Protection 1 is a company that has been in business for almost 30 years and provides a great security solution for businesses. A few years ago, ADT purchased Protection 1, but the two are still operating under separate brands for the time being.

The nice part about the acquisition is the Protection 1 system operates on all of ADT’s top-of-the-line hardware, which includes options for hardwired systems and over-the-air systems. The company has always had a great reputation for top-notch customer service and is expanding its offerings with the ADT purchase.

Quality and warranty

One of the nice parts about Protection 1 is they offer a specific security package for businesses. This includes access control, security analytics and reporting, multifamily security systems and other solutions.

With the ADT acquisition, the quality of Protection 1’s product line got only better than it already was. The warranty on their products isn’t very good, though. They provide a 90-day warranty on most of their products, although you can extend the warranty with an $11 per month fee.

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Features

Protection 1 can fully customize your security solution to your business based on your business size, industry or both. Protection 1 offers 24/7 monitoring of their systems. In addition to all the basic business security devices, they also offer fire and life safety, intrusion alarms, and a system that can control access to your entrances.

For larger businesses, you can even add a visitor management system to your security, giving guest ID badges for people who need to access your building but aren’t employees of your company. They also provide three levels of monitoring detection through their primary computer system, on-site backup system, and off-site Disaster Recovery Center.

Price

Protection 1 offers very transparent packages and costs for their home security plans, but it’s not as straightforward for business security. To get a business security system in place, you need to have a consultation call and possibly on-site visit with a Protection 1 professional who will survey your situation and make recommendations.

Of course, if you don’t have a need for that complicated of a solution, you can always opt for the “home” solution for your business. With this, the monitoring cost ranges from the self-install plan at $21.49 per month to the video plan at $54.99 per month. Only plans that cost $49.99 and up provide video surveillance and mobile access and control, but even the lower plans have impressive features.

Support

Protection 1’s customer support has always been a standout feature. They offer 24/7 phone support, and when you call as a business client, you will not get an auto attendant; you’ll get a live person who will help you.

The other nice thing about Protection 1 is they can deploy service technicians on the same day in case you have an issue or need an update to your security system.

Installation

For most plans, Protection 1 will handle the installation themselves, just like ADT does. The self-install plan is obviously free and you have to do that on your own, while the other plans come with an installation fee of either $99 or $199 depending on your plan.

Those prices, again, are for home plans, though. If you choose a more in-depth business security system plan, the costs for installation may vary, just like the cost of the plans themselves might, too.

Things to consider

To fully take advantage of everything Protection 1 has to offer businesses specifically, you’ll have to spend some extra time on a consultation call and/or a consultation visit at your site. In addition, the pricing of these impressive features is difficult to assess, since it’s a customized option.

Another thing to consider is the future of Protection 1 as it is now is a little murky with the ADT purchase. For now, the two are operating as separate entities, but the uncertain future of this might not be desirable for some businesses.

Pros

• Well-respected company
• Outstanding customer service
• Business-specific security solutions that go beyond basic plans
• Can also opt for home plans that are affordable
• Features include all the basics plus video and entrance management add-ons

Cons

• ADT purchase means the future may be murky
• Business-specific solutions require a custom quote
• Business solutions may get quite expensive
• Tough to estimate costs without contacting the company

Rating breakdown

• Overall: 4.3
• Equipment: 4.4
• Features & Technology: 4.2
• Contract & Price: 3.8
• Customer Service: 4.6