Ina Fried

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AT&T Details Launch Cities, Pricing for Its Home Security Service

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After months of talking in broad strokes about its intent to get into the home security business, AT&T is ready with the full details.

The company says its “Digital Life” service is now available in 15 cities — Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boulder, Colo.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; Philadelphia, Riverside, Calif.; San Francisco; Seattle; St. Louis and parts of the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area.

The company plans to expand to more than 50 cities by the end of this year.

As for pricing, the basic service will start at $30 a month (plus $150 upfront for equipment). For $10 more per month (and an additional $100 in equipment fees), users can add three additional services, including sensors for motion, glass breakage, smoke or carbon monoxide.

For even more, customers can add cameras, water-leak sensors, remote-controlled door locks and other features.

The service is designed to work regardless of which provider a customer has for their home phone or wireless service. Mobile apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone allow customers to keep tabs on the service.

“We know how important security is to our customers, and this was our top priority when we set out to build Digital Life,” AT&T’s Kevin Petersen said in a statement. “People rely on their mobile devices more than ever, so Digital Life offers an easy and convenient way to secure their homes, protect their families and simplify their lives from virtually anywhere.”

AT&T’s pricing and options are designed to compete with similar services offered by security specialists like ADT as well as regional players and other new entrants, such as cable provider Comcast.

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Another gadget you don’t really need. Will not work once you get it home. New model out in 4 weeks. Battery life is too short to be of any use.

— From the fact sheet for a fake product entitled Useless Plasticbox 1.2 (an actual empty plastic box) placed in L.A.-area Best Buy stores by an artist called Plastic Jesus