Arlo End of Life Policy - Australian Consumer law

[simonjf]

I have just received an email about the End Of Life policy. If this is actually what is going to happen then I need to follow up with all my friends and family, social media connections to advocate against Arlo, and search for an alternative company and service, likely starting my own online storage service for them with appropriate security cameras.

Additionally, contacts at Arlo seem to be designed to prevent actual communication - which has the stink of a company that hates its customers.

[JamesC]

New, updated information is now available regarding the EoL policy that is very relevant to much of the discussion taking place here in this community thread. These changes will allow Arlo legacy users who currently have 7-day storage service to continue receiving that service, uninterrupted.

I encourage you all to visit https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/arlo-end-of-life-policy-021023.pdf and read up on these changes.

Thank you,

JamesC

[JamesC]

Hello Arlo Community,

With the recently announced Arlo end-of-life policy, we understand many of you are seeking more clarity and a path forward after your device becomes end-of-life. In the coming days we will be reaching out to impacted users via email with special offers. Keep an eye out for those emails as they will contain more details about these offers and instructions on how to take advantage of them.

For those who may not have read this new policy or have questions about how this may impact you, I encourage you to take a look here: https://downloads.arlo.com/images/PDFs/EOL_Policy/arlo-end-of-life-policy-021023.pdf?cid=a&cid=a

If you've not received a discount offer via email, visit https://www.arlo.com/en-us/eol-offer-form.html and enter your email address, if your account is eligible you will then receive the discount offer via email.

Thank you,

JamesC

[Stunew78]

Absolutely disgusted at this company.

sold a device clearly displaying free cloud storage - and now taking it away due to money grabbing opportunistic short term revenue raising tactics.

The sad thing about a company like Arlo is that they don’t care that they upset their customers, I for one will never recommend them to anyone, in fact I will tell prospective buyers to never touch them. I myself will leave the platform and never trust this company again.

the arrogance and short sightedness is truly staggering.

good luck Arlo. You’ll need it.

[ernesto1]

I have called COSTCO where I spent a large sum of cash because these provided 7day web backup - no indication other than lifetime. From my discussion with the COSTCO representative I am not the only one that is claiming breach of sale claim. 
I would love to see a class action lawsuit.

their service has become a big failure and this EOL is nothing but a ruse. 

[Technojames]

Just advising Arlo that they can’t withdraw a service offering made at purchase in Australia. We are covered by strong consumer protection laws. Unless they reverse their decision on 7 day cloud storage and other relevant functionality I’ll just be contacting the NSW Department of Fair trading and getting a full refund.

Good luck with this strategy of changing the terms of sale. It isn’t going to work.

[johnstona70]

I think this announcement is totally disgusting and very poor business. At the time I purchased the product a strong consideration was the free 7 day storage of videos and I was happy to pay a premiium for the Arlo product cause of this feature. Im angry that Arlo is screwing over its customers by making them now pay an ongoing fee to store videos they could previously access for 7 days for free. The camera system is basically useless unless you are willing to pay a subscription. This is a money grab from its lloyal customers for the sake of more ongoing revenue. I have purchased two arlo systems and recommended many of my friends purchase them. Arlo will never again see a cent of my money spent on their products and I will never recomend this prodict again to a friend.

I would also suggest you complain to your receptive consumer right goverment agencyas this product was sold on the basis of lifetime free 7 day cloud storage - clearly a misleading and deciptive act by the Arlo which carries significant penalties within Australia.

[ohh]

This is outrageous. Having owned them less than 6 years, and spent well over $1000 for 4 cameras, plus batteries, chargers, accessories, and mounts which amounts to hundreds. The only reason I purchased this system was for the cloud storage. I have tried local storage, but it ended with a corrupted disk, so that's useless. 

Apart from false and misleading claims, this more or less render the product useless to me, and the Australian Consumer Law states that:

"One of these guarantees is that the goods will be of “acceptable quality”. This guarantee includes that goods will be durable as a reasonable consumer would regard as acceptable."

Turning off the most useful feature after 6 years is not acceptable.

I'll be reporting to the ACCC and exploring other options.

[arloaccc]

Arlo end of life breach of ACL, therefore reporting to ACCC, however it is required to contact the business first so please provide response. 

[pjama]

also Australian here and I.CANNOT.BELIEVE.THIS. I literally recommended the pro2 on the basis of their rolling 7 day storage to a relative and he bought them a day ago! I had JUST gotten back into recommending arlo as OK after holding off for so long because of their repeated shenanigans.

They are still available for sale c/w advertising free 7 day storage in Australia while they are EOLing them to existing customers. This is outrageous!

THIS is on the web page:

Free Cloud Storage
Keep a rolling 7 days of motion and sound-triggered recordings for free

And to suggest that locally stored video is an option when the VPN access DOES NOT WORK for android is just dumbfounding.

Arlo are you really trying to enrage people because this is how you enrage people.

[DannyBearAgain]

The pro2 EOL is January 1, 2014.

[Michelle6030]

Bye bye arlo.. you instantly have made me regret buying into your system . My cameras are 4 years old and work fine. I have recommended them to many people because I hate monthly bills . Anyone want to buy some paper weights … cause my arlo cameras are for sale 

[wenklaw0042]

All

Just seen the EOL statement from Arlo, although i havent had an email from them.  I have 3 x Arlo Pro's, 1 x Arlo light all of which are going EOL soon ( i also purchased the essential spotlight camera which i pay £3 a month smart sub for).  I have the VMB4500 base station which can record locally but you cant access the footage without removing the USB and inserting into a PC.  I cant justify paying nearly £10 a month for camera cloud storage.

The solution from Arlo surely to appease all its EOL customers is to offer a discount on a base station that offers remote direct access to recordings via the Arlo app such as the VMB5000 or VMB4540.  Whilst not happy about having to pay £xx for a new base station its going to be cheaper than replacing all my cameras (i add if that happens I wont be replacing them for Arlo's thats for certain!!!).  VMB4540 currently £109 on Arlo site, come on Arlo offer £50 off and I think a fair few disgruntled customers will sort of accept it as a compromise, i know i would.

I am also confused about when remote cloud video storage ends, people have been stating April 2023 but documents suggest January 2024.  The only service i see going on April 2023  is email notifications which while annoying isnt a deal breaker.  Can anyone confirm when free 7 day cloud video storage ends, april 2023 or jan 2024

[leonhwang]

I have been using 5 Arlo Pro cameras (VMC4030) and I have no intention of upgrading the devices anytime soon, and I would like to continue to benefit from the cloud storage service. 

The free cloud storage is one of the main reasons that I decided to buy Arlo instead of other cameras and it didn’t say anything about not continuing the service after a certain period.

It would be a FALSE ADVERTISEMENT and deceptive advertising is against the FTC Act and illegal.

Count me in for a class-action lawsuit!

[Jeddah]

Unacceptable. The amount of money paid for 5 cameras and you get an email saying too bad sorry it's over! I don't think so. This needs to be fixed or it will be the end of the company. Who would ever use them in the future? I certainly will never buy another Arlo product in my life! 

[wenklaw0042]

I am a little confused by the statement 'my cameras will be useless from April 2023'?  Have I misunderstood the EOL statement from Arlo, my understanding is they will work pretty much as is minus email notifications until January 2024?  Or am i wrong, i may well could be, to me it looks like 'support' is being removed but 7 day free cloud storage will still work until Jan 2024, still sucks but at least its another 12 months away.

SW/Service Description Introduction Date Deprecation Date EOL Date
Email Notifications Nov 2014 Jan 2023 April 1, 2023
E911 Emergency Calling June 2018 Jan 2023 April 1, 2023
Legacy Video Storage (AWS S3) Nov 2014 Jan 2023 Jan 1, 2024

Another document actually states even email notifications arent ceasing until january 2024

What devices and services will be moved to EOL?

The following Arlo hardware devices will be moved to EOL on April 1, 2023: 

• Arlo Wire-Free Camera (VMC3030)
• Arlo Pro Camera (VMC4030)

The following Arlo Hardware devices will be moved to EOL on January 1, 2024:

• Arlo Pro 2 (VMC4030P)
• Arlo Q (VMC3040)
• Arlo Q+ (VMC3040S)
• Arlo Baby (ABC1000)
• Arlo Security Light (ALS1101)
• Arlo Audio Doorbell (AAD1001)

The following Arlo Services for the above products will be moved to EOL on January 1, 2024: 

• Arlo system notification emails
• E911
• Free 7-day rolling cloud storage

[Madgemags]

I bought these early September 2019, and now they have EOL.

Excuse me ARLO I will contact Consumer affairs in Australia tomorrow, because it is madness to spent $ 800 + and after 3.5 years you declare it EOL??????????

[Technojames]

Fair Trading will solve this. They’ll either demand the service be maintained or advise Arlo they need to process a full refund.

What Arlo is proposing is illegal in Australia.

The best bit is withdrawing a service that was offered at purchase THEN advising that the service can be maintained if you pay them a monthly subscription. They can’t even use the old argument that it isn’t technically possible for them to provide cloud storage because the product is end of life. They put in the email that it is possible. They just want to be paid for it now.

Doesn’t work that way Arlo. You can’t change your mind after a sale has been made. But I’m sure your lawyers will tell you that once Fair Trading makes contact.

[Patatoz]

I read it that to keep cloud storage and receive firmware and software updates you’ll need to update all hardware that is currently labelled ‘EOL‘ and pay the subscription fee. So once you’ve done all that, you are at their mercy because they can then label your upgraded hardware as EOL on a whim. Disgraceful behaviour from Arlo. 

[dugga]

I have 2 base stations and 8 cameras. This system was bought with cloud storage as a selling point so now you're telling me I have effectively bought a product that is no longer fit for purpose as it was advertised - so does this mean I get my money back? 

[Nalex261]

Can someone please take this higher, I agree with other replies on this, no end date was ever advertised, they’re security cameras with a strong selling feature of 7 days free cloud storage, if they take that I’m literally selling my cameras while I still can and buying another brand, what an actual joke. The email is totally a money grab going against their “commitment”.

[StephenB]

---

@DJCummins99 wrote:

What is the best way for us all to organize our feedback to Netgear? 

---

@MBasney also.

Netgear divested Arlo back in 2018, so they are no longer involved.

[ACCC]

I was thinking the same. So those cameras will be obsolete, yet if you pay a subscription you will be able to see stored videos on the cloud. Arlo has got very very greedy. 

[PorkChop67]

Maybe an email to this group will help

[Jfalet]

Just starting another thread to ensure there are many, to say the end of life policy for the VMC4030 has me infuriated. The batteries on these devices still last in excess of a month in-between charges and they were unbelievably expensive to purchase. Please consider cutting to 48 hours free cloud storage and minimal firmware updates. This policy ensures I will never buy another Arlo product. I have 5 cameras purchased for 450$ AUD each!!!

[ohh]

Not even a fraction of a cent will ever be spent by me on Arlo, Orbi or other Netgear products. Sad to say I’ve recommended Arlo and two people have bought on my recommendation, needless to say I’ll now do the opposite.

[nc10]

I purchased ARLO cameras not long after they were available in 2014.  They were expensive, I'm sure to cover the cloud costs as well as the hardware.   There was not statement on the original packaging covering a limited service life.    Since that time, the camera performance has degraded,  losing connections, gasket failures etc.   Arlo hasn't done much to help.     But I still use them, and I fully expect ARLO to keep their commitment to me that was included as part of the original purchase.   I fully expect 7 days cloud storage and notifications to continue, and for ARLO to maintain these services in a way that they work as expected.      

[muaddubby]

Absolutely disgusting that they would do a one-sided change to the product we bought and remove the online storage simply because they decided to give it an end-of-life. This is not what I paid for. You're all advised to start leaving complaints with the FTC about this!