Security (ADT) Upgrades Required Due to 3G Going Away

[DS256]

I have received at least 2 registered letters and more than half a dozen calls on the need to upgrade my old ADT solution because cellular 3G is going away.

I keep getting calls despite the following points I make that I am not interested:

• I have two connections to Telus/#ADT. A LAN/Ethernet connection and a 3G cellular backup. So from what I can see, I am losing the backup. None of the agents seem to have an idea that customers can have two connections and are only losing one.
• My system is too old to upgrade. The cost for a new system is around $1,200. The last agent said I could get a $500 discount but that's still $700.
• No one has said if I upgrade if I will have both a LAN connection as well as a cellular backup with a new system. In other words, if I lose 3G, and go to one connection to Telus, is that the same as a new system?
• The last time I looked, none of the Canadian cellular carriers had announced an end-of-life date for 3G. There were some mentions of 2025. It's just not cell phone users that use 3G but it has other industrial uses. Those manufacturers will not be happy to tell customers they have to buy new machines because Telus and others they are dropping 3G.

I don't feel Telus is being completely transparent about this. I am also upset about continually being contacted about upgrading when I've said no. I do not know who to complain to. I found this public forum and hope someone can direct me to a Telus Ombusman to raise my concerns too.

Thanks.

[DS256 · Accepted solution]

I had a call from the escalation manager. There are two major concerns with the call.

The first was that she said I needed to give her my password in order for her to access my account. I said I don't give out this information to which she said she couldn't fuily help me. I said I was surprisd that Telus would ask for my password which led me to believe this 'escalation manager' may be part of a 3rd party marketing company retained by Telus.

When I explained I was upset that Telus was pushing for me to upgrade because my backup 3G connection would be going away and I have never been told about my primary Internet connection to Telus, she seemed baffled and to research this. She came back and said that if I lost 3G backup I would still have the Internet. This is what no one had been able to tell me before.

I'm disappointed with Telus's marketing approach on the unannounced date when 3G disappears in trying to upgrade customers.

[A-B]

Hello! I'll send you a private message to discuss further, see what we can do!

[DS256]

A-B the Community Manager put me in touch with the escalation service this week. I missed one call from them, they did not leave a return phone number, said she would call back, but I have not received any further calls over the last two days.

I also received a second registered letter this week from Telus telling me to book my security upgrade. This time I had to drive to the post office to get since I was not home when it was delivered and I had to sign for it. I was not rather p*ssed of at the 2nd registered letter in a week.

My wife wants us to cancel our Telus/ADT service because the repeated phone calls and registered letters are getting to the point of harassment given I've already told numerous agents I don't want to pay the $1,200 replacement cost (I can't be upgraded) even if there is a $500 discount.  

[A-B]

Hello again. I reached out personally to the callback manager to advise her that you'd still like to speak with her asap. She'll be in touch as quickly as possible. Appreciate your patience.

[DS256 · Accepted solution]

I had a call from the escalation manager. There are two major concerns with the call.

The first was that she said I needed to give her my password in order for her to access my account. I said I don't give out this information to which she said she couldn't fuily help me. I said I was surprisd that Telus would ask for my password which led me to believe this 'escalation manager' may be part of a 3rd party marketing company retained by Telus.

When I explained I was upset that Telus was pushing for me to upgrade because my backup 3G connection would be going away and I have never been told about my primary Internet connection to Telus, she seemed baffled and to research this. She came back and said that if I lost 3G backup I would still have the Internet. This is what no one had been able to tell me before.

I'm disappointed with Telus's marketing approach on the unannounced date when 3G disappears in trying to upgrade customers.

[ExTelis]

Suspect telus is trying to get all the old ADT systems off their system, so what better time !

3G will go away one day, but I'm running my cell on 3G on purpose, to await a notice !!

Last year the neighbor was told her old ADT system is "obsolete" so she cancelled her service.

I too have an ADT system, and joyfully await the day I'm contacted.

Best of luck in the fight !!!!

[DS256]

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@ExTelis wrote:

Suspect telus is trying to get all the old ADT systems off their system, so what better time !

I never considered that @ExTelis. Makes sense since they said mine can't be upgraded. That seemed surprising to me since the 3G backup is it's own box leading to an antennae in my garage.

[ExTelis]

Of course !

They want (I suspect) everyone on the same platform hardware wise.

"Smart Security" with batteries that die in the motion sensors...

For what I have here..motions, doors, a T rep said nothing they currently offer can match all the motions and zones, number wise. That was 1.5 years ago. Let's see if the "Community Mgr" can come up with a solution that pleases YOU the customer some day.... KEEP us all posted !!!!! 😊😉

[A-B]

Unfortunately your suspicion is not correct. If you're having issues with your SmartHome Security system, feel free to reach out to the team directly or let me know if I can be of any assistance and I'll do what I can.

[A-B]

Sorry you had issues with the call.

1. Our escalation managers, like our frontline, always require for accounts to be authenticated/verified. This is a practice that has been implemented for years and years and years. Despite what some may say online or what people like to say, this has always been the case and is for our customer privacy and protection. Our team will always want to 100% verify the identity of who they're speaking to before divulging any info or making any changes to an account. TELUS is not the only company or place where a password is needed before anything further can be done.

2. That 'escalation manager' is just that. An escalation manager. Not 3rd party. TELUS.

3. Our escalation team may indeed need to verify with appropriate teams to confirm that the information they provide is 100% accurate. Otherwise, what is the point of having the conversation.

Have a great day.

[DS256 · Accepted solution]

A-B I appreciate your help but your comment of "TELUS is not the only company or place where a password is needed before anything further can be done." does not resonate with my experience. Yes, I'm asked to authenticate with information over the phone but not a password. I may be asked to login during a chat session with this is an out-of-band request to a separate app and not part of the chat. The chat agent is notified when I've been authenticated. My experiences come from dealing with other telcoms and banks.

My main point in all of this is are the people contacting me about upgrading are not referring to my 3G cell service as the fallback Telus connection. They don't even acknowledge I have an internet connection and seemed confused when I mention it. It tool the escalation manager to confirm this. The front line people should know.  IMHO, Telus is not being completely transparent on the impact of loss of 3G sometime in the future on existing ADT users.

[DS256]

This is a continuation of my previous post which appears to be locked.

Just received the 3rd or 4th registered letter the same day I received the same letter that I need to upgrade my system because 3G is being discontinued. I'm not sure which Federal regulator to complain about this to since it's about a security system rather than something that that is covered by the mandate of the CRTC.

The issue is that the loss of 3G does not mean you lose connecting with Telus/ADT. From the last registered letter.

What they don't say is that the 3G network is the failover/backup communication if the primary Internet connection is lost. When ADT sold me the system, the idea was someone could cut your Internet cable/wire then break in. The 3G would take over and call ADT now Telus.

So what we are losing, at some point, is the backup connection over 3G. Telus Escalation Management has verbally confirmed that the Internet connection will still be active after 3G is retired.

I'm posting this because I continue to get calls/letters/registered letters on this even though I've told Telus to stop contacting me. I am very angry with Telus for:

• Not being forthright and saying it's the backup 3G and not primary Internet that is being lost.
• They will not take me off their distribution list since I'd have to replace my entire system and not just upgrade it.
• Telus is not providing a mother board replacement option that would allow me to upgrade rather than replace.