I had ADT. Hated it. Hardly came with any hardware. No app or remote access.
Also, I learned the hard way that a lot of 3rd party companies install ADT using much older equipment. You get a deal on initial install, with very poor and outdated equipment. ADT's only involvement is to provide the monitoring service. Costly @ $55 a month w/ 3 year contract.
And the ADT cs reps are rude as hell. You can immediately tell they really hate their job.
After the ADT contract expired, I wanted the newer ADT pulse system with remote access/control.
You'd think ADT would have offered me a dead being a 3 year customer. NOPE!
Wanted to charge me some $1000 for all new equipment w/another 3 yr contract.
My original 3rd party installed equipment was not compatible with the pulse system.
Bye bye to ADT...
Tried mediacom cable company security system. Mediacom new to rolling out their security system. Quoted me price of $600 for all the equipment I wanted.
Billed me over $1000 first bill, for a lot of stuff I did not order.
This is typical of Mediacom cable billing nightmares regardless if it is internet service, TV service, or their phone service.
Mediacon just added home security to their billing nightmare.
After nearly three months of dealing with mediacom billing dept, and at wits end, I had mediacom come out and rip out all of their F-ing hardware and said bye bye to mediacom.
Next, I went the free non-paid security route. First tried iSmart. TERRIBLE!!! When sensors were activated, iSmart failed to send out alerts 80% of the time. Hit and miss sensor detection. iSmart was the worst and totally un-reliable. You could have come home, found your house completely cleaned out by crooks, and the iSmart says everything is just fine. Not one sensor tripped. Thank goodness that didn't happen, but it could have.
A BIG bye bye to iSmart.
Then tried the VIPER brand home security.
That system is a class act.
Solid function and everything works.
Sensor batteries last forever. Super long range from sensor to hub.
Everything is wireless except the hub to router.
Remotely monitoring of the viper system camera always worked 100% of the time.
Very reliable system.
Only down side is viper offers NO tech support.
No phone numbers to call.
Only email contact to CS support, and viper cs never responds. NEVER.
But the need for viper cs was not really ever needed, with the system so reliable, and so easy to setup.
Also, the only place to buy the viper system, or add-on sensors, was from BestBuy.
Then, one day, a Vivint rep knocked on the door.
I'd never heard of Vivint.
They offered me all the hardware I needed for no cost.
That included all doors/windows/two thermostats (very large house)/three cams/appliance controls/and two touch screen controls for up stairs and down stairs, all for no cost.
All hardware for FREE.
A damn hell of a lot of hardware. Well over $3000 of free hardware.
Just their $200 install fee, which the rep gave me 50% off the install fee to make my final up front of cost $99.
Monthly monitoring is $68 w/ 5 year contract.
For all the hardware, and especially compared to ADT, vivint was a no brainer deal.
I absolutely love this vivint system.
Great remote app that allows full remote viewing of all cameras, which are also night vision cameras, BTW.
Control of both thermostats.
History information of any door or window opened/closed whether armed or disarmed.
Remote appliance control.
I absolutely feel vivint is the best deal in paid-home security, the most advanced hardware, and everything totally 100% reliable.
Actually, I have yet to arm the system after 3 months of use.
I just rely on push notifications of doors opening/closing, set home temperatures limits, and remote camera access.
So much can be tweaked with this system to meet your needs.
And again, with all that hardware @ no cost.
I know, I sound like a sales rep, but not so.
But if I were, vinint is the system I would sell.
The vivint system also includes live help assistant.
A live monitoring assistant comes on the two-way control speaker if an medical emergency arises, or whatever.
And a vivint neck pendant is available for needy disabled folks.
Exactly like medical alert.
Where medical alert charges some $40 - $60 a month just for medical alert monitoring.
With vivint, that service is included in the monthly home security monitoring cost, if one has a need for that neck pendant option.
Vivint is, in my opinion, the best value out there considering the amount of hardware, their advanced hardware, and the very small up front cost.
So many options can be tweaked, I have yet to discover everything their system can do.