Samsung SmartThings now available Australia-wide with RACV

Samsung SmartThings

Samsung SmartThings hub and sensors are now available Australia-wide through an expanded partnership with the RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria).

GadgetGuy was at the Samsung SmartThings launch on 5 December and wrote,

I cannot think of a better partnership for both companies. Samsung wants the maximum engagement to ensure this new technology is properly applied and above all used. Its experience in the US and elsewhere is that you need a helping hand to achieve a true smart home.

RACV is a membership organisation – its 2.1 million members rely on it for roadside assist, insurance and member services. RACV staff I spoke to are far more aware of the issues than a major retailer could ever be.

Well the RACV has been successful in launching Samsung SmartThings to Victorians and knows just what things can be ballsed up by them Southerners.

Nicole Brasz, Home Executive General Manager at RACV, said: “After experiencing strong demand and positive feedback since the launch in December 2018, we are delighted to offer the Smart Home Starter Kit Australia-wide exclusively through RACV. We are thrilled to provide more people with a unique product to help make their homes more efficient and their lives easier.”

Samsung SmartThings

What is Samsung SmartThings?

Australian website here

At its core is a hub that becomes the controller of a vast smart IoT device smart home ecosystem. It uses Zigbee and Z-Wave (Australian frequency) and a huge range of smarts via the SmartThings mobile app to bring true home automation one giant step closer. It is backed by Samsung’s might and RACV’s customer service and intimate understanding of SmartThings.

In Australia, the following items work with SmartThings and usually have both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice control.

  • Arlo, Ring, D-Link cameras and doorbells
  • Philips Hue lights (and other smart light brands, dimmers and switches
  • Ring products
  • Yale, Schlage and Kwikset locks
  • Tesla EVA connect
  • Water, heat, humidity, light, smoke, contact, motion and other sensors

The only caveat is that if the product uses Z-Wave, it must support the Z-Wave lower 921.4Mhz frequency.

Eric Chou, Head of Category Management at Samsung Electronics Australia – IT and Mobile said: 

“Samsung continues to invest in delivering technology to Australians that offers a simple and easy way to help manage their daily lives and households through offerings like SmartThings. The benefit of Samsung SmartThings and its growing portfolio of connected products is that they can operate and integrate with a range of compatible products from other brands. Our goal is to help our customers utilise connected technology to empower them to do more, in addition to making things easy.

The Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Starter Kit is available Australia-wide from RACV

It is a self-installed offer for $299 + $13.50 postage & handling. Australians can request a Smart Home Starter Kit here

Samsung SmartThings

Those in the Melbourne Metro area (postcodes 3000-3210) can also choose to purchase the RACV Smart Home Starter Kit and installation by a trusted RACV smart home expert for $378. Both options include:

  • 1 x SmartThings Wi-Fi hub ET-WV525BWEGAU (wall powered and requires Ethernet cable or Powerline connection to a home Wi-Fi router or an NBN Gateway – it keeps the IoT traffic off the main home Wi-Fi, and you can use multiple hubs using the Plume mesh protocol)
  • 2 x SmartThings multipurpose sensors GP-U999SJVLAHE (uses CR-2450 battery)
  • 3 x SmartThings motion sensors GP-U999SJVLBHC (uses CR2 battery)

GadgetGuy’s take: SmartThings, I think I love you! (sorry Troggs)

I have spent hundreds of hours trying to get various smart devices to work together, let alone integrate with a voice assistant. I now have a reliable, largely bug-free semi-smart home where lights, security cameras, entertainment and more with voice or app control.

RAVC has invested much more time in understanding the SmartThings ecosystem, and its staff have seen it all – check out the FAQ’s here. That is so important as you start your smart home journey.

For a relatively low cost you can start playing with Samsung SmartThings and it will save you a lot of angst as a proven solution backed by a good organisation.

The ideal smarthome