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.

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

  • It's Show Time

    I am one of those people that likes to see things get bigger and better. As advertised, ISC West is going to be bigger (more exhibitors) and better (more attendees). It’s show time in Las Vegas. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • SIA Releases New Report on Operational Security Technology

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has released an impactful new resource – Operational Security Technology: Principles, Challenges and Achieving Mission-Critical Outcomes Leveraging OST. Read Now

  • Cyber Overconfidence Is Leaving Your Organization Vulnerable

    The increased sophistication of cyber threats pumped by the relentless use of AI and machine learning brings forth record-breaking statistics. Cyberattacks grew 44% YoY in 2024, with a weekly average of 1,673 cyberattacks per organization. While organizations up their security game to help thwart these attacks, a critical question remains: Can employees identify a threat when they come across one? A Confidence Gap survey reveals that 86% of employees feel confident in their ability to identify phishing attempts. But things are not as rosy as they appear; the more significant part of the report finds this confidence misplaced. Read Now

  • Mission 500 Debuts Refreshed Identity Ahead of Security 5K/2K at ISC West

    Mission 500, the security industry’s nonprofit charity dedicated to supporting children in need across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, has unveiled a refreshed brand identity ahead of ISC West. The charity’s new look includes a modernized logo with refined messaging to reinforce Mission 500’s nearly decade-long commitment to serving the needs of children and families in crisis. Read Now

    • Industry Events

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance.