Most ADT customers never think about how their security system stays connected — and that’s exactly the way we want it. Teams across the company work behind the scenes to design, monitor and protect system connectivity, so you can reach help when you need it without ever wondering about reliability.
From how devices are designed to how networks are managed to how policies are shaped, ADT takes an end-to-end approach to maintaining reliable connectivity, because customer safety depends on it.
Technology designed for reliability
Reliability starts with our hardware. ADT systems are designed to stay connected even when conditions change, says Tai Nguyen, ADT’s Director of Engineering. At the center of the system is the ADT+ Security System Base, which constantly works to maintain a connection so alarms can consistently reach ADT’s monitoring teams.
The Base uses both Wi-Fi and LTE connections for redundancy. “If the Base is unable to maintain a connection to our cloud backend over Wi-Fi, it automatically attempts to reconnect using LTE,” Nguyen says.
Redundancy does not stop with our hardware. After a signal leaves the Base, it is received by ADT’s cloud platforms. If one platform is unavailable, another will receive the signal instead.
“Our customers should feel comfortable that our Base is running and continues to monitor the home at all times,” Nguyen says, underscoring ADT’s commitment to ensuring customers don’t have to struggle with their system or troubleshoot during a critical moment.
Our sensors communicate with the Base via a separate, two‑way, encrypted wireless connection, so the Base can confirm it received important sensor activity and recognize when a sensor stops responding or malfunctions, says Andrew Weir, ADT’s Senior Director of Engineering.
The system is also designed to detect when normal operation is disrupted, such as if a hacker tries to jam the system. “Jamming of the security radio is actively detected and reported to the cloud backend to indicate if the system is breached,” Weir says.
Supporting connectivity across networks
Once a signal leaves the home — say an alarm to our monitoring centers — network reliability is just as critical. And that is where ADT’s Signaling and Telecommunications teams come in. The teams oversee connectivity from the customer’s home to ADT’s monitoring centers, ensuring signals are supported by a reliable network.
ADT makes deliberate choices about how signals travel through wireless and terrestrial networks, says Tiffany Galarza, ADT’s Vice President of IT Operations, knowing that those networks are constantly evolving. As carriers update infrastructure and shift how the spectrum is used, and technology is deployed, her team works closely with industry partners, carriers and the FCC to stay informed and plan ahead. That approach allows ADT to adjust proactively, rather than reacting after changes have already occurred.
“Our customers should have the assurance that when they arm their system and an alarm is triggered, nothing will get in the way of ADT receiving that signal,” says Galarza, who is also Co-Chair of the Alarm Industry Communications Committee.
ADT has taken steps to reduce delays once an alarm is triggered, Galarza says, prioritizing how signals move through wireless networks and how they are shared with emergency responders. By streamlining that process, ADT aims to help signals move more directly and efficiently in situations where timing matters. “Every second is critical in an emergency situation,” she says.
Protecting connectivity through policy
Beyond technology and networks, ADT also works to protect connectivity at the policy level. Holly Borgmann, ADT’s Vice President of Government Affairs, focuses on identifying and addressing laws and regulations that could impact customer safety.
“Advocacy is taking a look at the landscape to determine not only what are issues that are impacting customers today, but what could possibly impact customers in the future, from a positive or a negative perspective,” she says.
Borgmann’s work involves closely tracking legislative and regulatory activity across the country to identify issues that could affect how alarm systems operate or how reliably signals are transmitted.
She reviews proposed bills and policy changes with a specific lens on security and connectivity, assessing whether new rules could interfere with alarm signals, monitoring services or law enforcement response.
When potential risks are identified, Borgmann works internally to understand the practical impact and then engages directly with policymakers to explain how those decisions could affect customers in real-world situations.
“When an ADT customer signs up for service, they understand that we are going to help protect them,” Borgmann says.
ADT's three-prong approach to reliability, based on our unmatched industry expertise, helps us maintain our customers’ trust. Connections that hold, systems that automatically adapt, and potential disruptions being addressed before they surface all help contribute to our customers' peace of mind.
It reflects how our teams work together to make reliability feel seamless, so customers can have confidence in the protection we provide without having to think about what’s happening behind the scenes.