ADT VOIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol Security System

Important Questions Concerning ADT Home Alarm System and VOIP/Digital Phone Service

What is VoIP/Digital Phone Service?
The on-going development of new technologies offers today’s consumers a wide range of new communications services, which are generically called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or Digital Phone services. These services are provided by cable companies, telecommunications companies and, in some cases, independent providers that rely on the Internet connections that are already present in the home. While all these technologies provide a form of telephone service, there may be differences in their range of features and reliability*.

Will switching to VoIP/Digital Phone service affect my ADT security system?
It depends. For a VoIP/Digital Phone service user who elects to also keep a traditional telephone line, there should be no effect on the operation of their security system if they keep their alarm panel connected to their traditional telephone line. However, in many cases, subscribers considering these new technologies plan to disconnect the traditional telephone line that has been used to provide telephone service to the home. Before disconnecting their traditional phone line, homeowners should understand that some VoIP/Digital Phone services may expose them to additional risk of potential signal failure, such as the risk of losing operation of the security system during a power outage (the battery back-up for ADT’s alarm panel does not power non-traditional telephone service). In some cases, some types of VoIP/Digital Phone service may not properly transmit signals from the home security system.

In recognition that there are potential reliability differences among non-traditional services, ADT has outlined a set of characteristics that a non-traditional phone service provider must establish for its network in order to be acceptable to ADT as a primary method of transmitting alarm signals to ADT’s monitoring center. Any ADT customer considering a change in telephone service should contact ADT at 1-800-ADT-ASAP to learn about the potential alarm signal transmission issues that can be associated with some VoIP/Digital Phone services and to learn which VoIP/Digital Phone service providers in your local area have informed ADT that their network meets the necessary characteristics to become a Qualified Managed Facility Voice Network and are therefore included in ADT’s policy as acceptable to ADT as a primary method of transmitting alarm signal to ADT’s monitoring centers.

How does my ADT security system work?
Most alarm system control panels, including ADT’s, communicate with customer monitoring centers through a telephone line. During an alarm event, the control panel seizes control of this telephone line ("line seizure"), which should allow an alarm signal to be sent even if a telephone receiver in the home is off the hook. Regardless of your telephone service provider, your security system must be wired properly for line seizure to occur. With some VoIP/Digital Phone services, ADT’s ability to receive an alarm signal may be impacted if there is a power outage at your home or if the VoIP/Digital Phone service is temporarily unavailable due to scheduled or unscheduled network outages. These risks vary widely among the VoIP/Digital Phone technologies used today.

What is ADT’s policy on VoIP/Digital Phone Services?
ADT’s policy on VoIP/Digital Phone services is based on providing quality alarm monitoring services to our customers. ADT requires at least one of the following methods be used as the primary method of transmitting alarm signals to ADT’s Customer Monitoring Centers: (1) a Traditional Telephone Service, (2) a Cellular Communications Service such as Safewatch® CellGuard®, or (3) a phone service provided by a Qualified "Managed Facility Voice Network (MFVN)" provider.** Other methods of communication, beyond the three listed here, may not be used as the primary means of transmitting alarm signals to ADT’s monitoring centers. In addition, regardless of the type of telephone service that a customer has, ADT always recommends that customers use an additional back-up method of communication to connect their alarm system to ADT’s monitoring center, such as ADT Safewatch® CellGuard®.

Any ADT customer considering a change in telephone service should contact ADT at 1-800-ADT-ASAP to learn about the potential alarm signal transmission issues that can be associated with some VoIP/Digital Phone services, which local VoIP/Digital Phone service providers have informed ADT that their network meets the characteristics of Qualified Managed Facility Voice Network and which services are therefore included in ADT’s policy for alarm signal transmissions.

What is Safewatch® CellGuard®?
Safewatch® CellGuard® is a cellular product offered by ADT that enables your home security system to communicate with ADT’s customer monitoring centers. It has become a popular option in home security systems because it helps provide protection if your home telephone service is disrupted due to fallen lines, storms or construction.***

What is a Qualified "Managed Facility Voice Network (MFVN)"?
A Qualified "Managed Facility Voice Network (MFVN)": (1) has a physical facilities network that is managed and maintained (directly or indirectly) by the service provider to ensure service quality from the service subscriber location to the PSTN or other MFVN peer network, (2) utilizes similar signaling and related protocols as the PSTN with respect to dialing, dial plan, call completion, carriage of alarm signals and protocols, and loop voltage treatment, (3) provides real-time transmission of voice signals, carrying alarm formats unchanged, (4) provides professional installation that preserves primary line seizure for alarm signal transmission, (5) has major and minor disaster recovery plans to address both individual customer outages and widespread events such as tornados, ice storms and other natural disasters, which include specific network power restoration procedures intended to result in outage responses that are generally comparable to those of traditional landline telephone services in the same geographic region, and (6) has informed ADT that its network meets the characteristics of a MFVN.

Please contact ADT at 1-800-ADT-ASAP to learn which VoIP/Digital Phone service providers in your local area have informed ADT that their network meets the necessary characteristics to be a Qualified Managed Facility Voice Network and are therefore included in ADT’s policy as acceptable to ADT as a primary method of transmitting alarm signal to ADT’s monitoring centers.

Is the phone service I want included in ADT’s VoIP/Digital Phone Policy?
ADT keeps a database of the phone services that are in and out of ADT policy for the transmission of alarm signals. This database will change over time as more phone service providers inform ADT that they meet the definition of a Qualified Managed Facility Voice Network. ADT customers can call one of the ADT customer monitoring centers at 1-800-ADT-ASAP to ask which local VoIP/Digital Phone service providers have informed ADT that their networks meet the characteristics necessary to be acceptable to ADT as a primary method of transmitting alarm signals to ADT’s monitoring centers, and which services are therefore included in ADT’s policy for alarm signal transmissions.

* Aspects of these considerations may vary dependent upon your VoIP or other Non-Traditional Telephone Service provider and change with new developments in technology. You should always check with your VoIP or other Non-Traditional Telephone Service provider to confirm any advantages and limitations of their service.
** Transmission of fire alarm signals by means other than a traditional telephone line may not be in compliance with some local fire codes.
*** Cellular connection relies on operating cellular device and network services.