End of Life announcement and Arlo Smart Premier Subscription?

[mgbnet]

Given the lack of clarity in the End of Life Policy announcement ("Services and cloud functionality may be reduced or unavailable" - https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/Arlo_End-of-Life-Policy-2022.pdf), does anyone know of a source of more detail about what might stop working with what subscription plans?

I have read messages online that the 7-day free cloud storage will cease but cloud storage will continue if you pay for an Arlo Secure subscription.

I am on the older Arlo Smart Premier subscription (up to 10 cameras, 30-day storage, for $99 per year). Does anyone know if I am going to be force to "upgrade" to the $9.99 per month Arlo Secure plan to continue to get cloud storage? Or will it cease totally (making my paid subscription worthless) for my older cameras?

From the subscription FAQ (https://kb.arlo.com/de/000062366/New-Arlo-Smart-subscription-plans-FAQ), it seems like they are going back on their word:

I have Arlo Smart Premier or Arlo Smart Elite and I want to keep it. Is this possible? 

Yes.  Arlo Smart plan users can keep their current plan. You don’t need to do anything differently, and you’re free to stay on your Smart plan for as long as you need.   

It is unbelievable that this announcement came out of the blue, with only 90 days notice, with no compensation or even any incentive to upgrade to newer hardware...

[StephenB]

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@mgbnet wrote:

Given the lack of clarity in the End of Life Policy announcement ("Services and cloud functionality may be reduced or unavailable" - https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/Arlo_End-of-Life-Policy-2022.pdf), does anyone know of a source of more detail about what might stop working with what subscription plans?

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I could be wrong, but the way I read this is that even if you subscribe, Arlo is making no promises that the EOL cameras will continue to work indefinitely as they do now.

In other words, as they make changes to their cloud infrastructure, at some (unknown) point in the future they might leave the old cameras behind.

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@mgbnet wrote:

I am on the older Arlo Smart Premier subscription (up to 10 cameras, 30-day storage, for $99 per year). Does anyone know if I am going to be force to "upgrade" to the $9.99 per month Arlo Secure plan to continue to get cloud storage? Or will it cease totally (making my paid subscription worthless) for my older cameras?

From the subscription FAQ (https://kb.arlo.com/de/000062366/New-Arlo-Smart-subscription-plans-FAQ), it seems like they are going back on their word:

I have Arlo Smart Premier or Arlo Smart Elite and I want to keep it. Is this possible? 

Yes.  Arlo Smart plan users can keep their current plan. You don’t need to do anything differently, and you’re free to stay on your Smart plan for as long as you need.   

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While the KB article only mentions Arlo Secure, that doesn't necessarily mean that they will force people off the older subscription plans.  They might have just been trying to keep things simple. Hopefully @JamesC or @ShayneS will clarify.

[mgbnet]

Well, I guess I got my answer.... Arlo Smart Premier customers and being moved to Arlo Secure plans, an increase in 20% for the annual fee for the Smart Premier Multi-camera plan... 😞

Just received an email on it, and it points to these articles:

https://kb.arlo.com/000063015/

https://kb.arlo.com/000063016/Arlo-Smart-and-Business-subscription-plan-changes-February-2-2023

[jdoering]

Increasing the price and dropping 60 days retention (in the US) compared to my current Smart Elite plan. Total downgrade and misleading information that make it seem as though an annual plan option to offset price increases is a new benefit.

I'll be happy when I dump Arlo completely in favor of hardwired equipment.

[kymseidel]

This is a really good reason to tell everyone you know not to but Arlo products. Unfortunately I have to face up some friends that brought Arlo products on my recommendation.

Here's the real reason this is being done: -

"These cameras also can utilize Arlo’s new cloud storage, which is available with the Arlo Secure subscription service, though the EOL’d cameras themselves may lose some functionality over time, as they will not be provided with further firmware upgrades."

The answer is MONEY as the older products utilise a free 7 day recording service.

[DeArlo]

Same here, I currently have Smart Elite and the dropping of 60 days retention once it gets converted to Secure Plus (Europe still gets 60 days retention.  We get 30!) is the last straw that will force me to completely rid my Arlo system after thousands of dollars invested.  Enough is enough.

[Dionysius]

So are the arlo smart premier plans being automatically moved over to secure plans?  Or do we have to change manually change our subscription?  Thanks!!

[JamesC]

Dionysius,

Eventually, yes. The plans will migrate over automatically or you can manually change your subscription within your Arlo account.

JamesC

[pjama]

Now that most of the dust has settled, can I get some clarity around the migration from the "Smart Premier Multi Camera" to "Secure" plan?

I'm in Australia and this is the page on available plans:

     https://www.arlo.com/en-au/arlosecure.html

I'm currently on legacy "Smart Premier Multi Camera" and paying $12.99/m which was dropped from $14.99 a couple of months ago. So it's now the same price as the Secure plan.

My question is: What do I stand to lose or gain from migrating? It *seems* like I gain the ability to have unlimited cameras instead of max 5 but the clause at the bottom of the plan migration page says:

NOTE: Arlo Smart and Arlo Secure plans cannot be mixed. You can keep your current Arlo Smart plan(s) or switch all plans to Arlo Secure. If you choose to update your Arlo Smart plan to an Arlo Secure plan, you will not able to switch back to an Arlo Smart plan and you may lose features you currently have.

What features might I lose that I currently have?

Cheers

P

[StephenB]

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@pjama wrote:

My question is: What do I stand to lose or gain from migrating? It *seems* like I gain the ability to have unlimited cameras instead of max 5 but the clause at the bottom of the plan migration page says:

NOTE: Arlo Smart and Arlo Secure plans cannot be mixed. You can keep your current Arlo Smart plan(s) or switch all plans to Arlo Secure. If you choose to update your Arlo Smart plan to an Arlo Secure plan, you will not able to switch back to an Arlo Smart plan and you may lose features you currently have.

What features might I lose that I currently have?

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At some point Arlo will switch you to Arlo Secure anyway, so you could just wait for that to happen.  See

• https://kb.arlo.com/000063015/Arlo-Secure-Plan-Pricing-Update-February-2-2023

What if I am subscribed to an Arlo Smart Premier, Arlo Smart Elite, or Arlo Business plan? 
Arlo Smart Premier, Arlo Smart Elite, and Arlo Business plans will be transitioned to similar Arlo Secure plans.

You won't lose any subscription features.  You might need to manually move the cameras into the new plan (using "manage cameras").