August Home and Protect America team up

SAN FRANCISCO and AUSTIN, Texas—August Home and Protect America have teamed up to provide smarter DIY security for homeowners. By integrating the August Smart Lock Pro into its connected home security systems, Protect America's professionally monitored security now works with the August Smart Lock Pro to provide customers with keyless access to their home.

“Our partnership with August Home is significant in that it is the first time we have worked closely with such an innovative leader in the connected home space,” Jared Miller, chief commercial officer, Protect America, told Security Systems News. “The level of collaboration on co-marketing and cross-promotional efforts represents an exciting new direction for us as we continue to evolve as a leader in the DIY connected home security space.”

Mike Buckingham, director, August Pro, said that one of the main reasons August added Z-Wave to its newest lock, the August Smart Lock Pro, “was to be able to make the lock part of larger smart home and home security systems,” he told SSN. “Protect America is one of the largest security companies in North America. Through this partnership, the nearly 125,000 homes currently outfitted with Protect America security systems can now incorporate an August lock into their smart home.”

The August Smart Lock Pro supports Wi-Fi, HomeKit, Bluetooth and Z-Wave Plus, and works with existing single cylinder deadbolt, so nothing changes on the outside of the door and homeowners can use existing keys at any time. August's DoorSense technology confirms the door is securely closed and locked and can send notifications to a smartphone. The August Smart Lock Pro uses Z-Wave Plus to eliminate noise and distortion problems caused by architectural obstacles and neutralize radio dead spots.

August Smart Lock Pro users can use the Protect America SMART app to lock or unlock their door from a smartphone or use their voice with the Protect America skill for Amazon Alexa to automatically lock or unlock the door when their Protect America security system is armed or disarmed.

Ultimately, this integration provides customers complete control over their front door with the convenience and safety of Protect America's comprehensive line of home automation, GPS and surveillance products.

“The goal with the partnership was to allow Protect America customers to take advantage of all of the benefits of August Smart Locks and make them part of their Protect America security system,” said Buckingham, noting that traditional security systems and panel providers can now more easily connect to the August Smart Lock. “Protect America is the first security company to integrate the August Smart Lock Pro with additional partners being announced later this year,” he added.

Miller added that Protect America is excited “to collaborate with August Home, not just as a supplier, but as a partner in marketing and promoting the broader adoption of smart lock technology and connected home security to our respective customers. We would like the mainstream consumer to eventually view integrated smart locks as an essential part of any home security system.”