AT&T Is Making a Second Push Into the Smart-Home Market
AT&T is attempting another foray into the smart-home space. After shutting down its Digital Life service in 2022, which relied on the now-defunct 3G network, the company is introducing a new smart-home security platform called Connected Life. This time, AT&T is partnering with Google and Abode to bring the offering to a broader audience.
Initially tested in select markets, Connected Life is rolling out nationwide as of today. The core idea is to simplify smart-home setup. Rather than purchasing multiple devices and juggling several apps, customers can buy one of two starter options directly from AT&T’s Connected Life site: the Starter Kit for $11 per month over 36 months, or the Advanced Kit for $19 per month over 36 months. An upfront payment option is also available: $399 for the Starter Kit and $699 for the Advanced Kit.
Each kit includes Google Nest smart-home devices and security sensors, with the Advanced Kit adding more sensors, a security keypad, and a Nest Cam security camera. (Note: Google confirmed the Nest devices offered aren’t the latest models Google has released.) Setup can be completed using the Connected Life app and the Google Home app, and if you’d rather not DIY, a technician can assist.
Google explains that the Connected Life app integrates Google Home devices through Google’s API, and after setup, most management and livestream viewing can be done entirely within the Connected Life app.
There are two subscription levels: Essential for $11 per month and Professional for $22 per month. Both tiers provide features like a 30-day event video history and intelligent alerts, while the Professional plan includes a US-based monitoring service from Abode that can dispatch police and medical responders in emergencies. The system is designed to be flexible, allowing you to pause professional monitoring when you don’t need it rather than locking you into a long-term contract.
A standout feature is Cellular Backup. If your home internet goes offline, Connected Life can route data through your smartphone’s hotspot, and the hub has a battery backup in case of power outages. This capability was a hallmark of AT&T’s original Digital Life service and remains common in other major security systems today.
Usage is limited to AT&T customers, regardless of whether you rely on a mobile plan or home internet. With AT&T boasting 119 million wireless customers and leading fiber-home-internet penetration in the US (over 10 million fiber customers), the potential market for Connected Life is substantial.
If you cancel, you can keep your devices and continue using them via the Connected Life app. However, you’ll lose access to subscription features such as 30-day video history, intelligent alerts, and cellular backup.
Essentially, you’re paying for the LTE cellular backup and optional professional monitoring, plus the convenience of direct customer service through Abode. AT&T’s kits provide a standard hardware bundle that would otherwise require more time to source and configure, and the monthly payments lower the barrier to entry compared with paying upfront for all devices.
By today’s standards, many smart-home setups are already simplified, especially with the Matter standard enabling cross-brand interoperability. Notably, many Abode sensors included in the kits work with Google Home, making it feasible to add and manage them via the Google Home app on your own.
Competitors such as T-Mobile and Verizon offer product assortments rather than all-in-one packages. The broader home-security landscape also features players like SimpliSafe, ADT, and Vivint.
“Most of our customers don’t even know which devices come from Google, Abode, or AT&T, and that’s exactly what we want,” says Brian Brower, AT&T’s vice president of new product innovation. “Our goal is to connect these pieces and deliver a seamless experience for the user; we’re not positioning ourselves primarily as hardware vendors.”
