Milestone Drops Hikvision as Elite Partner

Milestone has quietly dropped Hikvision from their 'Elite Partners', less than three years after adding the Chinese government-owned mega-manufacturer.

  • Feb 13, 2019

Milestone has quietly dropped Hikvision from their 'Elite Partners', less than three years after adding the Chinese government-owned mega-manufacturer. This comes amidst rising criticisms of Hikvision, from mainstream global media and U.S. and U.K. elected officials.

“We can confirm that as of December 13, 2018, HikVision is no longer a Milestone Elite Camera Partner,” said Bjørn Skou Eilertsen, Milestone’s CTO. “To be named a Milestone Elite partner, companies must demonstrate outstanding sales, implementation, consulting and support for Milestone Systems solutions and consistently show excellence in business initiatives and marketing. The engagement between the companies did not achieve this. Therefore, the ongoing relationship between HikVision and Milestone Systems will continue to operate at a non-elite level.”

Industry blogger and IPVM founder John Honovich asked what impact Hikvision’s cybersecurity issues and the Chinese government control had on removing them from the Elite Partner page.

“The business engagement is thoroughly evaluated annually, we don’t comment on specific criteria. We are of course aware of the criticism of HikVision and we are following the developments.”

Hikvision's devices are still supported by Milestone, with the same license and same pricing, however, without the advantages of being an Elite Partner. Companies enjoying Elite Partner status include Axis, Bosch, Hanwha, Panasonic and Sony.

Elite Partner Advantages

  • Dedicated Partner Manager to coordinate integration activities.
  • Prioritized driver development & test execution.
  • Option to have dedicated drivers developed by Milestone using the partner camera API.
  • Prioritized and first to be invited for various Milestone Marketing activities and events.

Contrast With Genetec Expelling

Milestone's move is not as extreme as Genetec. While both companies have deprioritized developing and supporting Hikvision's products, Genetec requires a special increased license fee and a special waiver that make Hikvision products effectively “devices non grata.” By contrast, Milestone is putting Hikvision on the same level as smaller camera manufacturers. This, of course, is atypical given the size of Hikvision as a camera manufacturer.

Featured

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • The Progress of Biometrics

  • Next-Gen AI for Smart Cities

    The future of smart city technology is not being shaped in Silicon Valley — it is taking root in Dubuque, Iowa. With a population of about 60,000, this mid-sized city has become a live testbed for AI-driven traffic management thanks to a unique public-private collaboration led by Milestone Systems. Project Hafnia demonstrates how cities can transform urban mobility and safety through Responsible Technology—without costly infrastructure overhauls. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.