Google’s security plans are starting to take shape. In 2020, Google invested $450 million in ADT by purchasing a 6.6% stake in the security monitoring company. Two months later, Google disabled its internal security system, Nest Secure, which had entered into a monitoring agreement with competitor ADT Brinks. The two companies have promised to create “the next generation of smart home security solutions”and apparently it’s already here as “ADT self-configuring smart home security system “.
Since Nest Secure is dead, the brain of the system is the ADT Smart Home Hub. It’s a 4.1 x 4.1 x 5.9 inch box with a keypad on top and a few other buttons to arm and disarm the security system. It’s a sizable unit that’s basically the size of a smart speaker, thanks to the need for a built-in 24-hour backup battery and speaker grille on the front for an alarm siren that ADT says reaches 85 dB at 10 feet. Instead of more common smart home protocols like Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, Zigbee, Google Thread or Matter, ADT devices run on “DECT/ULE”, an old-fashioned wireless home security standard. I don’t think this acronym means anything anymorecordless phone technology). The hub still has Z-Wave, but this is only for third-party automation products. It also has Bluetooth to set up, and assuming it’s the same hub used for the old ADT “Blue”security system, it connects to the internet via Wi-Fi with cellular backup.
ADT also has various security widgets that you can place around your home. It’s not very convenient to have the control keypad on top of the hub, away from the door, so there’s also a remote keypad that can presumably be mounted on the wall next to the door and used when you come and go. ADT also deals in door and window sensors, motion sensors, flood and temperature sensors, car key fob and, surprisingly, a smoke detector. Nest is known to have some very expensive smoke detectors, but ADT’s press release lists each compatible Google product by name and does not list the Nest Protect smoke detector.
ADT also introduces the ADT+ app. It’s unbelievable that one of the world’s largest software companies isn’t doing this software, but the ADT app will put it all together, allowing you to manage your security system, receive notifications, and view camera videos, all from one place.
As far as Google bits go, any Nest Hub smart display can be the main interface for the system, allowing users to control the security system with voice and touch, as well as all the usual Google smart display stuff. The Google Nest Mini speaker is also available for voice control, which is listed as a supported speaker in the blog post and press release, but neither post mentions the larger Nest Audio speaker as a supported device. I can’t imagine that this is correct – every Google Assistant endpoint is probably available for voice control.
Google is also shipping all cameras with the Nest doorbell, Nest indoor and outdoor cameras, and they’ll even show up in the ADT+ app. The Nest thermostat is also a supported device, which means you can control it from the ADT app. It is also recommended to use a Google Nest Wi-Fi router when setting it up, although it will actually work.
Now let’s talk about prices! This is a do-it-yourself ADT system because you will need to put together a system that fits your home, as opposed to having an ADT consultant come in and design and install professionally. The ADT hub itself is $179.99, the keyboard is $89.99, each door/window sensor is $14.99, the motion sensors are $24.99, the smoke detector is $39.99, and the flood/temperature sensor is $34.99. There are also “Starter”and “Premium”combo packages that include a hub, multiple sensors, a Google doorbell, and – in the Premium package only – a Nest hub, but they don’t really save money, just buying things piecemeal. ADT is offering $100 off right now.
Of course, ADT’s bread and butter is a 24/7 professional monitoring subscription where a call center employee will call 911 on your behalf if the security system detects an intruder. It’s $24.99 per month if you only have ADT hardware, or $34.99 per month if you want to monitor your Z-Wave hardware as well. Keep in mind that Google Nest cameras also have a monthly subscription, and you must get a “Nest Aware”and ADT subscription for full use. Nest cameras only store three hours of event history without a subscription. This recording feature is just a “history of events”- the camera detects that something interesting happened, and not video recording 24/7. For $6 a month, “Nest Aware”will get a 30-day event video history (still not 24/7 video recording),
ADT says that if you subscribe to Nest Aware and ADT Monitoring, you’ll also get a “video check”feature. This means that ADT surveillance personnel will be able to view your camera video during an alarm, which will presumably help them decide whether to call 911. Don’t call 911 if the cat is motion-detected, call if it’s the guy with the crowbar and ski mask.