MNN - Mother Nature Network

AT&T wants to make your home more connected with its new Digital Life home automation service. The program, which will launch in 8 U.S. markets beginning in March, features 24/7 digital monitoring via AT&T monitoring centers, remote access via apps for all of the major mobile platforms, including HTML 5 and more. Better still, AT&T says the system will work regardless of your wireless carrier.

 

The nation's second largest carrier says it wants to reinvent the security and home automation experience by controlling all aspects of the service. The entire program will be run through AT&T, from sales to monitoring to billing and more. The entire system will rely on AT&T's network. Users will be able to flip on the lights in their home, manage the thermostat, monitor doors and windows, check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and even shut off the water to their house via an app.

 

It's not just home automation, though. AT&T is also including features such as indoor and outdoor video monitoring accessible via the Web. AT&T reps relayed a story of a trial customer who had a package stolen from his front steps, but managed to catch the thief on video using Digital Life's remote camera. The customer then notified police, and the culprit was caught in 30 minutes.

 

Users will be able to choose which components their Digital Life systems include. If you don't want cameras in your home, you can skip them. Want to manage your home's temperature from your phone? Add the automated thermostat.

 

Beyond the initial eight markets, AT&T says it wants Digital Life to hit 50 additional markets by the end of 2013, so be on the look out for the service coming to a town near you. 

 

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