Better living through a networked home

This one’s interesting, and indicates another step toward living in the world of George and Judy Jetson…

Homebuyers can soon choose home network infrastructure and services, including entertainment and high-speed Internet during new-home construction planning. SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC) and Home Director Inc. have announced an agreement that will give buyers of new homes access to an array of advanced communications, entertainment and high-speed DSL Internet services throughout their home.

The agreement between SBC, a provider of high-speed digital subscriber line (DSL) service, and Home Director, a home network hardware and software company, gives families a complete ‘one-stop’ solution to customize and pre-order a home networking infrastructure and SBC’s voice and broadband data services. The agreement complements SBC’s Project Pronto, a $6 billion initiative to make DSL and other broadband-powered services available to nearly all of its customers by 2002.

The SBC-Home Director initiative will begin in November in San Antonio, and subsequently be expanded throughout Texas and California through the end of the year. The program will then be deployed in other portions of a 13-state operating area.

When homeowners meet with builders to plan the construction of a new home, a Home Director representative assists the homebuyers in determining the location of computers, televisions, telephones and other services including music. Home Director’s wiring infrastructure, the technology backbone of a home, distributes services anywhere a family wants them. For example, SBC’s high-speed DSL Internet access can be shared by the entire family using multiple computers at the same time. A built-in security firewall protects computers and personal information from intruders over the Internet. Networked computers can share files, software, printers and scanners. Security cameras can be viewed on designated TV channels. Cable, satellite, VCR and DVD signals from one receiver can be viewed on every television in the home.

Homebuyers can then choose from a full range of services, including voice services, satellite television through DIRECTV®, a high-speed DSL connection, and Internet service. Home Director, in conjunction with its business partners, provides the final step by installing the wiring infrastructure required to enable the use of the services ordered by the customer.

Whoa. And I can remember a time when there weren’t even VCRs yet. Enjoy the future, folks…it’s here.

Leave a comment