TELUS SmartHome Security Review

In the last few years, TELUS grew into one of the largest Canadian home security companies after acquiring ADT Canada. TELUS SmartHome Security stands out from competition with great monitoring, flexible installation options, and a solid equipment selection. You’ll also get online security services with any plan you choose.

TELUS monitoring prices are on the higher side but include up to $1,400 in free equipment. And folks who bundle their plan with other TELUS services rake in nice discounts that we’ll discuss below.

TELUS SmartHome Security plans come in two flavours depending on whether you want professional monitoring. Every plan includes some base equipment for free.

• Smart Camera is exclusively for self-monitoring security cameras.
• Smart Automation Plus is another self-monitoring plan. It adds smart home devices like a thermostat, plugs, and a garage door opener into the mix while keeping the security camera features from Smart Camera.
• Secure is an entry-level professional monitoring plan that works with security and safety sensors. You can add security camera features for an extra $10 a month with Secure + Video.
• Control brings smart home controls to the Secure monitoring plan and has an optional $10 monthly camera add-on in Control + Video.

You can choose a five-year contract (instead of the default three years) on Secure and Control plans to save another $5 a month on your monitoring fees.

The best part is that all these discounts stack so you can save up to $20 a month with a five-year contract while bundling with other TELUS services—pushing the Secure base plan as low as $27 a month. This means you can afford some extra equipment while spending less than the original price.

Bundling TELUS services is the best way to go since its non-discounted prices are among the highest for Canadian security companies. Still, the free starter equipment makes TELUS a little easier to start with than Ring, Frontpoint, and ThinkPro. While you need to pay for a TELUS home security installation, the $100 refundable DIY fee is convenient, and its professional installation costs around $50 less than Bell Canada.

Curious about industry clout? TELUS snagged the "Best Alarm Service" spot in the BrandSpark's 2022 Most Trusted consumer goods lineup.

TELUS requires a three-year contract for all of its home security plans, similar to what you'll find with most security systems. Still, it's not as competitive as contract-free options like Ring Alarm and ThinkPro. We think the TELUS SmartHome security system would be a lot more appealing if it offered a month-to-month payment option.

TELUS offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for new subscribers but charges a cancellation fee after that first month:

• Smart Camera and Smart Automation Plus plans: Expect to pay $10 for each month remaining on your contract.
  • This means you'll pay $120 if you have 12 months left.
• Secure and Control plans: This fee is $35 for each month remaining on your contract if you subscribe to any version of the Secure and Control plans.
  • For example, you'll pay $420 if you have 12 months left.

TELUS's flat-rate cancellation fees are more competitive than brands that charge a percentage of the remaining balance. Flat fees are easier to calculate and lower the financial risk of subscribing to a top-tier plan with tons of equipment.

The TELUS warranty covers all your equipment as long as you're a subscriber. This is a sweet deal since you won't need to pay to replace defective devices.

Although TELUS SmartHome Security doesn't have equipment packages, it includes some base equipment in every plan option. We love that you can choose which starting equipment you want with most of the plans. This means you can pick some security cameras, sensors, and automation devices according to your needs without paying extra.

The sensors in TELUS's repertoire reflect what you'll find in most home security systems, and their names do a good job describing what they do. These devices are vital for sending a notification and alerting the monitoring centre when there's an intruder or hazardous condition.

• Window and Door Sensor ($35)
• Motion Sensor ($70)
• Glass Break Sensor ($75)
• Flood Sensor ($75)
• Smart Smoke Sensor ($75)
• Carbon Monoxide Detector ($110)

While you may need more window sensors, they are more affordable than devices that monitor entire rooms like motion detectors. Beyond the basic entry and motion sensors, we think adding a glass break sensor on the ground level offers extra protection against intruders.

Safety sensors that detect smoke and carbon monoxide are good additions to any home but are much more expensive than traditional versions at the hardware store.

Unlike passive security sensors that observe your home, you can control smart home devices using the TELUS SmartHome app. This is helpful if you have trouble moving around or just to check that the door's locked or the garage isn't open for all the world to see.

• Smart Light Bulb ($30)
• Smart Plug - Appliance ($60)
• Smart Plug - Lamp ($60)
• Smart Garage Door Opener ($140)
• Smart Thermostat ($180)
• Smart Lock ($230)

The security cameras with TELUS are pretty ordinary compared to standalone wireless cameras from Ring, Arlo, and Google Nest. Still, their integration with the TELUS security system is a valuable asset for watching over your home.

• Indoor Wi-Fi Security Camera ($200)
• Slimline Wi-Fi Doorbell Camera ($230)
• ​​Outdoor Wi-Fi Security Camera ($280)

TELUS allows up to four security cameras in each home, which is generally enough for most people, but might not be enough for the largest properties. Beyond that, you'll need a TELUS custom plan.

The security cameras can save up to 3,000 short video clips in the cloud each month, but you can get an extra 5,000 clips by calling TELUS—we couldn't find an option online for this.

TELUS offers both self and professional installation options with different costs.

For professional installation: You'll schedule an appointment for TELUS to send a technician to your home to install your devices and activate the system. This option starts at $150 as long as you bundle your TELUS SmartHome Security plan with another TELUS service like home internet. This is comparable to the professional installation cost of Bell Smart Home.

If you don't have another TELUS service, the installation fee starts at $450, which is pretty steep. A small line in the TELUS terms and conditions says you might pay extra to install additional equipment. It's good to double-check your order when checking out to make sure you don'

You can control your TELUS smart devices from anywhere using the TELUS SmartHome app. While you can turn on the porch light with a quick tap, try scheduling an automation rule for automatic lighting every night.

TELUS SmartHome Security offers compatibility with three smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa and Z-Wave. You can also connect TELUS to third-party smart home devices like an Ecobee smart thermostat, MyQ smart garage hub, Rachio sprinkler controller, and Sonos speakers. This is more flexible than Ring Alarm, making TELUS a great option for smart home enthusiasts.

You connect TELUS to Amazon Alexa by looking up the TELUS Home Assistant skill in the Alexa app and logging into your TELUS account. Then, you can control most of your TELUS devices using a voice command on your Amazon Echo. While there's no support for TELUS security cameras, you can arm your security system and control other smart devices like smart locks and thermostats.

Z-Wave technology uses less energy than Wi-Fi, making it ideal for battery-powered smart home devices like security sensors, smart locks, smart outlets, and smart light switches. It's also a great option for adding devices later without buying them through TELUS. Not all Z-Wave devices are compatible with TELUS, so you should check the list of devices compatible with TELUS SmartHome.

TELUS has a robust selection of customer support articles, but the navigation isn't as intuitive as we'd like. You need to apply the support filter to search results to prevent other TELUS pages from burying the article you need. Once you realize there's a filter, the search function makes finding help for your security system easier.

You can contact TELUS support through six methods: in-store, phone, live chat, online forums, and a dedicated support account on Twitter. We especially like the public nature of forums and Twitter, which means you might find an existing answer that fits your needs or for tracking ongoing issues.

As you might expect from a telecom company, there are a lot of negative customer reviews about TELUS online. Many common complaints stem from service appointments, high costs, and cancellation fees.

While TELUS likely isn't as bad as the star ratings would have you believe, it's a good idea to be cautious and learn as much as possible before signing a contract. You don't need to buy if a salesperson feels too pushy, and you can adjust your expectations by reading the contract's fine print before committing to TELUS.

We think TELUS SmartHome Security is a great fit for existing TELUS customers. Even if you're not already with TELUS, it's one of the best options for professionally-installed home security in Canada—thanks to competitive equipment prices.

Unfortunately, the company's contracts come with some hefty cancellation and moving fees that can catch consumers off-guard. See how TELUS compares with other top security systems in Canada.

To write our review, we researched TELUS's policies, reputation, and marketing in online customer reviews. We also requested information directly from TELUS when something wasn't immediately clear on the TELUS website.

After collecting the information we needed, we compared TELUS to other home security companies in Canada. Like our other security system reviews, we focus mainly on pricing, contract, equipment, and customer service. Learn more about how we rate, rank, and review services in our full methodology.

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