Lowes unveils upcoming Iris smart home monitoring service

Lowes introduced its updated Iris smart home system in November, and today at CES 2016 announced plans to offer a professional monitoring service for its' Iris customers. The monitoring service will be offered in partnership with United Central Control Inc, though it will only be available in yet-unannounced markets starting in the second quarter of this year. The service will be offered sans contract.

Lowes bids this as an all-in-one type of service — it will cost $19.99/month and include the Iris Premium Service as part of it. With Iris Premium Service, the system will alert the homeowner's family and/or friends if an alarm goes off, offering another layer of protection. The new service will also include a backup cellular service that serves as a backup in case a home WiFi network is lost.

The cellular service typically costs $4.99/month, and while the cost is folded into the new protection service, it does require the Iris owner to buy a cellular modem. Those who aren't interested in the new protection plan will also have two other plans to choose from: the Iris Basic Service (free) and the Iris Premium service ($9.99).

The protection service will work with any devices available that support Iris — first with the "primary Iris security and safety" options, and later on with other devices added to the Works with Iris program. Those new to the service can grab a Security Pack for $99.99 USD and the smart hub for $59.99 USD.