Essence intros DIY smart home kit

HERZLIYA, ISRAEL & MOSCOW, RUSSIA: Essence in Russia is introducing with GulfStream its simple, branded DIY smart home kit to overcome one of the major obstacles that has prevented communications service providers from offering value added services for security and connected homes.

"Any customer can simply install this out of the box," says Ben Weinberger, Deputy CEO of Essence. "The service provider really doesn't have to worry about anything. They just send the kit to consumers, and the consumers install a complete home security and connected home system by themselves."

One of the main obstacles to mass deployment of new connected home services is the need to train and send out support personnel. The Essence WeR@Home solution overcomes that issue with its self-installed, simple set-up and remote maintenance tools for service providers.

Another major benefit is the flexible pricing model. Essence's partner in Russia, Gulfstream, found that communications service providers were looking for new services with flexible pricing models. With WeR@Home, it's possible to provide a hardware and software package for the average consumer that allows self-monitoring via mobile apps, with affordable equipment and monthly subscription fees.