Z-Wave Alliance demonstrates security solutions to major cable providers

NEW ORLEANS--Members of the Z-Wave Alliance, a consortium of 150 companies in the home technology space that implement Z-Wave technology, here at The Cable Show on May 18-20, demonstrated potential security solutions to Multi-System Operators (MSOs), or large cable providers, to add to their bundled service offerings. "Cable companies have been looking for ways to increase the services offered to their customers," said Jeff Crews, vice president of service provider rollouts for 4HomeMedia, a software development company and member of the alliance. "A group of industry leading manufacturers came together to demonstrate how our services could work together using the benefit of Z-Wave technology." The conference demonstration included four primary Z-Wave Alliance members: 4HomeMedia, with a touch panel UI and devices/services management platform; Crayon Interface, with a mobile phone UI; GE/Jasco with Z-Wave lighting and application controls; and Panasonic with IP cameras. The demonstration was only one of many different potential solutions cable providers could offer their customer base, said Crews. "Right now we are marketing these services to cable companies so they may have a variety of interest in putting together a more security-centric offering that would use different members of the Z-Wave consortium," he said. "The great thing about having 150 members is that really allows flexibility for cable providers to put together starter kits or a host of devices the homeowner can choose from." While Crews couldn't specifically name interested cable providers, he did say there was a "number of Tier 1 cable providers interested in this demonstration" and that there has been strong interest in a Z-Wave solution in the last six months. For more on this story, see the July issue of Security Systems News.