ATT Announces Change: How It Effects Cellular Alarm Monitoring
AT&T is one of the largest telecom companies operating worldwide. Perhaps most known for their distribution and service of Apple’s iPhone line the telecom giant also provides mobile services and cellular alarm monitoring for many customers of home alarm systems along with other telecom giants Verizon and T-Mobile. AT&T recently announced plans to completely phase out 2G networks by 2017 while they attempt to transition customers to 3G and ultimately 4G networks.
About 3 million cellular alarm system communicators currently use the 2G spectrum with about 80 to 90 percent of those provided by AT&T. T-Mobile has yet to announce at time when they plan to phase out their 2G offerings.
This is a big announcement for many home alarm companies providing cellular alarm monitoring and cellular alarm system communicator manufacturers. The three main spectrums used by AT&T are 2G, 3G, and 4G. Many alarm companies began using the 3G cellular communicators in an effort to provide customers with more reliable cellular alarm monitoring service and to take advantage of web/remote access offerings. However, not all areas around the country are ideal for 3G or, now, 4G. This means many customers are still provided with 2G cellular alarm communicators. The announcement by AT&T gives alarm companies an idea of how long they have to switch customers to a 3G or eventually a 4G cellular alarm communicator.
AT&T stated that “…the 4G communicators, which are based on the HSPA+ standard, will provide a longer service life than 3G radios and utilize AT&T’s spectrum more efficiently”
This is all good news for home alarm customers and for cellular alarm communicator dealers like like Alarm.com. Not only will newer technology be utilized to protect homes and families but with advancements in technology a lot of new, and cool, features should be added to alarm systems over the next several years. Web/remote access has become and extremely popular and marketable product to home alarm system customers and cellular alarm monitoring has become the standard of excellence in home alarm monitoring.
The 2G networks are expected to be completely phased out no later than January of 2017.
Also be sure to check out Alarm System Report’s Alarm System Reviews for more on cellular monitoring and which companies currently offer cellular alarm monitoring.
