We'll Even Help ADT Customers Get Better Service

This past weekend, we received an interesting e-mail that came in via the customer contact form on our Whynacht Security & Survival website. It was from an ADT security customer in New Brunswick that I will refer to only as "J".

J had been on our website and was particularly interested by the detailed information we provide for owners of seasonal properties who want to go over to the seasonal telephone rate during the down period, but who still need a working phone line to support alarm communications. I won't quote the article in detail because I already wrote it once, but you can read it by clicking here.

Our correspondent wrote:

Your page about the Aliant TSS service and keeping our alarm system working was very helpful. I have a security system with ADT and have been calling them in vain trying to get the number - no one there seems to know what I am talking about. They either give me my own phone number or tell me I have to pay for a service tech to come to the house and get the number from the panel. Would you have any advice as to how and where I could track down this number?

Thanks very much, J

My reply:

Dear J,

If you are like most ADT customers, your security system uses your premises telephone line for the purpose of transmitting signals to the monitoring station. When it does this, it seizes the line and then dials a telephone number which will be one of a group of numbers ADT uses to route signals through its alarm receiving equipment. This will be an 800 number which will probably be specific to your geographic area or account group. The number your system dials will have been programmed by the installing technician at the time your system was configured for monitoring service. It will certainly be a matter of record on your file and is certainly something you are entitled to know. Under no circumstances should it be necessary for a technician to actually come to your house to retrieve the information but you may need to speak to someone in technical support to get your point across. It's unlikely that a cubicle gnome in their call centre will be able to do anything more than their screen prompts permit.

For simplicity, be sure to address these simple facts:

1. The security system dials a telephone number in order to connect with the ADT monitoring system.
2. You want to know what that number is.

In addition, Diana here has done some digging, and according to ADT's own website, they state:
"If you currently have an ADT system, arranging for monitoring can be incredibly easy and quick. In fact, we may not even have to visit your home. For a system in good condition, we can usually communicate with the system's control panel right from our offices."
(You can see the page in its entirety here: https://adt.ca/en/support/residential/activatesystem.asp )

That being the case, they should be able to connect with your system and find out what dialer number your system is using to communicate with their receiver. Since that number is important to give to the phone company to keep your system working properly, they should certainly provide that to you free of charge. Otherwise you would be paying for monitoring service that you would not be receiving. We hope this helps. From our experience here in Nova Scotia, ADT seems more interested in obtaining new customers than in pleasing those they already have. You'll no doubt have to dig in your heels.

We would appreciate your letting us know how this turns out.
Regards,
Randy

This morning we heard back from J:

Thanks very much for the very detailed and helpful reply, Randy. I'll be sure to let you know what I find out. I have had five or so calls to ADT each time without success, I am going to try some of the local guys in the morning.

Still later this morning:

Hello again Randy & Diana,

I have finally gotten the number after a few more calls. My previous calls had been to the tech support department. This morning I called the local office (in Saint John) and they transferred me to the monitoring station. The monitoring station knew what I was talking about, unlike the other agents I had spoken to, but said they did not have the number on file, and redirected me back to the local office. They did give me a helpful piece of information - ADT calls this number the 'receiver number'. When I recalled the local office, and told them I was looking for the "receiver number", they were able to look it up and give it to me.
Thanks again for your advice,
J

We were only too happy to help J and I'm glad our efforts helped him along the path to a speedy resolution. At times like this it's about being a sound and professional representative of the security industry.