Dave wrote on Nov 4^th, 2010 at 9:49pm:


You need have no concerns for the solvency of ADT's finances Dave because my mother's alarm system is with ADT and they have been kind enough to set up any phone calls that are made to notify them of an alarm activation on her system to use an 0871 phone number at 10p per minute at all times without ever seeking her overt permission for doing so.  I happen to know because my mother couldn't account for the 0871 call on her phone bill and wanted to know what it was as she knows that she never rings 0871 numbers herself.

Fortunately however her system only makes a call in the event of an alarm activation as all other activity is logged locally only and the system only needs to make a phone call in the event that the alarm is actually triggered and not cancelled down in the 30 seconds grace period that is allowed for various possible causes of alarm activation.

As for our friendly engineer telling us that many of the very latest ADT systems are using an 0800 number my question to him is why aren't all ADT's systems being reprogrammed to use an 0800 number and a fair rate for the annual alarm monitoring costs charged instead of ADT relying on a hidden revenue stream on incoming phone calls from its customers equipment on its customers phone lines.

Or hopefully be knowledgeable enough to come here and find the alternative