Cox Homelife Is Shutting Down October 22: What Tulsa Customers Should Do

If you have Cox Homelife, you’ve probably seen the notice: Cox is getting out of the home security business. Every Homelife product, professionally monitored or self-monitored, shuts off on October 22, 2026.

We’re a Tulsa security company, and we’ve been fielding calls from Homelife customers across the metro for weeks. Most people ask the same handful of questions, so here are straight answers, what Cox has actually said, and a simple checklist to get through the switch without a gap in protection.

Short version: get a new monitored system installed and tested first, then disconnect Homelife. If you want help with that in the Tulsa area, here’s how we handle Cox Homelife switches.

What Cox Has Confirmed

These points come directly from Cox’s Homelife FAQ (checked September 14, 2026):

• The end date is October 22, 2026. Cox says both its professionally monitored and self-monitored Homelife services will be discontinued on that date, and it’s asking customers to disconnect by then.
• It’s not just some markets. Cox is exiting the home security and automation business entirely. Tulsa and the rest of Oklahoma are included.
• No cancellation fee. Cox says there are no cancellation fees, contracts or service agreements tied to the shutdown, and no equipment return is required.
• No refund for equipment. Cox says there’s no refund or compensation for Homelife equipment.
• The panel is done. You own most of your equipment, but the leased Touchscreen (security) and Hub (automation) belong to Cox, and Cox says they won’t work with other providers.
• Life-safety monitoring stops. After disconnect, Cox says smoke, carbon monoxide and flood sensors will no longer be monitored and no authorities will be notified.
• Cox’s partner offer is SimpliSafe. Cox has an offer with SimpliSafe for Homelife customers, and also says Homelife equipment is not compatible with SimpliSafe.

Cox’s Homelife support line is 877-404-2568 if you need to check your own account details.

What Happens If You Do Nothing

On October 22 your system stops being a security system. Lights, locks and thermostats will still work by hand, according to Cox, but nobody is watching your doors, windows, smoke or CO detectors anymore. If something happens, no one gets a signal and no one gets dispatched.

That’s the part that worries us most. A break-in is bad. A fire or a carbon monoxide leak with nobody monitoring is worse, especially if you travel or have family members at home alone during the day.

Can You Keep Your Cox Homelife Equipment?

Some of it, maybe. Here’s the honest breakdown:

• Cox Touchscreen or Automation Hub: has to be replaced. Cox says it won’t work with anyone else.
• Door, window and motion sensors: it depends on the exact model. Cox itself says it’s up to the new provider to decide what, if any, equipment can be reused. A good installer should test each device before quoting you, not guess.
• Smart locks, lights and thermostats: these often can be connected to a new system or app, depending on the device.
• Cameras and video doorbell: the most likely to need replacing, since they were tied to the Homelife app and service.

Be careful with anyone who promises you can “keep everything” over the phone, and equally careful with anyone who says it’s all junk without looking. The answer is in the model numbers on your walls.

Your Options

1. Take Cox’s SimpliSafe offer

It’s a do-it-yourself system. Since Cox says your Homelife equipment isn’t compatible, you’ll be starting from scratch and installing it yourself or paying for an install. For some people in a small home or apartment, that works fine. Check SimpliSafe’s current terms, since offers change.

2. Go with a big national company

You’ll get professional installation, but read the paperwork. Many national alarm companies still use multi-year monitoring agreements with early termination fees. After getting stranded by Cox, locking into a 3 to 5 year contract is worth thinking twice about.

3. Hire a local, professionally installed company

A local company can look at what you already have, reuse what makes sense, and set everything up in one app. In the Tulsa area, that’s what we do at Witness Security: veteran owned, Oklahoma alarm license #1678, month-to-month monitoring with no contract, and a 210-day satisfaction guarantee. Whoever you choose, pick a company whose main business is security, so you don’t end up in this spot again.

Checklist: What to Do Before October 22

1. Write down what you have. Snap a photo of your Cox panel and count your door/window sensors, motion detectors, smoke/CO detectors and cameras.
2. Get two quotes. Ask each company what they can reuse, what the monthly monitoring costs, and whether there’s a contract.
3. Book the install early. Installers are getting busier as the deadline gets closer. Don’t wait until the week of October 20.
4. Keep Cox connected until your new system is live. There’s no cancellation fee, so there’s no benefit to disconnecting early.
5. Test with the new monitoring center. Make sure alarms, smoke and CO signals actually reach them.
6. Then disconnect Homelife. Cox is asking customers to disconnect by October 22.
7. Update your insurance company. If you get a discount for a monitored alarm, send them your new monitoring certificate.

What About Spectrum?

Charter completed its purchase of Cox in August 2026, and Cox is moving to the Spectrum brand. That has confused a lot of people. Homelife is still ending on October 22 either way, and as of mid-September 2026 we haven’t seen a Spectrum security service announced for Homelife customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to return my Cox Homelife equipment?

Cox’s FAQ says no equipment return is required. Cox suggests recycling devices you no longer want at a Cox store.

Will I get charged after October 22?

Cox says billing runs through the end of your current cycle after you disconnect. Check your own statement to be sure.

How much does it cost to replace Cox Homelife?

It depends on the size of your home and what can be reused. At Witness, most Tulsa home systems run $299 to $799 for equipment and installation, and monitoring starts as low as $36.50 a month with no contract. You’ll get an exact number after a free assessment.

How long does a switch take?

Most home installs take a few hours. The bigger factor right now is scheduling, so reach out early.

In the Tulsa area and on Cox Homelife? See how we switch Homelife customers or call us at (918) 289-0880. We’ll tell you straight what can stay, what has to go, and what it costs.