Everything buyers, integrators and security teams want to know.

TetherX is an open, cloud-based video management system (VSaaS) that unifies cameras, alarms and access control from 200+ manufacturers into one platform. It is sold exclusively through security integrators and is used by housing associations, construction sites, control rooms, retail chains and government-adjacent sites worldwide. Founded in 2013, UK-built, with regional hosting in the UK, US, Canada, India and Australia.

TetherX is open and channel-only. Verkada locks you into their proprietary cameras and sells direct to your customer; TetherX works with any camera and only sells through the integrator who installed it. Eagle Eye is a closed-cloud VMS with premium pricing; TetherX is an annual platform subscription with optional per-camera services, quoted via the integrator partner. Hikvision HikCentral centralises sites on a Windows server; TetherX gives the same multi-site control as a true cloud platform with no server to host. See all comparisons.

TetherX is an annual platform subscription priced by channel count - dashboard, multi-site, alarms and access included - with cloud recording, AI search and ARC monitoring layered on per camera only where the customer wants them. Quoted through your channel partner; choose monthly billing or prepay 1-3 year terms - same software, simpler invoicing on the longer terms. Pricing factors: channel count, retention period, cloud backup options and TetherBox model. There are no per-channel perpetual licences, no dongles, no separately-billed Software Assurance contracts. Compared to closed systems like Verkada ($199-$1,799 per camera per year on top of $599-$5,199 hardware), TetherX is typically 60-80% less for equivalent enterprise capability.

On the sticker price, yes - perpetual looks like "pay once and own it". The hidden costs are why the maths flips over 5-7 years.

A perpetual licence on HikCentral, Milestone XProtect or Genetec Security Center normally comes with a Software Maintenance Agreement (SMA / Care Plus / Software Assurance) priced at roughly 18-25% of the original licence per year - mandatory for updates and security patches. Five years of SMA is around 100-125% of the original price again.

Then there is the Windows server hardware refresh every 3-5 years, separately-licensed add-on modules (LPR, ANPR, AI, access), licence churn when a site shrinks (the SKUs are stranded on the original server), and major version upgrades that frequently re-bill as new licences. The "ownership" is partly theoretical - skip the SMA and the software ages out of compatibility within 18-24 months.

The TetherX platform subscription is one line that includes updates, support, security patches and channel-count scale-up / scale-down; cloud recording, TetherX AI and ARC monitoring are optional per-camera services.

Across most 5-7 year horizons, subscription beats perpetual on TCO and gives the integrator the renewal RMR instead of handing it to the vendor.

Yes. Integrators can request a 30-day free trial - no credit card, no commitment. The trial includes a TetherBox to install at a customer site, full platform access, and a dedicated onboarding contact. If you need more time to evaluate (waiting on a customer site visit, longer pilot period, ARC integration testing) just ask - we extend trials on request, no awkward sales pressure.

TetherX supports 200+ manufacturers and 17,000+ devices including Axis, Hanwha Vision, Bosch, Avigilon, Pelco, Panasonic / i-PRO, Vivotek, Dahua, Hikvision, Uniview, Mobotix, and any ONVIF-compliant camera. If a device is not on the published compatibility list, it usually still works - contact us and we will confirm.

Yes. TetherX is designed as a drop-in replacement for the management layer. The existing cameras stay on their site network and connect through a TetherBox gateway - the TetherBox software running on an existing server or PC at the site, or a dedicated unit from the TetherBox hardware range (compact in-vehicle / lamp-post models through to rackmount servers).

The TetherBox is the only thing that talks to the cloud - the cameras themselves never get Internet access, which ringfences them from external attack. No re-cabling, no re-mounting, no downtime.

This is the foundation of the iVMS-4200 / DSS Express, HikCentral and NDAA migration page paths.

TetherBox is the on-site gateway that every site needs. Every camera, NVR or IP device sits on the site network behind the TetherBox; the TetherBox is the only thing that talks to the cloud, over an outbound-only encrypted tunnel. This ringfences vulnerable kit from the public Internet by design.

It also records locally, runs analytics at the edge, and stays operational if the Internet drops.

Two paths to the same architecture. Option A: TetherBox software running on an existing server or PC already at the site - the simplest route when there is spare capacity. Option B: a dedicated TetherBox unit from the TetherBox hardware range - compact models that fit in vehicles, lamp posts and remote cabinets, mid-size units for typical sites, and rackmount servers for sites recording hundreds of cameras with long local retention.

UK customers get TetherBox hardware shipped direct; outside the UK your integrator sources a compatible unit locally. See the recommended hardware spec. TetherBoxes from over a decade ago still run the latest software - no planned obsolescence.

Yes - every site needs a TetherBox. Likely runs as the TetherBox software on an existing server or PC you already own at the site. Or pick a dedicated unit from the TetherBox hardware range - compact models for vehicles, lamp posts and remote cabinets through to rackmount servers recording hundreds of cameras with long local retention.

Either way the cameras stay on the site network behind it and have no direct path to the Internet; the TetherBox is the only thing that talks to the cloud. The architecture is what lets us promise no port forwarding, ringfenced cameras, local recording when the link drops, and edge analytics without a separate box.

Yes. TetherBoxes run well on mobile connections. We recommend 2 Mbps upload for optimal performance but TetherBoxes work with as little as 256 Kbps upload. Reliable operation depends more on packet loss and latency than raw speed.

Compliance is a shared-responsibility model.

What TetherX provides: regional data residency, encryption in transit and at rest, per-camera retention controls, role-based access, full audit logging, tamper-evident SHA-1 evidence hashes, time-stamped exports, safe time-bound footage sharing and the ringfencing architecture that isolates cameras from the public Internet. That tooling is what each framework expects to see in a system audit.

What the customer and integrator are responsible for: picking the right camera brand (some frameworks - NDAA migration page, UK government high-secure, AU PSPF - mandate specific approved manufacturers), setting retention to the regulator-required minimum or maximum, restricting admin access to named individuals, training operators on lawful viewing, posting CCTV-in-operation signage, running DSAR / FOI workflows, and not granting blanket access to people who should not see the footage.

TetherX cannot prevent an authorised admin from over-sharing, just as a lock cannot prevent the keyholder from opening the door. The platform gives you the audit trail to detect it and the controls to limit it - the policy and the people decisions sit with the operator.

TetherX itself is UK-built and not subject to NDAA covered-entity restrictions. The platform supports every NDAA-compliant camera brand (Hanwha Vision, Axis, Avigilon, Pelco, Bosch, i-PRO and more), and lets federal contractors migrate the management layer off Hikvision / Dahua immediately while phasing camera replacement over 12-36 months. Note: NDAA compliance requires the entire deployment to use approved camera brands - the platform alone is not sufficient. See the dedicated NDAA migration page for the full plan.

TetherX is UK-built and hosts in UK / EU data centres so deployments stay inside scope.

Frameworks the platform is designed to support: UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, EU GDPR, the ICO Video Surveillance code, the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, BS 7958 (CCTV management), BS EN 62676 / EN 50132 (video surveillance systems), BS 8418 (detector-activated CCTV), BS 5979 (Alarm Receiving Centres), NIS2 for in-scope operators, Cyber Essentials / Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 cloud infrastructure.

Retention is configurable per camera to meet ICO data-minimisation. Audit trails, role-based access and the SHA-1 evidence hash support DSAR and court-admissible export workflows.

Caveat: GDPR also requires the operator to limit admin access to a justified named list, train viewers on lawful purpose and act on subject-access requests within statutory time - tooling we provide, decisions you make.

TetherX hosts in Australian data centres (Sydney) so customer data stays onshore by default; on-demand local clouds are available for sovereignty-critical deployments.

Privacy and breach reporting: the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme.

Critical infrastructure and federal: the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI, expanded 2022 SLACIP), the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) for federal sites, the Hosting Certification Framework, IRAP-aligned controls.

Cyber controls: the ASD Essential Eight Maturity Model, the ASD Information Security Manual (ISM), AS/NZS ISO/IEC 27001.

CCTV-specific and state law: the AS 4806 CCTV management series (AS 4806.1-4), state Surveillance Devices and Workplace Surveillance Acts (NSW Workplace Surveillance Act 2005, ACT Workplaces Act 2016, plus Surveillance Devices Acts in NSW, VIC, WA, QLD, SA and TAS).

Caveat: SOCI and PSPF require named-personnel access controls, retention to the specific class of asset, and incident reporting to ASD ACSC inside statutory windows - TetherX provides the audit trail and the access controls, the operator runs the policy and the reporting.

Regional data centres + on-demand local clouds keep data onshore where required. India: DPDP Act 2023 (Digital Personal Data Protection), IT Act 2000, CERT-In incident reporting. Canada: PIPEDA, plus province-level laws (Quebec Law 25, BC PIPA, AB PIPA), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS) baseline controls. New Zealand: Privacy Act 2020, NZISM, AS/NZS ISO/IEC 27001. The platform configuration (retention, audit trails, role-based access, regional storage) is the same lever used to meet each.

Compliance applies to the security workflow around the camera estate, not the cameras themselves.

PCI DSS: audit trail, role-based access, retention and tamper-evident export support retail and hospitality assessments.

HIPAA (US healthcare): regional storage, audit logging and BAA-ready cloud regions.

CJIS (US law enforcement): encryption-in-transit and at-rest plus access controls align with the security policy.

UK CPNI / NPSA: high-secure-site guidance addressed via the ringfencing architecture - cameras isolated behind the TetherBox, outbound-only tunnel.

Aviation, transport, energy: sector compliance (CAA, Network Rail, DCMA, Ofgem) sits on top of the install - TetherX provides the evidence trail; vertical-specific rules on retention, camera approval and operator vetting remain the operator's responsibility.

All communication between TetherBox and TetherX cloud is encrypted via an outbound-only VPN with 4,096-bit SSL certificates. Each connection is challenged for reauthorisation weekly. Certificates can be revoked if suspicious traffic is detected. Data is encrypted at rest in regional cloud storage. The platform runs on ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified cloud infrastructure.

TetherX hosts in regional data centres in the UK, US, Canada, India and Australia. Customer data is stored in the region closest to the installation. Local recordings stay on the TetherBox; cloud recording backups and platform data are stored in the assigned region and encrypted at rest. Each customer can run a private cloud instance to control their own data flow - and new local clouds can be spun up on demand for customers that need data residency in a region we do not yet host in (regulatory, gov-procurement, vertical-specific compliance).

No. TetherX has never had a publicly disclosed security breach. Compare to Verkada (150,000 cameras exposed in 2021) and historical Hikvision plaintext-password issues that have been widely documented.

TetherX automatically generates SHA-1 checksums for all recorded video. These unique fingerprints let you verify downloaded footage matches the original recording, which is critical for legal proceedings. Time synchronisation uses TetherX Cloud NTP servers so timestamps are admissible. See the security architecture for the full evidence-chain workflow.

No. TetherX is sold exclusively through security integrators. We never quote, bill, or support end customers directly. Every subscription is RMR (recurring monthly revenue) on your books. The customer relationship - and the revenue - is yours. See the Partner Programme for the integrator path.

Apply via the Partner Programme page or become a partner. Approved partners get a trial TetherBox, onboarding training, demo platform access, marketing materials and ongoing technical support. There is no joining fee.

The built-in Health Dashboard monitors every TetherBox, camera, drive, alarm panel and connected network device 24/7. Proactive alerts (camera offline, drive degraded, NTP drift, certificate expiring) reach you before the customer notices. Customers report a 70% reduction in site visits after switching.

Yes. One user account can have access to multiple customer timelines with the right permissions. Engineers see only the sites and cameras they should see, with audit trails per action.

Yes. TetherX integrates with Immix (SureView), Sentinel, CONXTD, MASterMind, Bold Patriot Manitou and Stages out of the box. ARC integration lives in the per-site settings. See control rooms for the full ARC workflow.

TetherX AI launches with natural-language video search alongside the open-platform model. The trade-off historically was "AI search but locked-in" (Verkada, Rhombus) versus "open but no AI" (Eagle Eye, Videoloft). TetherX closes that gap.

The visual timeline indexes events as they happen. Customers report 90% faster evidence retrieval compared to scrubbing through 24/7 footage. Combined with multi-camera Timelapse and event filtering, a specific incident is usually found in under a minute.

Yes. Native iOS and Android apps with Face ID / Touch ID unlock, custom notification sounds, and the full event review workflow. Available from the App Store and Google Play.

Yes. Arm or disarm individual cameras, whole sites, or scheduled windows from the platform or mobile app. Combine with VCA filtering to reduce false alarms.

There is no hard TetherX platform limit. We recommend up to 1,000 cameras per timeline for optimal event searching; deployments above this use multiple timelines federated under one organisation. The largest TetherX customers run tens of thousands of cameras across hundreds of sites globally.

Automatically, over the air. Updates apply on the next reboot or reconnect, with scoped rollouts (each unit gets updates relevant to its hardware and configuration). Critical security updates are pushed immediately.

The TetherBox keeps recording locally during the outage and automatically reconnects when the Internet returns. Events sync back to cloud recording once connectivity is restored. No data loss for the typical outage.

Yes. Users and TetherBoxes each have independent time zone settings. The platform was designed from day one for multi-country, multi-region deployments - one of the differentiators against single-region cloud VMS.