ADT Reviews

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Editor’s Rating
Monitoring Services
Alarm Equipment
Customer Service
Pricing
Overall

Positives

• ADT Pulse application
• Extensive smart home solutions
• Medical alert and business offers
• High quality equipment

Negatives

• No actual pricing displayed
• Full monitoring requires expensive plan

ADT is a true security veteran that has been amassing experience in the field of home protection since 1874. It comes as no surprise, then, that they are well-recognized in the home security industry as providers of dependable defense equipment for homeowners and small businesses.

They have a complete list of available tools, including burglar alarms, cameras and home safety detectors. The company also offers wireless technology and uncomplicated smart home control via the ADT Pulse smartphone application. And even though it’s easy to set up the alarms, there is still the option for professional installation that comes for a reasonable fee. And for families with an aging relative, ADT offers well-tested medical alert equipment that is portable and fitted with fall detection. And while the packages are customizable, the lowest price starts from $28.99 per month. It’s safe to say that ADT is about as complete a provider can be in this industry, which can only be good for the customers.

Security Equipment

The heart of the ADT security package is a flat panel that serves as the hub for all the sensors and alarms. It can be remotely armed and disarmed with a special key fob, not to mention it acts as a two-way communicator so the residents have a means of explaining the details of an emergency or requesting specific help. The standard kit includes a motion detector, two window/door sensors, the aforementioned key fob and a camera. Each alarm is completely wireless and requires little to no setup.

Customers can choose from a large supply of cameras, including wireless HD cameras for indoor use, dome cameras capable of 360 degree rotation, and infrared outdoor cameras. ADT is prepared for natural disasters too – covering fire, smoke, carbon monoxide or flooding – so customers can find a detector able to counter these threats.

Business Security Solutions

Besides family and rental homes, ADT even caters to small and medium-sized businesses too. The likes of restaurant owners or IT managers can benefit from this service, enjoying full protection from burglars, vandals and information thieves. Other than its selection of high quality sensors and cameras, ADT’s business packages include an extended range of equipment choices that include the likes of freeze sensors and employee access panels.

Medical Alert Solutions

Unlike most other security companies who just slap an extra panic button to their list of safety devices and call it medical alert, ADT takes eldercare and health monitoring seriously. Their monitoring staff are trained to skillfully assess medical emergencies, and the operators are able to recognize life threatening situations. There are separate packages just to serve the needs of the elderly and patients, which supply ADT-licensed top quality medical alert base stations with in-home and on-the-go versions. It’s important to mention that these offers include fall detection as an optional extra, which should be considered a vital feature since it saves thousands of lives every year.

Monitoring

ADT’s security equipment is backed by a round the clock monitoring service. The company has six call centers in the U.S., ensuring a nationwide service without compromising the fast response time. The operators have all received an intense course, where they learned how to react in different emergencies such as a burglary, fire, carbon monoxide poisoning or even medical issues like a stroke.

The monitoring staff is prepared for any situation, and will instantly notify the appropriate emergency personnel after contacting the residents. They also read incoming signals sent by the security equipment, making them ready to act even if no one is at home to press the emergency button. In this case they’ll notify the homeowner along with the police or paramedics.

ADT Pulse

ADT’s very own smartphone application is the perfect tool for easily monitoring your security system yourself. The multifunctional app is programmed to give access to all cellular safety devices that are installed in your house. It’s capable of remotely arming and disarming the defenses, unlocking the doors for the kids arriving home before you and can even control home elements like raising or lowering a smart thermostat, toggling the lights to give the impression that the house is occupied or opening and closing the garage door. The app allows for constant video streaming, too, displaying everything that the cameras are currently seeing. This all-in-one remote also presents the option to check the alarm history and browse through any notifications.

Learn More About ADT Pulse

Home Automation

By combining the Pulse app with Nest’s Learning Thermostat, ADT took another step towards a fully optimized home. It’s fitted with an auto-schedule function enabling it to learn the resident’s daily pattern, and adjust the temperature on its own. The thermostat is also eco-friendly, saving the owners money by turning itself off when necessary.

Other than this self-controlling thermostat, ADT offers remote energy switches, wall contacts and lamp modules. Both the front door and the garage door can be opened remotely by installing smart locks, and all connected electrical appliances can be managed from the company’s provided touchscreen device or your smartphone.

Plans and Pricing

Unfortunately, ADT shies away from stating their pricing upfront. There are some bits of information that usually come from the special deals advertised on the front page, but instead the company insists that you should call the sales department on the 877-572-4973 number to make a deal through them. Alternatively, a quote can be also requested, but a direct online purchase is still out of bounds.

Free Equipment

When subscribing into ADT’s services, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all is the option to skip the cost of the equipment entirely. In this case the devices are free as part of the monthly monitoring fee when set for a certain period of time, but in exchange you’ll receive roughly $850 worth of alarms and cameras.

However, in order to unlock this you’ll need to commit yourself for 36 months and choose a monitoring plan that charges $36.99 per month, which equates to $1,331.64 in total. On top of all that, all customers must also pay a one-time activation fee of $99. If you don’t want to accept this then you’ll need to pay for the equipment, but at least have the option to pick another plan.

Medical Alert Packages

ADT is a little more communicative when it comes to its medical alert service. The company offers three kinds of plans, each with significant differences. The medical alarm packages provide the rented equipment for free and the monitoring fee is the only charge needed to pay.

The Medical Alert Basic is the lowest costing payment plan, which includes a landline-compatible home console and a help button for $29.99 per month. The Medical Alert Plus package is a step up over Basic, the most notable addition being a fall detection button – with this service costing $35.99 for a month. The fullest service comes from the On-The-Go package, promising full freedom with the mobile base unit, GPS tracking and fall detection for $39.99 per month.

Installation and Warranty

Professional or self-installation? ADT gives its customers the choice. Those who believe in their handiness and are good at tinkering are free to set up the system themselves with the guidance of DIY videos available on the website. Those who would rather have a certified technician do the work can request this from the customer service. But be aware that professional installation is only free if certain conditions are met . As for the warranty, the ADT Quality Service Plan Warranty comes with each monitoring plan.

Customer Service

ADT earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for its stellar commitment towards solving customers’ problems. Their customer service can be contacted in numerous ways, ranging from submitting an online question or calling them directly on 877-572-4973. The fastest option, though, is the live chat available from their homepage.

Speaking of the website, however, it’s something of a double-edged sword when it comes to available info. On one hand, they aren’t hiding certain limitations and display a lot of attractive offers. But on the other hand, the exact details and prices of their products are completely hidden. There is a series of informational videos that can be watched and various safety tips to read, but it is frustrating to only have access to attractive looking offers with no real context to them.

Bottom Line

ADT earned its status as a top security provider thanks to its strong focus on innovation and useful features. Equipment variation is one of the strongest points of the company, since they offer not only a strong array of security alarms and cameras but also supply tools for home automation and medical alert assistance, the latter of which even includes an on-the-go device. It’s a disappointment that the company lacks some of the advanced sensors, such as the image sensor or the glass-break detector.

The monitoring service is equally layered. Although other home security providers might offer environmental monitoring, very few of them have the standards necessary for medical alert supervision. Sadly, ADT isn’t transparent about its pricing and requires you to request a quote or to contact their sales department to learn more about the actual costs of a system to fit your home and personal wishes. Despite this, the service that is available is one of the strongest in the industry, and well worth considering for any number of your home’s needs.