Gibbs, president of National Security.
“They may want it to check in on their pets during the day while they are at work or to observe a caretaker or nanny or similar situation,” he said. “There are all kinds of ways to use the service and there’s definitely demand for it,” Gibbs said.
National Security, which focuses on high end residential and commercial, has offered video surveillance to residential customers for some time. “Many of our upper end clientele have used cameras and we’ve been integrating them in residences for the past 4 to 5 years. But they were cost prohibitive—anywhere from $500 to $1,000 each. The advent of IP cameras has changed that. Now customers can get a camera for about $375 and monitoring at $10 to $12 per month,” he said.
