Cisco, Control4 Partner on Worldwide Connected Community, Utility Programs

Cisco was the lead investor in a recent $15 million round of funding for Control4 as part of a partnership announced this week between the companies that will integrate Control4 technology with Cisco’s Service Delivery Platform in worldwide connected smart community and utility smart grid programs. Under the agreement, Cisco will stamp its brand on Control4 products including lighting devices, remote controls, touchscreens, and thermostats, the companies said.

One of the first deployments is slated for August or September in the first of Cisco’s energy-based Smart+Connected Communities projects in Songdo, South Korea, Wim Elfrink, Cisco Services chief globalization officer, told journalists in a conference call Monday. Houses in the Songdo community will have networked lighting, temperature control, security, audio and video and Cisco’s Umi Telepresence system installed when consumers move in, said Control4 CEO Will West. Additional smart community projects are slated for Vietnam, India and Malaysia, and products and services will vary according to project.

The partnership with Cisco gives Control4 access to every home in large communities, “not just a few,” West said, saying the scale of automation “is coming of age,” where dealers will be able to provide solutions to large numbers of consumers “across much larger geographies.” West said connected communities offer dealers and retailers around the globe a chance to get involved in the process of “building out whole cities.” They can benefit from initial deployments and add-on solutions that can build on top of the Control4 platform, he said. He noted that dealers and programmers are already writing apps that can be layered on top of the Control4 platform. Elfrink said Cisco’s vision is to have Control4 as the “home automation platform” on which dealers can sell apps and services.

In smart grid programs with utilities, Control4’s EMS-100 system, including a controller and a touchscreen, will be an entry point into the home, West said. From there, dealers can add entertainment, security and other services. “Whether a dealer sells a home theater or more advanced system or consumer goes to buy something at Best Buy,” West said, consumers will know the system is compatible with the utility’s energy-management technology. Designated resellers will have primary responsibility for initial deployments, West said. He said Best Buy is getting involved in the utility channel and “has great interest in providing service, support and installation through the Geek Squad.” Those agreements will be announced on a utility-by-utility basis, he said.

According to Fulton, there will be “quite a bit of overlap” in channels between the two companies, including the ability for CEDIA integrators to have access to Cisco products. West added that CEDIA members are becoming increasingly network-savvy and taking advantage of advanced networking solutions. “I would hope for and foresee greater cross-pollination of channels and products,” he said.