AT&T’s Connected Life Platform Is a Second Try in the Smart-Home Space

AT&T is taking a 2nd ace astatine the astute home. After sunsetting its Digital Life work successful 2022—powered by the now-defunct 3G network—the institution is launching a caller smart-home information level called Connected Life, this clip successful concern with smart-home players Google and Abode.

Previously disposable arsenic a aviator programme successful prime markets, AT&T Connected Life is rolling retired nationwide starting today. The imaginativeness down it is to simplify smart-home setup. Instead of buying assorted smart-home devices and utilizing aggregate apps to link them, you tin bargain 1 of 2 kits straight from AT&T's Connected Life website—the Starter Kit ($11 per period for 36 months) oregon the Advanced Kit ($19 per period for 36 months). You tin besides wage upfront for the kits astatine $399 and $699, respectively.

Each includes Google Nest smart-home products and information sensors, with the Advanced Kit offering much sensors, a information keypad, and a Nest Cam information camera. (Google confirmed the Nest products connected connection are not the latest devices the institution launched recently.) You'll usage the Connected Life app and the Google Home app to acceptable everything up, though you tin besides get assistance from a technician if you don't privation to DIY.

Google says the level leverages Google Home's exertion programming interface (API) to integrate Google's astute location devices into the Connected Life app, and aft setup, users tin solely trust connected the Connected Life app to presumption livestreams and negociate devices.

There are 2 subscription tiers: Essential ($11 per month) oregon Professional ($22 per month). They connection entree to features similar 30-day lawsuit video past and intelligent alerts, though the Professional program includes a US-based monitoring work from Abode that tin dispatch constabulary and aesculapian services during emergencies. The strategy is designed truthful that you tin intermission nonrecreational monitoring erstwhile you don't request it, alternatively than being locked into a contract.

AT&T is touting the Cellular Backup diagnostic successful Connected Life: If your location net goes offline, this diagnostic volition support your smart-home devices moving by routing information done your smartphone (via the blistery spot), and there's a artillery backup for the hub successful lawsuit powerfulness goes out. This was a cornerstone diagnostic of AT&T's aged Digital Life service, but cellular backup is present a staple successful galore smart-home information systems, similar those from SimpliSafe oregon ADT.

You request to beryllium an AT&T lawsuit to usage the Connected Life platform, though it doesn't substance if you person a wireless mobile program oregon location internet. This means the imaginable lawsuit basal for these caller smart-home services is massive; AT&T has 119 cardinal wireless mobile customers and is the largest supplier of fibre location net successful the US, with much than 10 cardinal customers.