ADT Security and why they are a joke (in my opinion)

[NA4BH]

ADT Security a well known and "trusted" company throughout the USA and elsewhere, I suppose. Let me preface this by saying that ADT is the best company you could ask for to ensure your safety and security. You could not ask for better.

That is until your system goes down.

My security system was taken out by a direct lightning strike on Tuesday 7/5/11 (early evening). ADT was phoned immediately and told of the problem. The fastest response I was told would be sometime Friday. They were told that was unacceptable, but they had me by the short hairs. Friday the service tech shows and tells me exactly what I already knew, IT'S DEAD. He tells me that he just emailed his boss about the problem and that I should be hearing from a representative in a few hours about replacing the system. Nothing happened. I called ADT Saturday and asked what was going on, the reply, I don't see anything in your file about the call. Hmm, the tech knew about it and came to look at the system. I asked them for a response to the problem on that Saturday. They told me "they/sales" only work Monday thru Friday 8-5. Pissed, I asked for the sales rep to call me at 8:30am Monday (this was the only thing they got right). I asked them to come out immediately, they told me they were booked and could come out Tuesday afternoon. I said fine.

In the mean time I found a local company that has been in business for 35+ years (I have known the owner for 37 years). They were at the house within 30 minutes of my initial call. They showed me what they had to offer and the price. DAMN....... I now have 10 times the security at 2/3 monitoring cost. I now have video, online live monitoring, and can tell when the cat takes a shit in the yard.

THANK YOU ADT FOR UPGRADING MY SECURITY.

[KG4CGC]

I'm sure you have expressed to ADT just what a sorry outfit they turned out to be.

[NA4BH]

The funny thing was that the sales rep came to the house on Tuesday. They were not told that we dropped them like a used tampon. What a toxic shock they experienced (wish I had a camera). And yes, I told them about their short comings and how they need to maintain their installed base or go the way of the Edsel. The sales rep agreed. It was a very pleasant meeting.

[NQ6U]

I installed alarm system wiring in commercial buildings for ADT for a brief period back in the early Eighties. Did you know that ADT stands for American District Telegraph? Either did I before I worked there. Pleasantly archaic, I thought.

[w3bny]

What a way to use Tampon and Toxic Shock in one paragraph....wurf!

[n2ize]

We had AFA fire protection in one of my jobs. The system was forever transmitting a valve alarm and they never got it 100% fixed. Seems like the system was detecting water flow or pressure change when it shouldn't have.

[W1GUH]

We had AFA fire protection in one of my jobs. The system was forever transmitting a valve alarm and they never got it 100% fixed. Seems like the system was detecting water flow or pressure change when it shouldn't have.

Were you transmitting and they've got RFI issues?

[n2ize]

Were you transmitting and they've got RFI issues?

Hah, no this was at a workplace in Manhattan and I had no radios there. The malfunctioning alarm is supposed to be triggered when a sprinkler valve anywhere in the building was activated, water flow detected, at which point AFA would receive the alarm and transmit it to the FDNY. Time and time again we'd have FDNY show up and it would turn out as a false alarm. AFA people was claiming that there was a faulty valve, FDNY was saying something about an improperly installed riser, AFA denied that was the problem. I know the building did have dry standpipes but I was never sure if it the sprinkler system itself was a wet or dry type system.

[KG4CGC]

Hah, no this was at a workplace in Manhattan and I had no radios there. The malfunctioning alarm is supposed to be triggered when a sprinkler valve anywhere in the building was activated, water flow detected, at which point AFA would receive the alarm and transmit it to the FDNY. Time and time again we'd have FDNY show up and it would turn out as a false alarm. AFA people was claiming that there was a faulty valve, FDNY was saying something about an improperly installed riser, AFA denied that was the problem. I know the building did have dry standpipes but I was never sure if it the sprinkler system itself was a wet or dry type system.I'd blame the alarm company out of hand just based on their record and attitude.
We used to get the cops stopping by all the time for a break in alarm during 2nd and 3rd shift after the bigwigs and fatheads left. The alarm company said it was the phone system so after years of back on forth, the company got the local bell out there to "fix" the problem at a cost of $60K to the business. After all the repairs and rework the cops were still showing for a break in alarm. ADT still said it wasn't from them. After going round and round for another year, the company moved. The new building had the new alarm installed by ... ADT!
Guess they thought they were the only game in town or they has a clause in the insurance policy.

[W1GUH]

One of my most fun ham times was when I was trying to operate from a hotel room. Things were just fine til I tried to load a random-wire with my '857 set for 50 watts. Just as SOON as I got the tuner resonated. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

Oh shit!

Shoved everything in a drawer in case they traced it to my room and went out to wait out the "emergency" with all the other guests. Fire department showed up. No, I DIDN'T tell them, "No emergency...just RFI issues with the alarms sytem." As it turned out, the specific location wasn't detected. I was sweatin' it.

[KG4CGC]

One of my most fun ham times was when I was trying to operate from a hotel room. Things were just fine til I tried to load a random-wire with my '857 set for 50 watts. Just as SOON as I got the tuner resonated. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!

Oh shit!

Shoved everything in a drawer in case they traced it to my room and went out to wait out the "emergency" with all the other guests. Fire department showed up. No, I DIDN'T tell them, "No emergency...just RFI issues with the alarms sytem." As it turned out, the specific location wasn't detected. I was sweatin' it.
People can do that all the time without setting off the alarms. I guess these days though with every bit of equipment coming out of China .........................

[KB3LAZ]

My security system is 3 large dogs, a 12 gauge, and a 44 mag. =) (Now hope that no one ever breaks in wouldnt wanna ever actually use the damn thing on someone..id have to live with that for the rest of my life..and prolly get sued by their family..what a world.)

[KK4AMI]

My security system is 3 large dogs, a 12 gauge, and a 44 mag. =) (Now hope that no one ever breaks in wouldnt wanna ever actually use the damn thing on someone..id have to live with that for the rest of my life..and prolly get sued by their family..what a world.)

I have two dogs good for warning and delay but useless for defense. I do keep a 12 GA loaded with bird shot, buck and slug. As far as an alarm system, our Police are threatening to charge people that have Brinks, ADT, etc. They say they have to respond to way too many false alarms.

I went and put in 3 low light motion sensing B&W security cameras around the house and one high resolution motion sensing color camera looking down the driveway. The driveway also has a vehicle sensor to detect people coming up our driveway. We sort of use it as a door bell. Right now the plan is if I'm not home and get robbed, I get a DVD from my hidden DVR and hand it to the Police. Then I call the insurance company.

I was just thinking since you guys brought this stuff up. Would it be possible to forward a signal from my alarm through a 2 meter repeater and then to a hand held where ever I might be?

[KG4CGC]

I have two dogs good for warning and delay but useless for defense. I do keep a 12 GA loaded with bird shot, buck and slug. As far as an alarm system, our Police are threatening to charge people that have Brinks, ADT, etc. They say they have to respond to way too many false alarms.

I went and put in 3 low light motion sensing B&W security cameras around the house and one high resolution motion sensing color camera looking down the driveway. The driveway also has a vehicle sensor to detect people coming up our driveway. We sort of use it as a door bell. Right now the plan is if I'm not home and get robbed, I get a DVD from my hidden DVR and hand it to the Police. Then I call the insurance company.

I was just thinking since you guys brought this stuff up. Would it be possible to forward a signal from my alarm through a 2 meter repeater and then to a hand held where ever I might be?
Some companies offer that service through your cellphone allowing to also turn the system on and off and with the high end systems you can turn lights and appliances on or off.

[W1GUH]

Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin'
And nuttin's plenty for me
I got no car, got no mule
I got no misery
De folks wid plenty o' plenty
Got a lock on de door
'Fraid somebody's a-goin' to rob 'em
While dey's out a-makin' more
What for?I got no lock on de door
Dat's no way to be
Dey kin steal de rug from de floor
Dat's okeh wid me
'Cause de things dat I prize
Like de stars in de skies
All are free

Emphasis added.
George Gershwin

Full lyric here (http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/i/igotplentyonuttin.shtml).

[n2ize]

I'd blame the alarm company out of hand just based on their record and attitude.
We used to get the cops stopping by all the time for a break in alarm during 2nd and 3rd shift after the bigwigs and fatheads left. The alarm company said it was the phone system so after years of back on forth, the company got the local bell out there to "fix" the problem at a cost of $60K to the business. After all the repairs and rework the cops were still showing for a break in alarm. ADT still said it wasn't from them. After going round and round for another year, the company moved. The new building had the new alarm installed by ... ADT!
Guess they thought they were the only game in town or they has a clause in the insurance policy.

Make note the alarm company I am referring to in my case was AFA not ADT. It was also specifically a sprinkler system / standpipe related issue in a rather large and rather old art deco building. I am not sure how AFA's service record compares with ADT. I do know that a lot of large buildings in Manhattan are covered by ADT as well as AFA, sometimes both and sometimes with additional security companies, i.e. Holmes, All in all AFA seemed pretty helpful except that while I was working there they never seemed to manage to get the problem fixed 100%. But at least they reduced the number of false alarms and FDNY wasn't coming in to my work area every other day expecting to see a sprinkler head showering the place.

[KG4CGC]

Make note the alarm company I am referring to in my case was AFA not ADT. It was also specifically a sprinkler system / standpipe related issue in a rather large and rather old art deco building. I am not sure how AFA's service record compares with ADT. I do know that a lot of large buildings in Manhattan are covered by ADT as well as AFA, sometimes both and sometimes with additional security companies, i.e. Holmes, All in all AFA seemed pretty helpful except that while I was working there they never seemed to manage to get the problem fixed 100%. But at least they reduced the number of false alarms and FDNY wasn't coming in to my work area every other day expecting to see a sprinkler head showering the place.
John, those details are not important to my point. My point being that the alarm company did not want to take responsibility for something, somewhere, that they effed up.

[n2ize]

John, those details are not important to my point. My point being that the alarm company did not want to take responsibility for something, somewhere, that they effed up.

I always suspected that it was a problem with the sprinkler/standpipe system itself. I remember one night a Siamese connection was leaking water despite the fact that it was supposed to be a dry standpipe system. Needless to say FDNY has a fit when they saw that and sent an inspector over the next day. Problem was that I was one of the few people there at night and every time FDNY showed up I was one of the only people around for them to talk to. They were very cordial when I explained that I am not a maintenance or custodial person and they gave me a bunch oif suggestions and a number for the daytime guy who was in charge of this type of stuff to call. The thing was FDNY seemed to know more about the problem and what was happening than AFA and the only time it was resolved (although not 100% resolved) was when the FDNY guy actually met with the AFA guy and our maintenance engineer and had a "heated discussion" about the problem. After that there was only one more issue with the sprinkler system until I left 14 months later. Of course there was the night an elevator motor overheated and we were filled with smoke. Then there was the night of the ongoing smoke condition due to a small fire in an adjoining cinema that was used by a film company for screening. And then the water pipe that broke and flooded one of our main server rooms. Large Manhattan buildings are like cities unto themselves. Crazy chit...

I agree, the security company seemed to avoid taking responsibility unless they were held to the grindstone.

[KG4CGC]

Probably because when companies operate "for profit" and they have such a high profile, high risk responsibility, it is important for them to go the extra mile to do the job right and have redundancies in systems and personnel and policy to make sure a job is done exactly correctly.

[n2ize]

Probably because when companies operate "for profit" and they have such a high profile, high risk responsibility, it is important for them to go the extra mile to do the job right and have redundancies in systems and personnel and policy to make sure a job is done exactly correctly.

I would like to believe that but it seems like with most "for profit" companies, they cut corners, screw up, and try and deflect the blame for the problems. until someone tells them to cut the crap and get it done right.. However, from my experiences most alarm companies seem to be pretty cool once problems are brought to their attention. I guess negative rep doesn't look good. Doesn't look good if a security firm causes more problems than it solves :).

Reminds me of wyhen i was installing a fire alarm in a laundry room at my parents house many years ago. I was installing a "rapid rate of rise" heat detector in the vicinity of the clothes dryer and the frayed cord of my drill shorted against a thin metal gas delivery pipe and blew a hole in the gas pipe. Luckily the gas didn't ignite. Every time I think of that incident it reminds me not to be an asshat.

[KG4CGC]

I would like to believe that but it seems like with most "for profit" companies, they cut corners, screw up, and try and deflect the blame for the problems. until someone tells them to cut the crap and get it done right.. However, from my experiences most alarm companies seem to be pretty cool once problems are brought to their attention. I guess negative rep doesn't look good. Doesn't look good if a security firm causes more problems than it solves :).

Reminds me of wyhen i was installing a fire alarm in a laundry room at my parents house many years ago. I was installing a "rapid rate of rise" heat detector in the vicinity of the clothes dryer and the frayed cord of my drill shorted against a thin metal gas delivery pipe and blew a hole in the gas pipe. Luckily the gas didn't ignite. Every time I think of that incident it reminds me not to be an asshat.
That's exactly my point.

[VE7MGF]

i work in the fire industry you also get a lot of building owners that will not maintain the sprinkler/standpipe systems
or try to cheep out not repairing /upgrading the various parts

[n2ize]

i work in the fire industry you also get a lot of building owners that will not maintain the sprinkler/standpipe systems
or try to cheep out not repairing /upgrading the various parts

Yeah... I suspect that was the exact problem in the place I worked at. The problem was there was such a vast 'chain of command" that nobody was responsible for anything. Only reason anything got done at all was because the FDNY was pissed and got on their case about it. Wouldn;t be surprised if they are still having issues with the system to the present day.

[N2CHX]

Back in the early 90's I set up remotes for press conferences for the news station I worked for. One day I set up for a big press conference at Niagara Falls City Hall. Unfortunately the old Marti RPU transmitter set off the fire alarm and cleared the building, thus postponing the press conference. It was an epic day in WHLD history.