Quick Look at AT&T Digital Life
- Negative customer reviews
- Bad overall rating
- 14-day trial period
AT&T Digital Life is the home security arm of AT&T and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The company has been around since 2012.
Their monthly costs and upfront costs are higher than competitors, which is offset with a shorter initial contract length. Customers can control alarms and automations through the Digital Life mobile app.
Take a look at Vivint reviews (ranked #1) and compare our best home security company to AT&T Digital Life.
Pros
- No Contract Option
- No Upfront Fee Option
- Excellent Customer Reviews
Score
9.7
Price
$29.99/mo
Cons
- No DIY Option
Expert Take
Vivint Smart Home is ranked #1 for three very good reasons: excellent customer service, outstanding reviews, and the very convenient option to choose between no upfront fees or no contracts. Vivint provides unparalleled service and security systems that provide peace of mind — it's own customers say so.
AT&T Digital Life Reviews
AT&T Digital Life does not have good customer reviews according to Best Company.
The well-funded smart home security company has received a 1.9-star rating (out of 5) from just over 45 customer reviews (updated December 2020).
AT&T Digital Life complaints from former customers seem to center around faulty equipment, unresponsive customer service, and outrageous costs.
Some of the more egregious customer complaints for AT&T Digital Life relate stories of how the system fails to impede, prevent, or even respond to burglaries.
However, there is a slight silver lining to the grim story told by AT&T Digital Life reviews. Take a look at some of the positive reviews that customers have left for AT&T Digital Life.
Here is a summary of the biggest AT&T Digital Life complaints people had in 2019 & 2020:
- Equipment - A few reviewers have had issues with AT&T Digital Life's equipment - specifically the door sensors. Multiple reviews mention having to pay to re-install the equipment when they move, even though the company advertises "Free installations".
- Customer Service - Many reviewers are not happy with AT&T Digital Life's poor customer service. Several mention that they are unable to effectively communicate with customer service agents.
- Cancellation - As with most home security companies, customers can't cancel their contract with AT&T Digital Life. Several customers are paying extra fees when the cancel, even when their contract is up.
AT&T Digital Life Cost
This company does offer extensive home security services and plans, but we do believe that other home security companies can offer you similar services and equipment for cheaper prices.
Though customers can take advantage of the company’s free installation offer, that’s only a $100-$200 value. In comparison to much higher monthly prices ($39.99/mo minimum), it isn’t much of a consolation deal.
AT&T Digital Life customers can choose from three main packages.
- Smart Security: $549.99 upfront, $39.99 monthly - 24/7 professionally installed and monitoring with home safety features and devices. This package includes a door sensor, motion sensor, window sensor, and an indoor siren.
- Smart Security and Automation: $549.99 upfront, $54.99 monthly - Includes all features of the Smart Security package plus the Camera Package and Door Package. Features include window sensors, a garage door controller, smart door locks, an outdoor camera, and more.
- Premium Security and Automation: $849.99 upfront, $64.99 monthly - Includes everything from the lower security packages as well as a smart thermostat, light control, and other energy features. A temp & water sensor is also included to detect water leaks and tell you the ambient temperature of the room.
AT&T Digital Life Customer Service
Best Home Security Companies looks to customer reviews to give the final word on customer service.
So what do the customers say about AT&T Digital Life’s customer service? Well, they’re not saying good things about it.
First, it seems like it can be pretty difficult to get through to the correct service representative when unique issues arise.
Next, the customer service department at AT&T Digital Life seems to serve the function of deflecting rather than providing solutions to customer problems. Many customers have reported being put on hold just to have their problem remain unsolved in the end.
One thing we would note is that companies who require customers to sign long contracts will always have problems with customer service. Is it really a surprise that once a company gets a customer to sign a contract they suddenly focus on that customer less?
Of course, there are exceptions. However, AT&T Digital Life is not an exception to the rule that long contracts bring customer satisfaction issues.
AT&T Digital Life Products
As far as the products and services that AT&T Digital Life provides, they are pretty standard.
One thing to note is that when we see prices as high as this company’s prices, we look for exceptional service (which we’ve discovered they lack) or outstanding products and security technology to determine whether it’s worth it.
Unfortunately, we cannot see a good reason for customers to pay at least $549.99 upfront and $39.99/month for this home security system from AT&T Digital Life.
Another unfortunate aspect of this company’s already sub-par service offering is that they do not list the home security products or prices on their website.
Yes, you can see that they offer just the one monthly monitoring package with several devices included. However, there doesn’t seem to be a place to purchase products individually or to even upgrade from the “Smart Security” system they offer.
The company does list what’s included in the Smart Security package from AT&T Digital Life:
- Keypad
- Indoor Siren
- Motion Sensor
- Window and Door Sensors
- 24/7 Professional Monitoring
This kit from Digital Life is advertised as being a $700 value, but we believe customers could find a better home security system for a similar price from one of the higher-rated home security companies on our site.
AT&T Digital Life Experience & Quality
So, is AT&T Digital Life any good? Well, yes and no.
Yes, AT&T Digital Life is a good home security option if you value free installation over all else. But that doesn’t make a ton of sense in light of the downsides to its service.
Unfortunately, Digital Life's downsides outweigh the benefits.
AT&T is not a good home security company because it requires long contracts, has high monthly monitoring fees, and does not have good customer reviews.
AT&T Digital Life's minimum contract length of 24 months.
Most professional home security companies have a 3- to 5-year contract.
The reason AT&T Digital Life can offer a short contract is because they have high up-front equipment fees. Other companies with no minimum contract length will have similarly high upfront fees.
One positive side of AT&T Digital Life’s home security system is that it will perform all standard home security system installations for free.
This cuts down on upfront costs and makes installing a security system more affordable for customers.
Additionally, AT&T's home security systems are compatible with other hardware, so customers who already have home security equipment can make a seamless transition to Digital Life.
Our Recommendation
Because we value customer service and feedback greatly, our recommendation is that customers look elsewhere for quality home security.