Maintaining exceptional security standards through the BT Redcare migration by Nicholas Whiting, VP Alarm Signalling, AddSecure UK, and Roger Kay, Associate Director, Banham Security
Maintaining high-security standards is non-negotiable in the alarm and monitoring sector, particularly for organisations protecting high-value assets and high-net-worth clients. When BT Redcare announced its withdrawal from the market and that IoT communications company, AddSecure, would be offering updated services to affected customers, security providers across the UK were forced to act quickly to secure continuity, compliance and trust. One such provider was Banham Security, a trusted British brand established almost 100 years ago, known for its bespoke property security services for both homeowners and trade.
Protecting high-net-worth properties
With its strong reputation and history as a reliable physical and monitored security brand, Banham Security’s core market consists of high-net-worth individuals, including businesses such as art galleries and jewellery manufacturers, who rely on the firm to keep their properties safe. Like many security companies in the UK, Banham Security had opted for BT Redcare as its signalling solution of choice.
With the Redcare closure confirmed, Banham Security faced a fast-approaching deadline to replace monitored alarms and prevent the risk of customers being left non-compliant or uninsured. The closure also posed potentially significant operational and cost pressures for engineers tasked with transitioning devices within the required timeframe.
Navigating a successful migration
The industry-wide shift created by BT Redcare’s withdrawal meant Banham Security needed to act fast to keep their customers protected. Any replacement had to maintain the same high-security standards their clients expected, whilst ensuring minimal disruption across active installations. Added to this were considerations around the ongoing PSTN shutdown, fast approaching and ending January 2027, meaning any new solution had to be futureproof rather than a short-term fix.
To support the migration, the security company appointed AddSecure. Although relatively new to the UK market, AddSecure has extensive experience in European legacy alarm solution upgrades and signalling transitions, placing the company in a strong position to assist providers undertaking large-scale system change. Their involvement helped ensure Banham Security could evaluate and deploy a solution that met existing security requirements while supporting long-term continuity.
When exploring options to replace BT Redcare, Banham Security’s priority was not to onboard an unfamiliar or untested signalling solution. The scale of the change ahead meant the business needed confidence not only in the technology, but in the expertise behind it. AddSecure was already known to Banham Security through its work in seamlessly taking over the Next Generation platform from BT Redcare, giving Banham Security direct exposure to how the system performed and who was responsible for developing it. With AddSecure’s team bringing many years of experience in large-scale legacy upgrades across Europe, the transition felt less like adopting a new product and more like continuing a trusted technological lineage.
This familiarity, coupled with confidence in AddSecure’s technical knowledge, meant Banham Security could rely on the guidance and support offered throughout the transition. In high-security environments, where system reliability directly affects insurance compliance and customer safety, having a signalling partner that could be trusted to get it right was vital. Knowing the platform and the people behind it enabled Banham Security to move quickly, reduce the need for intensive retraining, and make decisions at pace during a period of industry-wide change.
A trusted alternative
To replace legacy alarm signalling solutions that would be made redundant following the BT Redcare closure, Banham Security implemented the AddSecure Essential IP SP4 and the Advanced range (DP2 and DP3) signalling solutions as the primary replacements for legacy alarm equipment across its monitored estate. Essential IP SP4 offered a close technical match to the previous single path signalling setup, with the Advanced range providing dual-path capability for Grade 2 and higher-risk environments where insurance requirements are more strict. This made the products suitable not only for direct swap-outs, but also for maintaining the exceptional security grading standards that Banham Security’s customers expect.
Another advantage was Essential IP SP4’s wi-fi compatibility, which allowed for a smoother migration from legacy systems without the need for extensive re-cabling or panel replacement. The device also works across multiple alarm panel types, including older installations, allowing Banham Security engineers to retain existing hardware wherever appropriate. This helped reduce time on site and avoided unnecessary disruption, particularly within residential properties and buildings with challenging layouts.
Banham Security also made use of the AddSecure Connect Hub for multi-storey or larger installations, where alarm panels may be located in basements with the customers router on upper floors or a significant distance away Using the hub, with its secure and private IoT connectivity, allowed communication without relying on customer wi-fi, supporting stable signalling while limiting cable runs and installation time. Practical engineering features, such as the OLED display on the signalling unit, also provided quick visual diagnostics for installers, enabling both fast and easy installation.
The transition to AddSecure allowed Banham Security to manage the BT Redcare withdrawal with only having to swap out legacy signalling systems and not IP ready signalling devices already deployed without deep modifications to existing alarm systems. This significantly reduced operational pressure on engineers during a period where time and resources were under strain. As the Next Generation range works with legacy panel types and offers dual-path support, the business was able to maintain security grading while moving monitored customers across with minimal disruption.
Engineers found the hardware familiar to install, and unique features such as the OLED display providing easy to read status indicators were particularly valuable when dealing with large volumes of upgrades. For Banham Security’s end customers, many of which rely on continuous alarm monitoring for insurance compliance, the migration was handled behind the scenes, preserving continuity and trust.
Having a signalling partner with a reliable, proven platform was equally important. With the AddSecure system already established and operating successfully in the UK for several years, Banham Security had confidence in its long-term stability. By moving to a modern, network-ready alarm solution, Banham Security removed the need for repeated system changes as the PSTN switch-off and future network upgrades roll out. Customers could be migrated in one upgrade instead of multiple engineer visits, minimising disruption and giving them confidence that its estate is ready for what comes next.
Looking ahead
With the migration successfully complete, Banham Security is now looking at how the wider AddSecure product portfolio could support future alarm strategies as products are introduced in the UK in the coming years. But what can other security providers learn from this?
The BT Redcare shutdown has acted as a wake-up call for the alarm industry highlighting the importance of futureproof signalling, scalable infrastructure, and solutions that work across legacy estates. Banham Security’s experience shows that with careful planning and the right support, the transition can strengthen long-term resilience rather than disrupt it. In doing so, the company has maintained high-security performance through the migration and positioned itself, like many UK providers must now do, for a more robust digital future.