Over the past few weeks we've had a steady run of calls from Cox Homelife customers around the metro. Most of them ask the same few things: Is my alarm still working? Do I have to send anything back? Can any of this stay? Here are the answers.
What happened
Charter, the company behind Spectrum, finished buying Cox Communications on August 20, 2026. (Charter) Oklahoma City is one of the Cox markets moving to the Spectrum name. (The Oklahoman)
Homelife didn't make the move. Cox had already stopped selling it to new customers. After the sale closed, Cox put a notice across its Homelife support pages: "We're saying goodbye to Homelife," with a deadline to disconnect by October 22, 2026. (Cox) That date has come and gone.
What stopped working
When Homelife service ended, so did the monitoring behind it. If someone opens a door or breaks a window now, nobody at a monitoring center is watching for that alarm or calling anyone.
The app and remote control went with it. Cox's own service agreement says that when Homelife service ends, parts of the system's software and communication stop working, and Cox can lock the hub remotely. (Cox)
The part people miss is fire and carbon monoxide. If your smoke or CO detectors were part of Homelife, they were reporting to Cox's monitoring. That's over. Cox also says it no longer has replacement Homelife smoke detectors in stock. (Cox) While you're looking, check the date on the back. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years after they were made. (NFPA)
What you own and what goes back
Most of what's in your house is yours. Cox only wants 2 things back: a rented Homelife Touchscreen used for security, or a rented Homelife Hub used for automation. Every other device belongs to you. (Cox)
- Not sure if it's rented? Your last Cox bill will say.
- Where to return it: any UPS Store or Cox retail store. No box needed.
- Don't sit on it. Cox charges a non-return fee if a rented touchscreen or hub isn't back within 15 days of disconnecting.
Before you take the touchscreen off the wall, snap a photo of it and the devices around the house. That photo is the first thing we'll ask for.
Can your Homelife equipment stay?
Sometimes, but plan on a new panel. The Homelife touchscreen and hub were built to run on Cox's platform, and that platform is gone.
The sensors are a closer call. Door and window sensors, motion sensors and detectors talk to the panel over a wireless signal. Some of them can pair with a new panel. Many can't. It depends on the exact model, the signal it uses and its condition, so we check each one instead of guessing.
Where a door or window needs a new sensor, we use wireless ones. No drilling through trim, no new wire through finished walls.
What about the SimpliSafe offer?
Cox pointed Homelife customers to a SimpliSafe kit offer, open only to Homelife customers through December 31, 2026. (SimpliSafe) It's a do-it-yourself system with all-new equipment, so you set it up and place the sensors yourself.
That works well for some people. If you'd rather have someone walk the house, cover what Homelife covered and test it with the monitoring center before leaving, that's what we do.
How we help Cox customers switch
- Call or book online. Tell us you had Homelife. Send the photo of your touchscreen if you have it.
- Free on-site assessment. We walk the house with you, list every Homelife device and test what's worth keeping.
- A plan that covers what you had. Doors, windows, motion, smoke, CO, cameras, locks and the thermostat, if those were part of it. You see the plan before anything is installed.
- Install and test. We install the new panel and any new wireless sensors. Then we send test signals to the monitoring center, including smoke and CO, so you know they actually arrive.
- One app. We set up the new app on your phone and show you how to arm, disarm and check cameras before we leave.
We're a veteran-owned Oklahoma City company, and we're licensed to install ADT. We work with or without ADT equipment, so the plan isn't decided before we walk in.
Don't forget the city permit
Inside Oklahoma City limits, a monitored alarm needs a city permit within 15 days of the system starting to work. Police don't investigate automatic burglar alarms from systems without a permit. Permits also renew every year. (City of Oklahoma City)
When your new system goes live, check that your permit is current and that the city has the right contact information for your home.
FAQs
Is my Cox Homelife system still monitored?
No. Cox ended Homelife on October 22, 2026. If your touchscreen still lights up, it isn't sending alarms to anyone.
Do I have to return my Cox equipment?
Only a rented Homelife Touchscreen or Hub. Everything else is yours to keep, reuse or recycle. Check your last bill to see if your touchscreen was rented.
Can you reuse my Homelife sensors?
Sometimes. The touchscreen and hub need to be replaced. We test each sensor during the free assessment and tell you what can stay.