Telstra signalled their intentions in the IoT space last year when they announced their own smart home platform based on the Zigbee protocol. Today they have expanded their offerings even more announcing their new partnership with Google Home in the Australian market.
The new collaboration allows users to control their Telstra Smart Home devices using their Google Home by issuing commands such as “OK Google, turn off the iron” and “OK Google turn off the hallway lights”.
John Chambers, Telstra Executive Director Product Innovation, said of the new partnership:
Customers with a Telstra Smart Home kit and a Google Home will be able to ask Google to turn their lights on when they come home with their arms full of groceries or use a smart plug to turn off the iron before they run out the door by simply asking their Google Home. Over time, we’ll continue to work with Google to build more integration with our current and future Smart Home range.
The ability to control Telstra Smart Home using your voice opens up great opportunities for our older customers and Australians with mobility issues who will now be able to turn appliances and lights on and off without needing to move around their house, wait for help or use their smartphone.
Examples of it in everyday use here in Australia can be seen on Telstra’s blog where a Telstra employee shares his experiences with it over the past few months. Sometimes it is hard to imagine what uses you may have for something like this but when you hear others’ uses it gives you many ideas as well.
Telstra are taking advantage of this partnership further with the inclusion of a free Google Home in the new “Our smartest home internet bundle”. This new bundle offers 1000GB of data, a Telstra TV, a Telstra Smart Home Starter Kit (of your choice), a smart plug and a Google Home for $124 per month over 24 months. Remember Telstra are also selling Google Homes separately for $199.
If you are looking to setup your home with some IoT devices without the painstaking effort of figuring out all their different instructions Telstra Smart Home may be just what you are looking for. Anyone out there use a Telstra Smart Home product? What different commands do you use or see yourself using with your Google Home? Give us all some ideas.
