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A History of Security
In the late 1800s, the telegraph — as created by Samuel F.B. Morse and developed for commercial use by Alfred Vail — was king of communications. Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872) was an American painter of portraits and scenes and later developed the single wire telegraph. Alfred Vail (1807-1859) was a machinist and inventor. Vail and Morse were the first two telegraph operators on the initial test line. As the technology of the time progressed, messages were composed in a customer's office, written out and delivered by hand to a local district telegraph office. There, the messages were coded for swift transmission over telegraph lines to the receiving district's office where they were decoded, transcribed and carried to their destinations by young couriers. Many telegraph delivery companies came into existence during the late 1800s, and since each company served only its own particular region, they were known as "district" companies. Advanced for its time, the telegraph system was a rudimentary example of the first communications network. The Morse Code system allowed the telegraph to cross oceans and continents nearly a century before telephone systems could do the same. Messenger delivery service, analog telephone systems and advancing technology would later play heavily into security systems as we know them today.
In 1874, 57 diverse "district" telegraph delivery companies merged to create the new American District Telegraph Company — the forerunner of today's ADT. At the time, companies involved in electronic protection relied on the telegraph system. With the advent of advanced Call Boxes and multi-signal electric protection systems in the early 1890s, ADT became a pre-eminent security protection company. The multi-signal Call Boxes allowed watchmen at businesses to do more than just signal for police or fire department assistance — they could now also send a specific signal to the ADT office, at designated times, to let the monitoring office know that all was well. If a district office didn't receive its scheduled signal, something was assumed amiss and help was dispatched.
By 1899, electric signal services were still only available in 50 towns, though messenger services were widespread throughout more than 500 localities. By the early 1900’s, signal-monitoring operations were by this time often run by employees recruited from the established messenger services. These messengers often also doubled as watchmen or "roundsmen," who both delivered messages and checked on property on a pre-ordained schedule. In 1901, ADT was incorporated as a subsidiary of Western Union. Still, since each of ADT's 57 district companies had developed independently, the many offices of the security company operated at a variety of levels with different systems, equipment, and operating practices. To begin to correct these incompatibilities, ADT separated its messenger services from the signal business. It was the signal operations that were to eventually become the ADT we know today.
In 1909, Western Union (and ADT) came under the control of AT&T, whose company policies and organization changed the ADT organization. In 1910, AT&T President Theodore N. Vail took the reins, and as a result ADT concentrated fully on the signal business. It did not take long for ADT to become synonymous with emergency call systems, making important additions to its respected line of burglar, holdup and fire alarm systems. Technical advancements contributed heavily to company growth, and by the late 1930s ADT was a leader in its field.
During the war years, as more and more young men were called to the armed services, the resulting domestic manpower shortage drove the demand for new and better protection systems that would not only detect problems, but signal an alarm automatically. Because ADT provided a unique integration of systems and services it was a logical step for the company to create these automatic services. As a result, the company pioneered developments such as the Teletherm automatic fire detection system, the Telewave automatic intrusion system, and other advancements.
Bell Laboratories developed the transistor at this time. This in turn brought new alarms and even video products into the security industry. Technology advanced again with the worldwide interest of landing on the moon. Low-level light cameras were introduced at that time by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) benefited from the smaller components and increased sensitivity of components which would allow surveillance of remote sites. In 1963, business and industry was spending approximately $300 million yearly for protection. As ADT began to turn its attention toward the international market, it became a publicly owned company in 1969 and its stock was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Newer, faster technology was the watchword of the seventies which ushered in the company's first solid-state device and the installation of the first large, two-way multiplex proprietary systems. The introduction of television, cable, integrated circuitry, wireless communications and microprocessors were finding their way into security applications. This was followed by the first ADT automated Central Station — a direct forerunner of today's highly sophisticated, integrated Customer Monitoring Centers network. In 1974, ADT celebrated its 100th anniversary, and by that time powerful micro-computer-based security systems had replaced the old telegraphic Call Boxes.
With the unveiling of the Unimode fire system in 1980, to the first CentraScan computer-based proprietary security system, through the introduction of the Safewatch® residential systems, the eighties were ADT's decade of leveraging its technological edge to the fullest corporate advantage. It was also during the eighties that ADT inaugurated central station monitoring, which would become the backbone of its future success. The breakup of AT&T in 1982 was another historical event because it allowed central stations to take over portions of AT&T’s regional alarm monitoring.
In 1987, ADT was purchased by the Hawley Group, Ltd. and renamed ADT Security Systems, Inc. The U.S. headquarters were relocated from New York City to Parsippany, N.J.
The nineties continued the technological breakthroughs of the eighties, with the introduction of such products and product lines as the groundbreaking wireless Safewatch® systems, including the Plus RF and the Custom RF models; the state-of-the-art integrated Focus® system line, and a variety of access control and Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) products.
Standard technology would again find its way into security applications with advancements in wireless technologies, fiber optics radio frequency identification (RFID) and further advancements in microprocessors. The world changed again post September 11, 2001 with security continuing to make even more prolific advancements technologically.
By the mid-1990s, ADT reached a high-water mark in its history by adding more than 180,000 new customers to surpass the one-million-customer milestone. And in 1996, the company changed its name to ADT Security Services, Inc., and relocated its headquarters from Parsippany, N.J. to Boca Raton, Florida. In early 1998, ADT, Ltd. was acquired by Tyco International Ltd. Today, ADT has residential and commercial coverage in about 230 major U.S. markets.
Today, and in the future, ADT remains committed to providing peace of mind and unsurpassed customer service in the protection of homes, businesses, and the government. As the needs of its client base continue to become more sophisticated it us undoubted that ADT will proceed forward in evolving and addressing these crucial requirements.
In 1874, 57 diverse "district" telegraph delivery companies merged to create the new American District Telegraph Company — the forerunner of today's ADT. At the time, companies involved in electronic protection relied on the telegraph system. With the advent of advanced Call Boxes and multi-signal electric protection systems in the early 1890s, ADT became a pre-eminent security protection company. The multi-signal Call Boxes allowed watchmen at businesses to do more than just signal for police or fire department assistance — they could now also send a specific signal to the ADT office, at designated times, to let the monitoring office know that all was well. If a district office didn't receive its scheduled signal, something was assumed amiss and help was dispatched.
By 1899, electric signal services were still only available in 50 towns, though messenger services were widespread throughout more than 500 localities. By the early 1900’s, signal-monitoring operations were by this time often run by employees recruited from the established messenger services. These messengers often also doubled as watchmen or "roundsmen," who both delivered messages and checked on property on a pre-ordained schedule. In 1901, ADT was incorporated as a subsidiary of Western Union. Still, since each of ADT's 57 district companies had developed independently, the many offices of the security company operated at a variety of levels with different systems, equipment, and operating practices. To begin to correct these incompatibilities, ADT separated its messenger services from the signal business. It was the signal operations that were to eventually become the ADT we know today.
In 1909, Western Union (and ADT) came under the control of AT&T, whose company policies and organization changed the ADT organization. In 1910, AT&T President Theodore N. Vail took the reins, and as a result ADT concentrated fully on the signal business. It did not take long for ADT to become synonymous with emergency call systems, making important additions to its respected line of burglar, holdup and fire alarm systems. Technical advancements contributed heavily to company growth, and by the late 1930s ADT was a leader in its field.
During the war years, as more and more young men were called to the armed services, the resulting domestic manpower shortage drove the demand for new and better protection systems that would not only detect problems, but signal an alarm automatically. Because ADT provided a unique integration of systems and services it was a logical step for the company to create these automatic services. As a result, the company pioneered developments such as the Teletherm automatic fire detection system, the Telewave automatic intrusion system, and other advancements.
Bell Laboratories developed the transistor at this time. This in turn brought new alarms and even video products into the security industry. Technology advanced again with the worldwide interest of landing on the moon. Low-level light cameras were introduced at that time by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) benefited from the smaller components and increased sensitivity of components which would allow surveillance of remote sites. In 1963, business and industry was spending approximately $300 million yearly for protection. As ADT began to turn its attention toward the international market, it became a publicly owned company in 1969 and its stock was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Newer, faster technology was the watchword of the seventies which ushered in the company's first solid-state device and the installation of the first large, two-way multiplex proprietary systems. The introduction of television, cable, integrated circuitry, wireless communications and microprocessors were finding their way into security applications. This was followed by the first ADT automated Central Station — a direct forerunner of today's highly sophisticated, integrated Customer Monitoring Centers network. In 1974, ADT celebrated its 100th anniversary, and by that time powerful micro-computer-based security systems had replaced the old telegraphic Call Boxes.
With the unveiling of the Unimode fire system in 1980, to the first CentraScan computer-based proprietary security system, through the introduction of the Safewatch® residential systems, the eighties were ADT's decade of leveraging its technological edge to the fullest corporate advantage. It was also during the eighties that ADT inaugurated central station monitoring, which would become the backbone of its future success. The breakup of AT&T in 1982 was another historical event because it allowed central stations to take over portions of AT&T’s regional alarm monitoring.
In 1987, ADT was purchased by the Hawley Group, Ltd. and renamed ADT Security Systems, Inc. The U.S. headquarters were relocated from New York City to Parsippany, N.J.
The nineties continued the technological breakthroughs of the eighties, with the introduction of such products and product lines as the groundbreaking wireless Safewatch® systems, including the Plus RF and the Custom RF models; the state-of-the-art integrated Focus® system line, and a variety of access control and Closed Circuit TeleVision (CCTV) products.
Standard technology would again find its way into security applications with advancements in wireless technologies, fiber optics radio frequency identification (RFID) and further advancements in microprocessors. The world changed again post September 11, 2001 with security continuing to make even more prolific advancements technologically.
By the mid-1990s, ADT reached a high-water mark in its history by adding more than 180,000 new customers to surpass the one-million-customer milestone. And in 1996, the company changed its name to ADT Security Services, Inc., and relocated its headquarters from Parsippany, N.J. to Boca Raton, Florida. In early 1998, ADT, Ltd. was acquired by Tyco International Ltd. Today, ADT has residential and commercial coverage in about 230 major U.S. markets.
Today, and in the future, ADT remains committed to providing peace of mind and unsurpassed customer service in the protection of homes, businesses, and the government. As the needs of its client base continue to become more sophisticated it us undoubted that ADT will proceed forward in evolving and addressing these crucial requirements.
By Leah Worthen
Edited by Marcus Pan