Burglars Do Cut Phone Lines – ADT Customer Tells Sad Tale of Real Break-in

When three of us founded FrontPoint in 2006, I was the original sales person. That means I spoke with thousands of prospective FrontPoint customers, presenting the protection and peace of mind that comes from safer cellular monitoring: no phone line needed with a FrontPoint system – so no phone line for an intruder to cut. FrontPoint is the only alarm company in the US that uses cellular monitoring in every system we’ve ever sold – just one more way we are different, and (we think) better.

Today we serve a horde of happy customers across the US and Canada: we’re one of the fastest growing alarm companies in North America, providing interactive monitoring and remote control features, video services, and even home and energy management.  But the core of the FrontPoint offering is still wireless, interactive monitoring – and by wireless, we mean cellular monitoring, not just wireless alarm sensors. So when I read stories like this one, posted on complaints.board.com, it reminds me of what sets FrontPoint apart.

Buyer and User Beware

We returned from a vacation to find our house had been broken into. But we had an alarm from ADT, so we "thought" we were protected. We soon found out no alarm had been sent because the burglars had cut the phone and cable lines. Lines cut - no alarm. As we found out, we had to have a backup system. When the phone lines are cut there is no signal sent telling the alarm company this. So the only high tech tool a burglar needs is a scissors to cut the lines. So much for the digital barrier shown on the commercials. We were never told that our system was worthless without a backup. So if you have ADT, check your system. If you are looking for a system, look elsewhere. The help I received after the robbery was non- existent. They are too big and don't care if you are unhappy or even cancel. I could go on but hope the point is made.

This story says it all. The fact that the poster’s alarm company happens to be ADT is not surprising – with the number of customers ADT has, its length of time in business, and the huge numbers of subscribers ADT has acquired from other alarm companies, it’s a fact that the great majority of its systems rely on a traditional, vulnerable phone line to communicate an alarm signal.

ADT Systems are Still Vulnerable

What is more disturbing is that ADT (along with many other alarm companies) continues to sell primarily phone-line based monitoring, even today. ADT may offer cellular monitoring – for a higher equipment cost and a much higher monthly fee – but generally defaults to the cheapest “protection” possible when advertising, which is not cellular. Even ADT’s fancy new (and expensive) “Pulse” service can operate over a regular telephone line. This means ADT and other providers are creating legions of new customers, but are installing systems that are embarrassingly easy to defeat. And if the intruder does not cut the phone line, it’s just as easy to defeat one of these traditional systems by whacking the alarm control, or pulling it off the wall, with the same result: no alarm signal is sent to the monitoring center (read this post on ADT and the missing Crash and Smash protection).

In case you can’t tell, we’re really serious about this topic, so we do our best to spread the word about why cellular monitoring is safer. While our sympathies lie strongly with the person who experienced this break-in, and there are plenty more stories just like this one, the responsibility lies with homeowners to make sure they are getting the protection they want, need, and deserve. There are lots of reasons why FrontPoint is the #1 ranked home alarm company in the US, but we think it all starts with safer cellular monitoring. Add in honest sales and advertising, no hidden fees, the best interactive, wireless home alarm technology at the best price, and world-class service. You’ll never read a review on FrontPoint that says a burglar cut the phone line and went undetected – because we know that’s not the best way to protect your home and family. Choose safer, choose cellular – choose FrontPoint.