TELUS Home Security Review: Smart Home Meets Home Security

If you’re already a TELUS customer, then adding TELUS SmartHome Security might be an easy choice to bundle and save some money overall. TELUS lets you bundle existing telephone or internet service with their home security plans.

TELUS also has a lot of different plan options, so you choose between professional or self-monitoring and a variety of equipment options, including video, to find the right balance of convenience and protection for you. It's also Canada's most trusted alarm service according to BrandSpark's Canadian Trust Study.

Just keep in mind that any plan you choose with TELUS will require a minimum 3-year commitment. 

TELUS offers four plans at multiple price points. You’ll pay anywhere between $15 a month up to $67 a month depending on your contract term, and you can also use bundling discounts to lower your bill even more.

We suggest going with the Control + Video plan because it’s like the signature dish of TELUS’s home security plans: it comes with everything. That’s smart home, video, professional monitoring, the works. 

It is the highest-priced package available, but the monthly price does include almost $2000 worth of equipment in its starter kit and a free doorbell camera. Something to keep in mind as you consider other higher-tier packages from competitors like Frontpoint, Brinks Home, and Ring. If you're willing to spend a little more for high-quality security and smart home, we think you should go with the Control + Video plan.

Let’s dig more into what you get with TELUS plans.

Want to self-monitor? Cool; TELUS has that. Prefer professional monitoring? TELUS has that, too. You can also choose how simple or elaborate you want your home setup to be. With a dizzying array of options, you’re bound to find what you're looking for.

If none of those fit you, TELUS can set up a fully customized plan, too. Or you can take the TELUS home security quiz to get a better idea of what you need.

So which plan should you go for? It’s a little complicated, but here’s how we’ve broken it down:

• Smart Camera: Choose this plan if you want one security camera and a self-monitoring service. You'll pay $15 per month over three years.
• Smart Automation Plus: Choose this plan if you want a self-monitoring setup with a little extra oomph. This plan includes a security camera and your choice of two home automation devices. You'll pay $35 per month over three years. 
• Secure + Video: Choose this plan if you want the most hands-off approach to your security system. This plan includes a security starter kit and a security camera. You won't be able to self-monitor your system but you'll have 24/7 alarm response. You'll pay $52 per month over five years or $57 per month over three years.
• Control + Video: Choose this plan if you want home security and home automation (without self-monitoring). This plan includes a professionally monitored security system with 24/7 alarm response, a security camera, and your choice of three smart home devices. You'll pay $59 per month over five years or $67 per month for three years.

To sum it up, the minimum amount you can spend on TELUS plans before discounts is $15 a month, while the maximum is $67 a month.

If you have TELUS Mobility or Koodo, you'll get $10 off any home security plan above Smart Camera. And if you have internet, TV, or home phone services with TELUS, you’ll get $10 off any home security plan beyond Smart Camera. You can get other discounts, such as self-installation discounts with the Smart Camera and Smart Automation Plus plans.

And if that’s not enough to choose from, there’s one more option.

If you’re interested in a uniformed guard verifying your emergency alerts, you can add Guard Response to your monitoring plan for just $5 a month. You can also choose this service as a free add-on to your package, and TELUS will give you up to four dispatches in a 12-month period before charging you dispatch fees. We recommend this service if you travel a lot or use TELUS home security for a second or vacation home.

The TELUS cancellation fee is standard across all services: your remaining balance plus $50. It's unclear to us whether you can cancel one service at a time or if you must cancel all of them at once, so make sure you get a clear explanation before signing up.

The equipment you get is wholly dependent on your security package.

In truth, TELUS offers pretty standard equipment—something to consider when weighing TELUS’s value.

In fact, TELUS outright says that it’s not a big product-oriented company. It’s all about the security plan features. So if you’re not a big hardware person, this is a good fit. If you are, you might look for a more DIY-focused solution like Ring.

TELUS pulls its pieces from reliable brands like Alarm.com, Skybell, and Weiser. We know these devices work because we see them in tons of security company packages, so even though there’s no unique stamp here, the quality isn’t in doubt.

That’s a pretty good spread for security and smart home devices. TELUS also supports a load of other compatible devices such as Rachio, Sonos, Nest, and Ecobee, just to name a few.

While some companies require you to buy your own smart home hub, TELUS offers an Echo with its home automation packages. The nifty Echo Show 5 adds convenience to your life by displaying recipes, playing videos and music, showing camera feeds, and responding to voice commands such as “Alexa, arm TELUS,” and “Alexa, turn off kitchen lights.”

TELUS also offers SmartWear devices as part of its SmartWear Security line. While these aren’t part of a home security package, we see a lot of overlap in people needing home security and smart wearables. TELUS’s necklaces, bracelets, keychains, and charms are unusually fashionable personal security devices, and you can add them to any TELUS service for just $15 a month for a year or for a $179 one-time payment.

We’ve got to say that these cameras are pretty good. They're more than adequate if you want eyes on your property. TELUS cameras come with object detection which can detect animals, people, and passing vehicles. You'll also get night vision, geo mat, and trip wire triggers. 

The indoor camera is the ADC-V523, which has 1080p resolution and includes night vision (up to 15ft) and digital zoom that you can use with the app. (The camera lens itself does not zoom in).

Digital camera storage is included in your TELUS security plan. And our contact at TELUS told us that you can add clip expansion packs if you need more storage. You'll just need to contact TELUS.

All TELUS plans include mobile app access (boo-yah). Like a lot of popular security companies, TELUS’s app is through Alarm.com, which is like the Old Faithful of security apps.

TELUS works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. So if you already have an Echo or a Google Home/Nest Hub, a TELUS system will fit right in.

TELUS doesn’t work with Zigbee, so you may experience some compatibility limitations. But happily, TELUS works with some devices from the following brands:

• Chamberlain
• Ecobee
• FortrezZ
• GE
• GoControl
• Leviton
• Lutron
• Nest
• Rachio
• Rainbird
• Schlage
• Sonos
• Stelpro
• Weiser
• Yale

You'll have an okay list of smart device options between these brands. There’s a more complete list on the TELUS website.

Plus TELUS has a built-in smart home function in its mobile app. The app allows you to create Scenes, which link different devices together so you can automate them as a group.

For instance, you can create a group called Kitchen and include all the lights and smart plugs in your kitchen area. You can then use the Scene function to turn all of those devices off at the same time. Neat.

TELUS offers both DIY and Pro installation for their services with all plans, except for Smart Camera, which is DIY only. But TELUS has technicians available to assist with DIY installs as needed. 

And if you're having technical difficulties with your equipment, TELUS promises to refund its $150 tech repair fee if the problem turns out to be a TELUS issue. You won't have to worry about spending over a hundred bucks because you received a faulty camera lens.

Right now, recent TELUS customer ratings on sites like TrustPilot and Consumer Affairs are lower than we’d like. Some customers vent that it's near impossible to reach TELUS reps, and those that do often hang up frustrated. But it should be noted that many of these reviews may not be reflective of the SmartHome Security team at all and maybe lean towards the mobility side of TELUS's business. 

TELUS has more choices than most of its competitors and offers a lot of flexibility with its plans and bundle options. For top-end smart home security, TELUS may run a little more expensive than some of its competitors, but if you bundle your service with your home phone or internet service, you'll save more overall.

TELUS is an excellent home security option for anyone who already has TELUS services or wants the flexibility of picking among TELUS’s many plans.

• Pricing: TELUS security by itself is on the more expensive side, but bundling and other discounts can make it more affordable. You’ll also get online security with every plan.
• Equipment: TELUS isn’t really about equipment. You’ll get good, standard pieces but nothing special.
• Home automation: TELUS works with Alexa, Google, and select smart devices. It also has an in-app automation feature.
• Installation: TELUS is professionally installed by default, although you may have the option to install some pieces if that’s what you prefer.
• Customer experience: TELUS’s customer service isn’t resonating with a lot of its current customers.

When we review a new home security system, we always consider the following:

1. Price
2. Equipment
3. Smart home integrations
4. Security cameras
5. Customer experience

When possible, we test the systems we review so that we have hands-on experience to draw from.

We look at systems based on their own merit, but we also contrast and compare them to other systems to give readers a more complete picture.

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