SureWest Enters Remote Monitoring Fray

IPTV pioneer SureWest Communications on Tuesday unwrapped a remote monitoring tool that lets customers control and monitor devices in the home from Web-connected computers and some mobile devices.

SureWest Remote Monitoring service provides live or recorded video, still images, and sensor notification for events such as motion, door and window activity, water leakage and temperature change.

The service is available nationwide, even outside of the carrier’s Northern California and Kansas City, Mo., footprints. SureWest recently acquired Everest Broadband in Kansas City, buying its network, and 37,000 residential and 1,500 business customers, for $173 million.

“This new and advanced product provides customers with an innovative and convenient way to keep a protective eye on the things that are most valuable in their lives,” said Bill DeMuth, SureWest’s CTO and senior vice president, in prepared comments.

The business-savvy operator hopes remote monitoring will appeal to the environmentally conscious because they’ll be able to adjust appliances’ energy use.

A starter package comes with an IP camera, door/window sensor, wireless gateway, software and instructions for a one-time cost of $199.99. Customers do pay a monthly fee of $9.99, or they can make annual payments of $105.99.

Potential upgrades include adding cameras with pan-and-tilt capabilities; installing wireless water and temperature sensors; and putting wireless power controls on light fixtures or other appliances.

SureWest provides a Web portal subscribers use to monitor their home devices. Users also can create alerts to notify them of specific conditions, such as a change in temperature.

Video monitoring services are not new. AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. also offer remote access and control of DVRs. Still, adoption of video monitoring shows that, in many cases, wireless is not necessarily the fourth component of voice, data and video bundles. Instead, wireless has become an option for remote access to home services.

Even though SureWest offers its remote monitoring service across the country, the company said people not on its FTTH network likely will experience slower video upload and download speeds.

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines