For years, video surveillance was too costly for all but the most upscale of residential customers. But thanks to advances in video and communications technology, that’s no longer true. Some dealers now sell video to 10 to 25 percent or more of new residential accounts.
According to FCC data, about two-thirds of U.S. households now have broadband connectivity — typically a cable modem or DSL connection — and among households likely to purchase a security system, the percentage undoubtedly is even higher. Purchased to support home computers, those broadband connections also provide an excellent means of transporting video signals — and with the advent of cameras that communicate using the Internet protocol, there is no longer a requirement for residential video surveillance systems to include a costly digital video recorder.