AT&T Re-Enters Residential Security

While telcos and ISPs entering the security industry is nothing new to astute alarm company executives and industry insiders, many may have been surprised to learn that less than four years after shutting down its first attempt at a home security offering, AT&T is taking a second run at the market with a new focus and strategy.

At the annual Pepcom event at CES 2026, AT&T was front and center, touting a new “Connected Life” program – a smart home and security offering that combines Google Home devices, professional monitoring from Abode, and the carrier’s wireless network infrastructure.

The platform positions AT&T as the only provider to integrate Google Home smart security devices with professional monitoring services, according to the company. And unlike AT&T Digital Life, which over nearly a decade attempted to build a proprietary smart home ecosystem, Connected Life relies on established partners for devices and monitoring while AT&T provides the connectivity layer.

I caught up with Brian Brower, AT&T’s VP of Product Innovation and Transformation, at Pepcom to discuss the company’s adjusted strategy and planning.  

“AT&T Digital Life went to market in a way a lot of ISPs went to market back in the day, which was to build our smart home ecosystem,” Brower explained. “We’re taking a very different approach.”

Network Intelligence as Foundation

AT&T’s strategy centers on leveraging its existing network presence in customer homes to provide context-aware security. The company serves more than 100 million mobile customers and operates what it describes as the nation’s largest fiber and broadband footprint.

Brower explained that AT&T’s network infrastructure already tracks device activity and location within connected homes. “Is my kid playing Xbox or is he doing homework like he’s supposed to be doing? We actually know that,” he said. “Are the devices that I expect to be in the home, like my kids’ cell phones, are they there? Or do I have an unexpected device and maybe an unexpected person in my home?”

The platform aims to integrate this network-level intelligence with Google’s video analytics and Abode’s monitoring services. Google Nest cameras can differentiate between known individuals and strangers at the front door, or distinguish between a child playing soccer in the backyard versus climbing a ladder. AT&T’s network data is intended to enhance these capabilities by providing additional context about expected vs. unexpected activity.

“We can take that foundational network intelligence layer and partner with people who are world-class in video, like Google,” Brower said. “We decided to partner with them and actually use our network intelligence layer to make their intelligence even better.”

Cellular Backup and Self-Installation

AT&T Connected Life operates on the carrier’s wireless network, which provides backup connectivity if home internet or power fails. The system includes Google Nest devices and professional 24/7 monitoring from Abode, which handles alarm verification and emergency dispatch.

The platform requires no technician visit for installation. Customers can set up the device kit themselves, and AT&T has partnered with Affirm to offer financing options. One of the AT&T representatives at its booth showed off the company’s installation kit, which is packaged and opened in a step-by-step process designed to make it easy for the average homeowner to install the system.

While the experience is designed to work best with AT&T broadband services including fiber or fixed wireless, the platform is available to any AT&T customer nationwide. A customer could use a competitor’s broadband solution as long as they maintain an AT&T mobile account.

The platform is designed so customers cannot distinguish which components come from AT&T, Google, or Abode. “It cannot feel like three different partners,” Brower said. “The beauty of what we’ve done with our partners here is that it feels like our customers literally don’t know which of these devices are AT&T, which are Google, which are Abode, and we don’t want them to ever have to care.”

Brower added that the company sees the offering as complementary to its broadband and mobile solutions. “As an example, knowing that I am driving into my neighborhood vs. a foot away from my front door makes a big difference to people – especially at night when it comes to unlocking the door,” he said. “If you’re an AT&T mobile customer, we are building the capability to know within centimeters exactly where you are, so we make the right decision at the right time. That type of experience is going to be better when you have AT&T core services, and this is a complementary service.”

Digital Life Background

AT&T launched Digital Life in 2013 as an ambitious attempt to create a comprehensive smart home platform covering security, automation, and energy management. The service required professional installation and featured proprietary hardware and a monthly subscription fee.

The company began winding down Digital Life in 2022, citing evolving customer preferences and the maturation of the smart home market. According to a Dallas Morning News report, AT&T had shifted resources away from the platform as the market became increasingly crowded with competitors offering DIY solutions. Additionally, AT&T’s phasing out of its 3G network – which powered the original system – led to its migrating of many customers to Brinks Home and requiring users to switch to Brinks’ LTE-based equipment or lose service.

Brower said customer feedback drove the decision to re-enter the market. Survey data showed that customers prioritize security and protection in their online experience, second only to connection quality and reliability.

“One of the things our customers tell us is that being connected is not enough,” he said. “They actually look to us to make sure they’re not just connected, but they’re actually protected in their online experience. That matters a lot to them. Behind just the quality and reliability of the connectivity that we offer, making sure it is a protected and safe experience is top-of-mind for our customers.”