Verizon’s newest product is the SmartHub, their entrance into the smart home race. This is basically a 4G LTE signal extender, but a bit more powerful. Verizon is aiming this product at those that may be looking to get rid of their ISP and use their mobile phone provider as their internet provider at home. With the SmartHub, you’ll be able to turn your home into a 4G LTE hotspot, where you can connect products like smart cameras, thermostats and many other smart home products (and there are more coming virtually every day). It’s really the beginning of what Verizon (and others) see for the world of 5G in a few years.
As the name hints at, this is a “smart” hub here, and using the Verizon Home app – which is available for both iOS and Android – you can monitor and control smart home accessories from your smartphone. The Verizon Home app can also send notifications and schedule routines like adjusting your lights, setting the temperature in your home and much more. This makes it much easier to set your home to you being away, than having to turn off the lights all by yourself. Verizon does have compatibility with Nest and Kwikset, one of the examples used in the press release shows that you could have your Nest Learning Thermostat begin warming your home while you’re on your way home, and then have the Kwikset Home Connect unlock your front door.
Verizon made the SmartHub for those times when weather strikes and the power goes out. There’s a built-in battery in the SmartHub which will kick in when power is lost. This gives you voice connectivity, so you are still able to make calls when the power goes out, as long as the Verizon network hasn’t been hit (which is rare, but it does happen on occasion). The Verizon SmartHub will go on sale tomorrow, May 25th, and will be priced at $199. If you want to pick one up on a two-year contract, that will cost you $99.99, but there’s no cost for adding it to your account, which is a good move by Big Red.