What Do 4G LTE and 5G Mean for Your Home Security System?

Do you know if your home security system runs on a cellular network? If you find yourself questioning whether you already have that, and whether it’s 5G or LTE, you’re not alone. According to a recent national survey, one in three Americans are confused about the meaning of the newest buzzwords in technology: 5G and LTE. What are they? What’s the difference? Which one do I need, and why? Below is a quick breakdown of what each one means, and how they connect to your home security system.

First, let’s unravel the acronyms. The G in 5G stands for “Generation,” and 5G is the fifth generation of wireless network technology. LTE is short for Long Term Evolution, a standard of wireless data transmission that includes 4G technology.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that while it’s the most recent advancement, the 5G mobile network isn’t a replacement for 4G; in fact, it’s building on top of existing 4G networks. This means that your 4G LTE devices will continue to run when the 5G network becomes a nationwide reality. However, older generations of cellular network, including 2G and 3G, will begin to be phased out.

So, what do wireless upgrades have to do with your home security system? More than you think. Brinks Home™ systems use both cellular data and WiFi to connect your security panel and devices to our U.S.-based Alarm Response Center. As wireless carriers begin to complete their 5G rollouts, they will stop supporting those earlier generations (2G and 3G).

If you haven’t upgraded your panel in several years, or still have one of the keypad panels, you may be overdue for an update. There’s no need to panic, 2G will be supported through the end of 2020, and 3G will be phased out in 2021. If you haven’t upgraded your system by December 31, 2020, we won’t be able to monitor your system until your new panel is installed.

We want to make sure that we continue to provide you with the smart home security features you know and love, so Brinks Home will upgrade you to the latest LTE panel – which can control over 100 smart devices, too – for FREE. We’ll also professionally install it for you, at no cost.

To find out if your system needs an update, call us at 888.247.5313.

Lauren Slade is a Dallas-based writer and editor.