Outside of ADT, AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is the most recognized smart home service provider, according to analyst firm Parks Associates. President of AT&T Digital Life Kevin Petersen described on a CES panel discussion how the company has expanded its Digital Life offering into 82 markets and plans to continue extending its reach across AT&T's entire wireless footprint. The operator also introduced several new product integrations last week through partnerships with Lutron, Samsung Corp. , Qualcomm Inc. (Nasdaq: QCOM) Life, and LG Electronics Inc. (London: LGLD; Korea: 6657.KS) . (See AT&T Adds New Partners to Its Digital Life.)

Petersen explained how AT&T built its platform "from the ground up," but the telco has also teamed up with Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) from the beginning for the home controller that operates its smart home system. Cisco can't be ignored in the smart home space because of its continuing focus on all things Internet of Things, or as CEO John Chambers likes to call it, the Internet of Everything.

AT&T appears keen to stay close to Cisco as well. One of the featured guests on an IoT panel at the service provider's recent developer conference (also in Las Vegas) was none other than Cisco CTO Padmasree Warrior.

Then there's Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ). Verizon has come and gone from the smart home market, but shows every sign of returning once again with a little help from Greenwave Systems' Axon platform. Greenwave is still relatively unknown, but the company had a presence at CES this year as one of the sponsors for the Parks Associates Connections Summit on Monetizing Smart Home Solutions & Connected Devices. In addition to Verizon, Greenwave includes the large European utility company E.ON as a customer. (See Verizon Drops Its Quantum Router, Hints at IoT.)

From the article "CES Redux: State of the Smart Home Wars" by Mari Silbey.

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