ADT vs. Brinks vs. Protection One: Which is better?

  • By reComparison Contributor
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Difference between ADT, Brinks and Protection One

Security is a main concern of everyone out there, whether it is for a home or business. This is because a lot of bad elements are all over and are ready to take advantage of our absence in our homes and in our places of work. Today, simple locks and vaults don’t work anymore. Bad elements already use high technology gadgets to make their attempts more successful. What people need is a more advanced security system that will surely protect people and their property. To date, there are three burglar alarm systems that are widely recognized in the market because of their optimum performance. These are the ADT security system, the Brinks security system and the Protection One security system. Read below and compare which burglar alarm system would work best for you.

ADT
Brinks

Company Profile

ADT Security Services, previously known as American District Telegraph is now known to be the ADT Fire and Security or ADT. The company is a Tyco International division and they are a supplier of fire alarm systems, security systems that are electronic, communication systems and they also supply integrated building administration systems.

The Brinks Company, a protection and security company is located in Virginia (Richmond) on the United States. The main business of the company is Brinks Incorporated, and in 2008, it started to manufacture the Brinks Home Security which was under the company Broadview Security. It operates in over 50 countries and employs 54,000 people. From its old company name (Pittston Company), they changed to The Brinks Company last 2003.

Protection One is among the biggest manufacturers of monitored fire alarms and security systems. They also offer an integrated remote system service, as well as a video surveillance system all over the United States. Protection One employs 3,000 workers, has 65 branches and has an average of 1 million business and home customers.

Alarm Systems

The ADT alarm system is installed and monitored by the company through a Customer Monitoring Center (CMC) service which receives signals electronically. These signals which can be triggered by different events such as an armed robbery, fire or an intrusion is then studied by the CMC’s monitoring specialist and investigates the situation. Customers are then called through phone to verify the accuracy of the signal. Once done with the investigation, the CMC coordinator can contact the police, the fire department, or the rest of the emergency team in the government or private companies. The Brinks Security has an advanced alarm system, but the ADT security has more advanced technology used in their service. Protection One’s home security system is also monitored like the ADT system but it is customized to the specifications of the customer.

Other Products

Aside from security systems, ADT also has video surveillance among its products. Brinks on the other hand is popular for their production of armored trucks. Finally Protection One also offer video surveillance for their customers.

Summary

  • ADT has a monitoring service for maximum protection.
  • Brinks has a less effective protection system compared with ADT.
  • Protection One is similar to ADT when it comes to products and services but ADT stands out when it comes to performance.

Which is the cheap and best security system?
  • ADT
  • Brinks
  • Protection One
 
 

Discuss It: comments 13

Bought our house four years ago and Protection One had installed the system for the original owner, so we simply activated an account with them. Big mistake. In three years we had three mistaken alarms and one real alarm. In all four cases Protection One failed to call the police, and they failed to notify us of the alarm (we were at work all four times). Then, we dropped our land line phone (which is connected to the Protection One notification system). They never noticed! I canceled the account last year, paid the early termination fee, and now I am constantly hounded by their phone calls and mailings claiming I owe them more money. For what? Their service is worthless!

  • Guest
  • Rick Braddy wrote on August 2010

Had Protection One for three years. Got no false alarms. In fact, got no alarms at all from it. Then one day I was working on a bedroom window and noticed the alarm didn't sound when the window was opened. Further research revealed none of the wired contacts anywhere in the house (most of the house, upstairs and down) were non-functional. Set up a service call.

The service person discovered that none of the wired connections were working. At first, he said something had probably happened to cause the wiring to become disconnected. Upon further investigation, we learned the system wasn't properly connect to the wiring - and hadn't been since the day it was first installed!

So our home was exposed and went unprotected for more than 3 years under Protection One. To add insult to injury, the solution they proposed was to install over a dozen new wireless sensors instead of using the wired sensors that had been originally agreed upon.

To make matters worse, the local Houston operation was uncooperative with both us and Protection One's headquarters. The HQ folks tried to find us a solution, providing the best support they could. They indicated that since we had paid for a Service Contract, that any sensor problems were covered and we shouldn't have to pay anything to have our system repaired.

The technician told us the local office would not cooperate, because they don't want their budget impacted by such costly repairs / sensor replacements.

(continued)

  • Guest
  • Rick Braddy wrote on August 2010

Continued saga of Protection One vs. ADT

----------------------------------------

The technician told us to call the 800 number to work a "deal" and get our sensors upgraded properly for the best price. After weeks of going back and forth between the local office and headquarters people, we were offered a "discount" deal of over $950.00 to replace the sensors - and the local office refused to honor the Service Agreement as covering the repairs.

Needless to say, enough was enough. We fired Protection One in June, 2010. At that time, ADT was running a $99 special that include a number of free sensors, so we signed up with ADT...

The ADT folks came out and independently inspected the state of our system and wiring, in order to determine what could be used and how many wireless sensors were actually needed.

The ADT installer said that several of the sensor wiring runs were not even connected to the Protection One box. This proved what we already suspected - the Protection One system had never been properly installed and we were not protected for more than three full years!

At the time ADT was installing the system, we had not yet told Protection One they were being replaced (we told them after the ADT system was operational). The ADT techs were amazed that when they disconnected the "brain" unit, no "tampering alarm" or "communications alarm" was registered with Protection One - they never knew their system had been completely disconnected (and thrown in the trash). At this point, nothing surprised us...

During the ADT installation process, we discovered the actual cause of why one portion of the original sensor wiring wasn't functioning. Before we moved into the house, we had replaced the back door to the house. When the construction guys replaced the door, they forgot to move the magnetic sensor from the old door and install it into the new door - there were two wires disconnected, causing an open circuit. Neither the original Protection One installer or their repair techs ever found this.

The ADT tech installed a replacement magnetic sensor (at no charge), and within 90 minutes had the entire system operational, tested and in full working order.

In the end, it cost us $97 to replace the useless Protection One service with a more modern, state-of-the-art ADT system that rocks. Fortunately for us, we didn't have any break-ins (that we know of) during that 3+ year period where the Protection One system wasn't working.

One last note. Our service was disconnected in June, as I said. We just received an invoice for more than $435 from Protection One... their billing department still doesn't realize we disconnected in June. I called the 800 number and they show the service was disconnected in June and nothing should be due (we have no long-term contract). So I can confirm the billing / cancellation problem reported by the other Protection One customer posted here.

Believe me, the billing is one of the few things they did consistently.

Needless to say, we love ADT and you can draw your own conclusions about Protection One.

  • Guest
  • ADT Sucks wrote on January 2011

ADT is the worst alarm system period. Their customer service worst period. My cellular backup failed several times in the middle of the night due to some cell tower issues. I had several sleepless nights because of these idiots. Recently I switched to Brinks, no complaints so far.

  • Guest
  • responder wrote on September 2011

FYI Brinks is owned by ADT

  • Guest
  • Denise Williams wrote on March 2012

Brinks is owened by ADT and has been for years! This means better security! ADT secures the White House, the pentagon, and Fort Knox who could have better security than that!

  • Guest
  • Dan wrote on July 2013

I've been a technician for many different alarm companies over the years. I've switched over more than 200 accounts from ADT to their competitors. ADT was only aware 4 times out of 200 that I'd disabled their alarm system. **** service!!! Even Monotronics responded more often then ADT did. Has anyone on this blog ever called ADT? You'll be talking to a machine for at least 10 min before they even pick up!!! Anyone ever called to have service done on their house? You'll have to wait on average two weeks before they can even come out and help you!!! For goodness sake businesses can not be vulnerable for 2 weeks while ADT attempts to find a third party company to hire to fix the account!

The well established alarm companies all use the same type of equipment; GE, Honeywell, 2 gig, or hardwire systems. The equipment doesn't make that much difference from company to company. The difference is in the technician that puts the system in. There are crappy mediocre technicians in every company.

Plus ADT isn't even an American owned company! Their headquarters are in Bermuda!

  • Guest
  • Rick wrote on October 2013

I agree that ADT is an awful company. If you have to go the big company route for an alarm system, I think Protection One is pretty good. They have procedures in place to get technicians onsite either same day or next day. A Tyco owned company (ADT) can't do that in their wildest dreams. While ADT and SimplexGrinnell have eliminated staff from monitoring centers (while still charging the **** out of their customers) and installing automated systems to handle phones, Protection One can get a live person on the phone in 60 seconds or less.

Tyco just doesn't give a **** about their customers. They just flat out don't care and they are motivated 100% by money.

If you can install an alarm system on your own (it's not that hard), you should. Install it yourself, and call up one of the smaller monitoring companies. Often times it can be programmed by dialing directly into the panel, and if that doesn't work, they probly have a tech that can walk you through it over the phone.

But if you can't do the self install, use Protection One.

  • Guest
  • Sally Jackson wrote on August 2017

Um, Dan you have no clue what you are talking about. When you wrote this note in 2014, ADT's home office was in Boca Raton, Florida.. I know because I worked for them during that time. They are currently owned byApollo Global Management Group.

  • Guest
  • Rick wrote on October 2013

Denise, ADT is horrible. They absolutely do not understand what customer service is. They have no pride in their work. I worked for a Tyco company for many years. I know how they operate.

  • Guest
  • Robert wrote on May 2014

While researching home security companies, I had interviews with both ADT and Protection 1. I was impressed by both services, however it was the sales person from ADT that we didn't like. He showed up and couldn't show us any of the online features because his iPad battery was dead, and he didn't even have the ADT phone app on his phone! Not necessarily unprofessional, but a litle antiquated in my opinion. We liked the touch screen and easy to understand instructions for the phone and panel that Protection 1 gave us. Might be a couple of bucks more a month, but the conveniences of not having to worry was worth it.

  • Guest
  • Dennis Dietrich wrote on January 2017

ADT would not pay my deductable of $500 as they advertised after I had a Burglery.Police were called.I got police report and all papers to them.Had to file claim with BBB.4 mos later they agreed to pay $250.But only towards my mounthly bill.I still wanted my $250 they owed.Did the paper work again and again .Never got it.Still trying.I Quite paying them.What a crappy company to deal with.Dennis Dietrich

  • Guest
  • Sally Jackson wrote on August 2017

Some of the comments here that are not flattering concerning ADT are from former employees. It's easy to see that these people are disgruntled former employees out to ruin the name of the company. I'm just saying be careful to judge any of these employees comments as complete truth. I'm a former employee (upper corporate management) and I know for a fact that some of these comments are lies. Now ADT and P1 are owned by the same people so there you go.

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