O2 launches home monthly IoT bundles

O2 has brought consumer IoT services to reality by launching an array of smart home offerings in the UK, targeting the everyday tech user.

A range of pretty affordable packages bundled up under the name “O2 Home” allow users to take their first steps into the IoT pool. Three different bundles deliver a variety of smart hominess, with security, energy and broader IoT connectivity being targeted. The three packages are called Comfort, for energy and temperature control, View, for motion detection and surveillance, and Connect, with lots of smart plugs and sensors.

O2 even compiled some handy data to prove why it’s so important people make the leap to smart home goodness. 2,000 people spoke with pollsters One Poll, and gave their opinions on the current state of smart home tech. Turns out there’s a lot of people with technophobia, or at least ignorant about technology.

Results from the survey said that nearly 75% of people being interested in “future-proofing” their homes with smart technology, just 5% play on doing it this year. According to O2, this comes down to 60% of respondents being put off from updating their homes due to a fear of not knowing how to install the technology, or a lack of confidence in doing so.

“O2 Home is all about connecting our customers to the people and things that matter,” said Nina Bibby, O2’s Marketing and Consumer Director. “Keeping your home up to date with technology shouldn’t be complicated – so we’ve brought together connectivity and smart technology in a simple package to give customers peace of mind wherever they are. We’ve made everything simple – with installation experts to help set things up and an app to monitor and control your home 24 hours a day. It’s smart technology for everyone, not just the tech-savvy.”

The product launch does represent one of the first major consumer IoT initiatives from an operator in the UK, with O2 even partnering with Samsung to deliver some of devices in the bundles. O2 will start shipping the products this year, heaping pressure on its UK rivals to step up, else risk falling behind the IoT times.

https://youtu.be/l8r8-r20uJ4