Home automation products have long existed in small numbers, but a new study from ABI Research says that a technology shift now under way is opening up a new mainstream consumer market and creating a new opportunity for broadband and telephone service providers.
   For 30 years, home automation equipment to control lights, blinds, access and heating/ air-conditioning fell into two broad categories: custom-installed systems for luxury homes, and low-end DIY products aimed at tech-savvy enthusiasts. The expense of the former and the limitations and unreliability of the latter acted to constrain the size of the market.
   Recently, however, a new breed of standards-based wireless technologies such as ZigBee and Z-Wave promise a middle ground. The introduction of ZigBee, Z-Wave and similar standards-based technologies has led to new systems for mainstream consumers. There are two main categories: comprehensive but more economical systems for the consumer to own; and home automation and monitoring as a managed service offered by broadband and telco service providers. The managed services approach enables telcos and broadband service providers to include remote home monitoring/automation as additions to their bundled packages. They use webcams and sensors to provide security and other monitoring; with time, more controls and features are being added. Systems resembling those $60,000 custom installations are now in the $10-15,000 range with prices falling fast.