Carrier Infinity controllers and Bryant Evolution controllers carry the identical part numbers and are the same. I suggest you go to Carrier website and use the comparison function.

The two models you list are both wifi capable models. One works off your existing router in the home. The other works off a dedicated router that comes with the controller.

Admittedly this is not my strong suit. But if you have Wifi already set up in your home, it would seem the CCITC01 model would be your selection. Now setting it up would be another question but I suspect Carrier could walk you through it.

IMO

Here is a link that might be useful: Carrier Controls

Below are links to the installation instructions for the two thermostats. It looks like Carrier has the Energy Tracking Watt Meter feature, but the Bryant does not.

http://dms.hvacpartners.com/docs/1009/public/09/systxccitw-06si.pdf

http://dms.hvacpartners.com/docs/1009/Public/01/II-SYSTXBBEC-01.pdf

The hardware of the two thermostats should be the same, but the software appears to be different. Carrier tends to introduce new features under the Carrier label first so it is possible the Bryant may have this feature in the future. The nice thing about WiFi is that a software upgrade is possible after is has been installed. I don't know if Carrier or Bryant supports this.

My thinking is it will work, but it probably has never been tested by the software development team. There is a possibility the software on the Carrier thermostat may not recognize the Bryant heat pump. This could be by oversight or by design.

I suggest talking to the Bryant dealer and asking if a software upgrade will be available to add the energy tracking feature. You could try the Carrier thermostat but you may be stuck with a thermostat that does not work if it fails.

Thank you for your replies.

Tigerdunes, I was referring to the two WiFi thermostats without the router. We have WiFi already.

I did do comparisions, but you cannot do Carrier to Bryant compare. I did go through the user manual manually and that is how I found this difference. This seemed to be the only difference.

If the Carrier and Bryant controllers are same then it might be more possible. That is what I wanted to find out. Otherwise it could have been possible that some of the hardware support might not be there in the Bryant Extreme equipment for cost cutting.

Mike_home, Yes, it did look like a software addition/change but was not sure if there was some hardware functionality that supported it in the Carrier and not the Bryant Extreme heat pump.

Yes, I was also wondering if the thermostats are hardwired to only recognize and talk to corresponding equipment only by design.

Yes, we could try but that would be costly.

Additionally, I was not sure if there were differences in the control algorithm/software to manage the two different equipments? If they are same parts behind the scene then it might not be the case.

Will have to check with Bryant dealer, just thought I'd ask here if some one knew it already.

Bryant usually has a subset of the Carrier models. Where they overlap they are usually identical except for the name plate.

I would be surprised if the control algorithm software would be different. But again you never know what evil lurks in the minds of software developers!

This is an interesting topic. Post back if you find out the answer.

Wanted to follow up on this and let you guys know that we got very good tip from one of the references that you can get access to the energy tracking information from Bryant system even though the Bryant thermostat does not provide the icon by using the Carrier Infinity App on your smart phone. I also found out that by just registering the system on the myinifinity Carrier web site you can get access to energy tracking information on your computer. I confirmed this by testing it both ways.

So you don't have to hack the system. Although I have a feeling the two thermostats are same, because once I was playing with the thermostat and the front bezel with the logo came off and I have a feeling all they do is ship the corresponding bezel and software/firmware for the Carrier in the same hardware.

The app and web method is better anyways.

Thank you for all your help.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hvac/msg0617103626998.html?4659

Fyi, the latest software update(Version 13.02) to the Bryant Evolution also now has the energy tracking icon option.