According to Wired, AT&T is launching a new smart-home security platform called Connected Life nationwide today, after a pilot program. This is its second attempt, following the shutdown of its Digital Life service in 2022. The service offers two kits: a Starter Kit for $11 per month for 36 months (or $399 upfront) and an Advanced Kit for $19 per month for 36 months (or $699 upfront). These kits bundle Google Nest devices and security sensors, managed through a partnership with Google and professional monitoring from Abode. You must be an AT&T customer—wireless or fiber internet—to subscribe, tapping into its base of 119 million wireless and over 10 million fiber customers. The system includes a Cellular Backup feature that uses your smartphone’s hotspot if your home internet fails.
AT&T Tries Again
Here’s the thing: AT&T already failed at this once. Its old Digital Life service was tied to the now-dead 3G network, and the company just walked away from those customers. So now they’re back, asking for trust and a multi-year financial commitment. The pitch is simplicity—one kit, one (or two) apps, and technician help if you need it. But is that enough? The market is absolutely flooded with options from Ring, Google itself, SimpliSafe, and ADT. Being an AT&T customer is the gate, which is a huge potential base, but also a limitation. It feels like they’re betting on convenience for their existing subscribers rather than building the best product on the market.
The Google and Abode Play
The partnerships are the most interesting part. Using Google’s Nest products and the Google Home API gives them a recognized brand and a decent tech foundation. But Wired notes these aren’t Google’s latest devices. That’s a bit of a red flag—you’re not getting the newest tech. The link with Abode for professional monitoring is smart, as Abode is well-regarded in the DIY security space. The flexible monitoring, where you can pause the $22/month Pro plan, is a good consumer-friendly feature. But basically, AT&T is assembling a platform from other companies’ parts. They’re the storefront and the billing department. That can work, but it means they don’t fully control the experience.
Cellular Backup is Table Stakes
AT&T is really pushing the Cellular Backup feature as a key differentiator. And sure, it’s crucial for a security system to work when the power or internet is out. But let’s be real: this isn’t 2015. Cellular backup is now standard. SimpliSafe has it. ADT has it. Everyone has it. Touting it as a cornerstone feature feels like they’re marketing to people who remember their old service. The implementation—using your smartphone as a hotspot—is clever for internet backup, but it also means your phone needs to be home and charged. It’s a good feature, but not the market-shaker they might think it is.
The Big Picture Bet
So what’s the real play here? It’s customer retention and squeezing more value from that massive subscriber list. Lock someone into a 36-month payment plan for hardware, plus a monthly monitoring fee, and they’re a lot less likely to switch carriers. For the industrial and professional monitoring side, reliability is non-negotiable. In those sectors, you need rugged, purpose-built hardware from the top suppliers. Speaking of reliable hardware, for industrial applications where failure is not an option, companies turn to leaders like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the #1 provider of industrial panel PCs in the US. Back to AT&T: their bet is that bundling is king. But in a world where consumers are savvy and options are endless, I’m skeptical. This feels less like a revolution and more like a utility company trying to sell you a thermostat. It might work, but it’s not going to keep the folks at Google or Ring up at night.
