We're often asked why we chose to specialise in Z-Wave over some of the other wireless home automation technologies available in the marketplace. Z-Wave, ZigBee, Insteon, WiFi and BlueTooth are among the main players in this space but you can easily get bogged down in technical and marketing jargon when trying to compare their actual capabilities. |
Perhaps the most compelling reason for choosing Z-Wave has to be the sheer variety of products available. Quite simply, there are more Z-Wave enabled products in use around the world, from more manufacturers, than any other competing technology. Better still, new products are emerging all the time. If you're looking for an easily expandable solution for an entire residence, it doesn't get any more comprehensive than Z-Wave.
2. DESIGNED FOR THE HOME
Z-Wave was specifically designed for the residential home automation market. This is an important distinction because unlike most other wireless solutions, Z-Wave has been purpose built from the ground-up to deal with the needs of the average home owner. Z-Wave enabled products are designed to be compatible with commonly used appliances and fixtures found in and around every home, which makes integration simple, seamless and affordable.
3. COMPATIBILITY
Z-Wave licensing imposes strict rules on product manufacturers to ensure they adhere to the Z-Wave standard. This means when a product is Z-Wave certified, you are guaranteed it will be compatible with all other Z-Wave devices both new and old, protecting your investment for years to come.
4. RELIABILITY
Z-Wave operates in the sub-1GHz band which makes it impervious to interference from most wireless technologies. This, in turn, provides improved range possibilities and also uses significantly less power. Messages routed between Z-Wave devices are repeated and acknowledged to ensure utmost reliability which is essential for home automation applications.
5. MATURITY
Z-Wave is new, right? Well, sort of. In actual fact, it was first developed over 10 years ago which is a heck of a long time when it comes to technology. The point here is, Z-Wave has been through many revisions and enhancements in that time to get it to where it is today; a stable, secure and resilient home automation technology.
Well, there you have it. This is by no means a complete roundup of Z-Wave's features or capabilities but we think it represents the most significant aspects of the technology that most people starting out will be keen to understand. If you need any help in taking those first steps into Z-Wave home automation, feel free to contact us.