News
Interactive home control system from ADT rolling out in May

ADT Pulse is the company’s home automation and remote video monitoring service, which rolled out in the U.S. last fall.

ADT vice-president and chief marketing officer Don Boerema said here at ISC West in Las Vegas this week that the service is already proving popular with customers in the U.S. who are using the service to reduce their energy costs in addition to securing their home.

“One customer has seen a 30 per cent reduction in their utility bill in the first six months,” says Boerema.

In fact promotional materials for the Pulse program almost exclusively feature the home control benefits of the system, promoting it as a “lifestyle” tool, although Boerema says the company will be using its traditional security install base as initial customers of the service.

Customers can view live video and event-driven video clips and pictures, remotely control lights and thermostats, receive email or text message alerts.

The system also includes an interactive, touch screen that enables simple arming and disarming, lighting and thermostat control, live video viewing from in-home cameras, and provides quick-read information such as weather, traffic reports and news.

“Now we’re talking about being content providers — this is a whole new area for us,” says Boerema.

The service is offered as a series of three tiered packages and customers can pick and choose which services they want to use. ADT has announced pricing as: ADT Pulse Select starting at $399 installed, $47.99 monthly; ADT Pulse Advantage starting at $749 installed, $49.99 monthly; and ADT Pulse Premiere starting at $1299 installed, $57.99 monthly.

Packages include fire and flood monitoring, burglary and theft monitoring, carbon monoxide monitoring, remote web and mobile access, remote arm/disarm, email and text alerts, lighting and thermostat control, small appliance control and remote real-time video.

“We know of one customer who is using it to control the temperature on her crock pot during the day while she’s at work,” says Boerema.

Boerema says ADT has been keeping a close eye on what Rogers has been doing and is currently training its staff in preparation for the roll out in Canada.

“We know all the telcos are looking at security and we are ready for them. We will see what kind of marketing push Rogers is going to bring to this market but we’re confident we are the established, trusted company people know,” he says.