Home automation services gaining popularity with service providers

CAMPBELL, USA: Market research firm Infonetics Research released excerpts from its 2013 Home Automation Service Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, which takes an in-depth look at the latest trends in home automation and control services offered via a broadband or mobile connection to the home.

Jeff Heynen, principal analyst for broadband access pay TV at Infonetics Research: "One of the more interesting trends we're seeing in the home automation market is the concept of a provider offering services to end customers over another operator's broadband connection. Verizon has been experimenting with trials of over-the-top (OTT) home automation services as a way to secure revenue from out-of-market customers."

"Our latest home automation study supports this trend: By 2015, the percentage of operators offering OTT home automation services more than doubles," Heynen reports. "With Verizon functioning as the guinea pig for out-of-market and over-the-top home automation services, other operators clearly believe these services can be delivered outside their incumbent markets."

HOME AUTOMATION SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 70pc of the operators participating in Infonetics' survey will offer home automation services by the end of 2013

• Consumer education is a deployment challenge for an overwhelming majority of survey respondents

• Broadband providers are increasingly competing with established home security companies: The bulk of those surveyed plan to offer home security services by 2015

• Respondent operators view iControl as the top home automation equipment and software supplier, followed by 4Home, Cisco, Control4 and Huawei