SINGAPORE - Telco Singtel has jumped into the smart home arena, launching on Monday (Oct 17) a service that lets users control their appliances and doors from their mobile phones through one single app.
Customers who sign up for the Singtel SmartHome service will have home automation devices, such as a central smart hub, cameras, motion sensors and smart locks installed and set up for them by Singtel.
They will be able to control all of the products through one single app, called True-i, developed by Singtel's smart home partner Hanman International. The app's functions include unlocking a user's smart lock remotely, streaming live video from the home, or turning off appliances connected to the system.
However, customers will only be able to use smart home devices that are compatible with the app, which they have to purchase from Singtel.
Existing Singtel fibre broadband customers can sign up for one of two starter kits, which come with a two-year contract for the smart home service.
The first is the Contact Sensor kit. It comes with a smart hub and a contact sensor, which triggers a notification when it detects movement on what it is attached to, and costs $25 per month .
The second starter kit is the Smart Door Lock package, which comes with a smart hub and Samsung smart lock, and costs $45 per month.
Non-Singtel fibre broadband customers can also purchase these kits at $650 and $1,260 respectively.
The other smart home products will cost extra. A smart plug, which has a wireless chip that lets users turn off power to appliances connected to it, costs $80, while a smart camera that works with the True-i system will cost $200.
Singtel plans to extend the automation to lighting as well, which will require installation of wireless receivers into the lighting relay panels in homes. This may come some six to nine months later.
Mr Wong Soon Nam, vice-president of consumer products at Singtel, said: "Smart homes are the homes of the future as Singapore becomes a smart nation. Singtel SmartHome is part of our vision of helping busy Singaporeans live better by using technology to empower them to live more comfortably and safely."
