ADT Security Services

ADT Security Services, originally American District Telegraph now also known as ADT Fire and Security or simply ADT, is a division of Tyco International and a major worldwide supplier of electronic security systems, fire alarm systems, communication systems, and integrated building management systems.

Company overview

ADT provides monitored burglar, fire and video surveillance systems. ADT holds 69% market share and has twenty nine monitoring stations, five in the United States and two in Canada. In addition to monitored systems, they provide access control for larger facilities.

Over the years, ADT has grown, primarily through the acquisition of other companies. Serving over 20 million customers in the United States alone, ADT is one of the largest security companies in the United States.

In 1998 ADT Fire and Security was granted a 50 year contract to maintain the security of the British and American Governments. This is why employee vetting is so in depth and conducted by external sources .

ADT in the UK

ADT first entered the United Kingdom in the late 1950s with the establishment of Electric Protection Services Limited based in London and introduced central monitoring in the mid-60s at the request of several leading banks. The 1970s and 80s brought steady growth.

In the mid 1990s, ADT Inc was acquired by Tyco International at the same time Tyco also bought up the UK firm Thorn Security.

In 1997, ADT Fire and Security plc was formed in the UK from the merger of three of the UK’s largest security firms: ADT, Thorn Security and Modern Security Systems.

ADT Fire and Security is also the British Government's primary security provider. All ADT employees are subject to in depth vetting due to the nature of information they have access to. Some ADT employees in the UK require Government SC Security Clearance from the Defence Vetting Agency.

Products and services

• Home security
• Fire detection
• Public address and voice alarm (PA/VA)
• Fixed fire extinguishing and suppression systems
• Access control systems
• CCTV (Close Circuit Television)
• Care communications (Nurse call, disabled refuge and toilet alarms, lone worker protection, staff attack alert systems)
• Electronic article surveillance (Commonly known as tagging)
• Building management systems
• 24 hour alarm Monitoring
• Security systems service and maintenance

ADT UK has also a specialist vehicle division tasked to create and maintain CCTV and riot control vehicles for police forces around the country.

The Americas

ADT has branches covering the United States, Canada and Latin America, as well as Europe.

Europe

ADT has branches in at least 21 countries in Europe. ADT UK and Ireland has 107 branches employing around 33 000 people. ADT Europe has annual gross revenues of at least 23.2 Billion.

Africa

ADT has one branch in South Africa.

Asia

ADT has branches in at least 7 countries in Asia.

Australia

ADT has branches in Australia and New Zealand. They have the contract for maintaining Cityrail's CCTV system.

About ADT systems

ADT's main service is the installation and monitoring of alarm systems, whereby one of their Customer Monitoring Centers (CMC) receives electronic signals from an alarm system when an alarm event is triggered, such as in the case of an intrusion, fire, carbon monoxide presence or manual depression of a holdup/duress button. A monitoring specialist examines the data received from the alarm system and determines the type of response the alarm signal warrants. Depending on the type of alarm, the monitoring specialist will attempt to contact the location via telephone to investigate further and determine if the signal is a false alarm. If necessary, the monitoring specialist can notify the local police, fire, EMS, or other emergency services department and/or an authorized security response service of the alarm status and the event address. ADT maintains seven Customer Monitoring Centers in North America.

Most consumers believe their ADT system is manufactured by ADT. In actuality, ADT security systems are generally manufactured by Ademco (a product of Honeywell International), GE ITI (both products of GE Security), DSC (a product of Tyco International), or Bosch.

About ADT Authorized Dealer Group

ADT Security also has an Authorized Dealer group. Like ADT corporate, Authorized Dealers offer ADT corporate approved equipment which is monitored and serviced by ADT corporate.The hardware is generally the same equipment as what is purchased from ADT corporate themselves. ADT Dealers offer a basic system for free whereas ADT corporate sells equipment, charges for the equipment and installation. Detached homes, lower to middle end residences and small applications like apartment buildings and condos will benefit from Authorized Dealer purchases.

With ADT or any of their authorized dealers, there is a 36-month agreement for monitoring.

ADT dealers install all equipment which meets ADT's requirements.

History

All text in this section is based on ADT sales literature, while accurate, may not be totally impartial.

1874

In America in the 1800s; there were many small telegraph delivery companies; in 1887, 57 district telegraph delivery companies affiliated and became "American District Telegraph".

1890s

With the advent of advanced call boxes and multi-signal electric protection systems in the early 1890s, ADT gained a solid reputation in security protections.

1899

With the increase in telephone usage in the late 1800s, ADT's messenger business slowly declined in popularity. ADT tried branching out and developing their signaling business while still maintaining their telegraph business as primary income source.

1901

ADT incorporated into Western Union. Many developments were made this year in the now primary field of signaling. ADT separated its messenger business from its main signaling business.

1909

Western Union (and ADT) came under the control of AT&T.

1910-1930

As technology improved and new ideas came into practice, ADT grew its business into new areas like fire alarms and burglar alarms.

1930-1950

With the Great Depression and World War II and the increased industrialisation they brought, security became more important to businesses. ADT grew and capitalised on this new age.

1960-1970

ADT becomes a publicly owned company. In 1964, ADT a division of the Grinell Company was found to be a monopoly in restraint of Trade. It was shown to provide almost 80% of the central station alarm service in the United States. In some cities, such New York City and Memphis, Tennessee, they were the sole provider of central station alarm service. They were also found to have forced out of business competitors by lowering prices below cost.

They would charge national accounts very low prices in cities with competitors and much higher prices where no competition was available.

ADT was forced to adopt a national price list, which could not be varied, to help establish Central Station Competitors in cities that had none and to pay fines and triple damages to the Federal Government, National Customers, and local Competitors.

1980-1990

In the late 1980s, ADT shareholders agreed to change the corporate name from American District Telegraph to simply ADT, Inc. By the mid 1990s, ADT surpassed the 1 million customer milestone. In 1991, ADT Canada launched the DVERS (Domestic Violence Emergency Response System) Program. In 1992, ADT launched the AWARE (Abused Women's Active Response Emergency) Program to help victims of domestic violence. ADT UK bought "Modern Alarms LTD" in 1996.

1997

ADT was purchased by Tyco. This was, in fact, a reverse takeover of Tyco by ADT, thus allowing the Bermuda tax status.

2000-Present

ADT currently has branches in 50 different countries, with over 58 000 employees.

Tyco is the parent company of ADT.

ADT had gross revenue of US $29.00 billion in 2007.

In 2006, ADT created the Custom Home Services Division.

ADT is the largest security company in the world.

See also

• Tyco International

External links

• ADT homepage
• Tyco International homepage
• Consumeraffairs.com
• ADT UK homepage
• ADT Dealer
• ADT Dealer Canada
• ADT Affiliate