Somfy, a window-motorization company that counts Chicago among its top five markets, has trained 75 window-covering dealers to install the home-automation system, which has no monthly or annual fees. Local dealers include Decloth Home Collection, Interiors Unlimited, Motorized Window Treatments and V2K Window Décor & More.

The company is competing in an increasingly crowded field, with players as varied as security company ADT, communications companies AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, specialty energy-management firms RCS Technology and high-end automation companies like AMX, Crestron and Elan Home Systems.

Indeed, forecasts say 20 percent of America’s homes will have some kind of remote-controlled system by 2015, compared with 6 percent today, according to Parks Associates consultancy.

The growth will benefit companies with extra fees and consumers with easier ways to control their already smart TVs, thermostats, utility meters, Blu-ray players, game consoles and digital video media players.
 

From the article, "Controlling home, remotely," by Sandra Guy.

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