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#1
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Security System and self monitoring
Hi everyone,
Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#2
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Sir, I won't comment on the idea of "self monitoring" other than to refer
you to a page that might or might not provide some useful thoughts on the matter. If you require a system that is non monitored, you likely will have to search out a local company that does this, or do it yourself. http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/monitori.htm R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products Ottawa, Ontario, Canada www.homemetal.com "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#3
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Most municipalities forbid dialers with voice messages to be transmitted to
police/fire/911 etc. If you want dispatch you'll have to go through monitoring station. You can program most alarms to page you on your pager, though this has it's quirks. You can also purchase a voice module that will transmit message to your cell phone...of course if it doesnt get through to your cell you wont get the message. There are a lot of drawbacks to "self-monitoring". No...Brinks, ADT etc, do not send voice messages to 911. In my area our central stations are given special phone numbers to dial into for dispatch...not 911, and not end-user numbers. Do you intend to install this yourself, or try to find an installing company that will install a "local" alarm system? You may have trouble if the latter is true. hth "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#4
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Alex wrote:
I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. In my community the 911 system will not accept automated calls for response. There has to be a person on the other end of the line. If you try using an automated system you may get a response, but you will also get a fine. The central station monitoring companies use a 'call list', and if they don't get a response from the number(s) on the call list then they call the police (or fire, or whatever). There are self-monitored systems available. Try Google. |
#5
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RH,
What does this mean: "14.95 monthly plus GST ($16)" ? Is GST a tax? "R.H.Campbell" wrote in message ... Sir, I won't comment on the idea of "self monitoring" other than to refer you to a page that might or might not provide some useful thoughts on the matter. If you require a system that is non monitored, you likely will have to search out a local company that does this, or do it yourself. http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/monitori.htm R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products Ottawa, Ontario, Canada www.homemetal.com "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#6
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Yeah, its a General Sales Tax of 7% that all Canadians are screwed with and
applies to pretty much everything we buy....on top of a myriad of other taxes, which makes us one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world....( So if we initially pay something for a product, then we pay a Provincial tax of 8% on it, then the GST is applied to both the original item AND the PST, so we are taxed on tax. Monitoring however, doesn't require PST. RHC "Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... RH, What does this mean: "14.95 monthly plus GST ($16)" ? Is GST a tax? "R.H.Campbell" wrote in message ... Sir, I won't comment on the idea of "self monitoring" other than to refer you to a page that might or might not provide some useful thoughts on the matter. If you require a system that is non monitored, you likely will have to search out a local company that does this, or do it yourself. http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/monitori.htm R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products Ottawa, Ontario, Canada www.homemetal.com "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#7
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Almost as messy as here.
When I sell a system I have to charge State & City sales tax - state is same, but each city is different. When I sell monitoring I have to charge telecommunications tax, but only by city. Now...here's the kicker...I operate in 10+ cities and all have different sales/telecommunications tax....pain in the butt...every 19th of the month it's a mad scramble to calculate all this crap. Oh yeah, and some cities (the smaller ones) have their tax collected by the state (they all should it would simplify stuff for us). "R.H.Campbell" wrote in message ... Yeah, its a General Sales Tax of 7% that all Canadians are screwed with and applies to pretty much everything we buy....on top of a myriad of other taxes, which makes us one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world....( So if we initially pay something for a product, then we pay a Provincial tax of 8% on it, then the GST is applied to both the original item AND the PST, so we are taxed on tax. Monitoring however, doesn't require PST. RHC "Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... RH, What does this mean: "14.95 monthly plus GST ($16)" ? Is GST a tax? "R.H.Campbell" wrote in message ... Sir, I won't comment on the idea of "self monitoring" other than to refer you to a page that might or might not provide some useful thoughts on the matter. If you require a system that is non monitored, you likely will have to search out a local company that does this, or do it yourself. http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/monitori.htm R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products Ottawa, Ontario, Canada www.homemetal.com "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#8
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So . . . you can pay for your health care (and other benefits) a little
bit at a time (in GST) or (as in the USA) you can pay for it in insurance premiums, co-pays, etc. running to many thousands of dollars a year (perhaps even thousands a month: we're paying well over $1000 a month, and I don't doubt that some people are paying even more). Perce On 09/09/05 11:58 am R.H.Campbell tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup: Yeah, its a General Sales Tax of 7% that all Canadians are screwed with and applies to pretty much everything we buy....on top of a myriad of other taxes, which makes us one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world....( So if we initially pay something for a product, then we pay a Provincial tax of 8% on it, then the GST is applied to both the original item AND the PST, so we are taxed on tax. Monitoring however, doesn't require PST. |
#9
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Crash Gordon wrote:
When I sell monitoring I have to charge telecommunications tax, but only by city. Do you have to charge "telecommunications tax" when the monitoring link is internet only or VoIP? |
#10
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Dunno. I won't do VOIP, and I don't have interenet monitoring set up yet -
should be any day now. That's an interesting question though. I wonder if VOIP users are paying tele taxes presently? I would think so..but dunno. "Travis Jordan" wrote in message m... Crash Gordon wrote: When I sell monitoring I have to charge telecommunications tax, but only by city. Do you have to charge "telecommunications tax" when the monitoring link is internet only or VoIP? |
#11
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I doubt very much of the GST goes towards our health care system. If it did,
we wouldn't have the problems we do with the system. Instead they p*ss it away on lots of "feel good" programs that only serve to buy them votes in the next election. The GST and the revenue collected from road tax go into that endless pot of taxpayers money that forms the trough that our parliamentary pigs feed on... RHC "Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message ... So . . . you can pay for your health care (and other benefits) a little bit at a time (in GST) or (as in the USA) you can pay for it in insurance premiums, co-pays, etc. running to many thousands of dollars a year (perhaps even thousands a month: we're paying well over $1000 a month, and I don't doubt that some people are paying even more). Perce On 09/09/05 11:58 am R.H.Campbell tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup: Yeah, its a General Sales Tax of 7% that all Canadians are screwed with and applies to pretty much everything we buy....on top of a myriad of other taxes, which makes us one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world....( So if we initially pay something for a product, then we pay a Provincial tax of 8% on it, then the GST is applied to both the original item AND the PST, so we are taxed on tax. Monitoring however, doesn't require PST. |
#12
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Crash Gordon wrote:
That's an interesting question though. I wonder if VOIP users are paying tele taxes presently? I would think so..but dunno. Nope, they're not. The FCC said last year and in subsequent rulings that VoIP is an "unregulated information service" and not subject to traditional state public utility control or oversight. |
#13
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"Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... Most municipalities forbid dialers with voice messages to be transmitted to police/fire/911 etc. If you want dispatch you'll have to go through monitoring station. Crash, you left out the part about the big fat fine a homeowner will get if their system automatically dials 911... You can program most alarms to page you on your pager, though this has it's quirks. You can also purchase a voice module that will transmit message to your cell phone...of course if it doesnt get through to your cell you wont get the message. There are a lot of drawbacks to "self-monitoring". No...Brinks, ADT etc, do not send voice messages to 911. In my area our central stations are given special phone numbers to dial into for dispatch...not 911, and not end-user numbers. Do you intend to install this yourself, or try to find an installing company that will install a "local" alarm system? You may have trouble if the latter is true. hth "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#14
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That's right for now, voip don't pay into the systems they are using.
That's changing. PSTN is now open to voip but they have to pay like everyone else. So those low voip rates are going up if you want 9-1-1 service. Add another buck or two a month. Number portability has become a issue when people find out they can port to voip but voip didn't have to port to another service. People complain and now voip will have to pay and provide for the service, add another dollar or 2 a month. Connectivity was favorable to voip since they could lease local lines at a cost lower from what the phone company paid to maintain them. That's gone with the last FCC ruling. Voip must pay market rates. Add another dollar or 2 to the monthly bill. Let's not forget that voip has ZERO standards that they have to meet. If state and federal agencies get too many complaints they will want to cover their cost and that means voip paying just like the phone company. Voip is cheap 'cause it's not phone service, anyone who thinks it is or that it will conquer the world is full of it. Voip is getting a second look now that people have been nearly killed using it and because it's not "REAL" phone service, and rates are going up as they start paying their way and the free rides end. |
#15
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The client only saves on long distance right? You still have to have a
network connection and pay for that right? "Jen...tel" wrote in message oups.com... That's right for now, voip don't pay into the systems they are using. That's changing. PSTN is now open to voip but they have to pay like everyone else. So those low voip rates are going up if you want 9-1-1 service. Add another buck or two a month. Number portability has become a issue when people find out they can port to voip but voip didn't have to port to another service. People complain and now voip will have to pay and provide for the service, add another dollar or 2 a month. Connectivity was favorable to voip since they could lease local lines at a cost lower from what the phone company paid to maintain them. That's gone with the last FCC ruling. Voip must pay market rates. Add another dollar or 2 to the monthly bill. Let's not forget that voip has ZERO standards that they have to meet. If state and federal agencies get too many complaints they will want to cover their cost and that means voip paying just like the phone company. Voip is cheap 'cause it's not phone service, anyone who thinks it is or that it will conquer the world is full of it. Voip is getting a second look now that people have been nearly killed using it and because it's not "REAL" phone service, and rates are going up as they start paying their way and the free rides end. |
#16
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Yah I did leave that part out .. and if it doesnt release the line it could
be really bad. It's not permitted in these here parts. "Russell Brill" wrote in message k.net... "Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... Most municipalities forbid dialers with voice messages to be transmitted to police/fire/911 etc. If you want dispatch you'll have to go through monitoring station. Crash, you left out the part about the big fat fine a homeowner will get if their system automatically dials 911... You can program most alarms to page you on your pager, though this has it's quirks. You can also purchase a voice module that will transmit message to your cell phone...of course if it doesnt get through to your cell you wont get the message. There are a lot of drawbacks to "self-monitoring". No...Brinks, ADT etc, do not send voice messages to 911. In my area our central stations are given special phone numbers to dial into for dispatch...not 911, and not end-user numbers. Do you intend to install this yourself, or try to find an installing company that will install a "local" alarm system? You may have trouble if the latter is true. hth "Alex" wrote in message ps.com... Hi everyone, Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors (some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with some sort of alarm system. I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I can monitor myself without monthly fee's. Ideally I'd love to have something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an automatic message asking for help. All Brinks and ADT do is this, isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me. Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not sure what's available out there. I guess for me simply having an alarm that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice Thanks for any ideas or thoughts. Sam Alex |
#17
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That's right for now, voip don't pay into the systems
they are using. I disagree. VoIP providers like Vonage spend millions every month on telephone service. Any VoIP call to a standard telephone line requires a conventional phone line at some point. ... those low voip rates are going up if you want 9-1-1 service. Add another buck or two a month... AFAIK that's not correct, friend. 911 service is not subject to extra charges. Let's not forget that voip has ZERO standards that they have to meet... IME conventional telcos have rarely met the established standards. As to price increases, that's just part of telecommunications service -- no matter what type of line you choose. If state and federal agencies get too many complaints they will want to cover their cost and that means voip paying just like the phone company. Huh? Cost of getting consumer complaints??? Every state DPUC I've ever known mainly ignores consumer complaints. They do an excellent job of rubber-stamping telco rate hike requests though. Voip is cheap 'cause it's not phone service, anyone who thinks it is or that it will conquer the world is full of it... Those of us who actually use VoIP every day might tend to disagree with you. I've had the service for over a year. At first there were major quality and reliability issues so I only used it as an overflow for my POTS lines. The service has improved to the point where it is now *almost* as good as conventional telco service. It won't work at all if the power fails so it isn't as safe as a POTS line. Digital alarm monitoring signals seem to have trouble using VoIP too so it's not ideal for that purpose either. However, as a voice telecom service it's excellent. It's also much less expensive than POTS. The near future will, IMO, see a significant growth in VoIP usage. I'm particularly interested in developing services, such as auto-attendant system. Voip is getting a second look now that people have been nearly killed using it and because it's not "REAL" phone service, and rates are going up as they start paying their way and the free rides end. Can't afford the broad speed Internet service that VoIP requires, eh? -- Regards, Robert L Bass Bass Burglar Alarms The Online DIY Store http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com |
#18
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Alex:
From my experience, if you are careful about choosing your monitoring company, you might come out ahead financially, as well as enjoy the benefits of professional monitoring. The online monitoring companies charge around $108 per year (assuming annual payment), but by having a monitored alarm system, I'm saving about $160 per year in insurance premiums. So, I'm netting about $50 per year. Your results might vary, since there are a lot of variables that determine insurance premiums. Further, if you pay $40+ per month to ADT or Brinks for monitoring, then obviously the economics are different. Rob |
#19
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Travis Jordan wrote: Crash Gordon wrote: That's an interesting question though. I wonder if VOIP users are paying tele taxes presently? I would think so..but dunno. Nope, they're not. The FCC said last year and in subsequent rulings that VoIP is an "unregulated information service" and not subject to traditional state public utility control or oversight. I've wondered about this. For instance, up until a couple of years ago, VoIP wasn't important. The standard Telco bills run rampant with surcharges, state and Fed taxes, and fees. And on cell phones, a 911 surcharge and some such other surcharge to help pay for people to have cellular service in rural areas, so I am told.(Wha ?) If VoIP is not taxable, and it begins to seriously compete with the Telcos, ........... Somewhere, sometime, someone, is going to miss the revenue and ...... guess what's going to get taxed? I'm also waiting for the tax revenue to be missed by all of the internet purchases. Anyone want to make bets on when that little balloon is going to burst? Isn't it all just a case of ......... (whisper) Let's just let them all get used to using it, until they can't do without it and it becomes a necessity. THENNNNN we'll REALLY blast them with more taxes and surcharges than we ever could of charged doin it the old way. (Chuckle, chuckle, wringing hands with a greedy, sinister grin) |
#20
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Voip providers do pay for telco lines but they paid the regulated
competition rate for access lines. Since the FCC said they are not phone service, they are no longer entitled to the super discounted rate mandated to open local phone service to competition. So they didn't want to be regulated as a phone service but wanted the cheap cost of being a competing phone service. Can't have it both ways. Damn good the judge rule they must pay market rates and can't ride the coat tails of competitor pricing if they also claim to not be a phone company. Get out the checkbook. Now Mr. Robert, 911 service is NOT free. It cost to operate the PSTN and every POTS and Cell customer pays to maintain it. Voip wants to use it, let them pay like everyone else. Oh so they have to pay and raise rates, gee too bad! You said it best; it's almost as good. But in an emergency almost isn't good enough! Vonage hid behind the cheap rates and didn't even tell people that their service was sub-standard and NOT at all like POTS service. It took the hellish attack in Texas for them to admit to their customers that they really didn't have phone service so 911 didn't really work. Now they are complaining (like all voip providers) that they may not be able to meet the requirement to have their customer's acknowledge the shortfalls in voip. They are even complaining that the cost to access PSTN will force them to raise rate. Small voip providers said they may be forced to stop offering voip service because of cost. Voip dodged the bullet when those folks survived, imagine if they both died? It's not funny but how much did those folks save considering their ordeal? What did they do when they were attacked, they picked up their phone and dialed 9-1-1. What they got was nothing, the nothing that came with using an "unregulated information service" over REAL phone service. If voip wants to act like a phone company they need to pay like a phone company. All voip has to offer is cheap rates and now they are ****ed cause they have to pay for what they were hoping would be free to them. Just to let you know, I have high speed internet and my POTS line is free, but I still pay the surcharges and fees associated with maintaining the public service portion of my service. If I have to pay, so should voip. |
#21
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"Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... Do you intend to install this yourself, or try to find an installing company that will install a "local" alarm system? You may have trouble if the latter is true. Why might one run into trouble if the latter is true? Couldn't alarm companies simply charge for the parts, charge for the installation, and offer some kind of limited warranty for parts & workmanship like electricians, plumbers, HVAC, etc folks do? I can understand them wanting the extra income associated with monitoring, but is there really so much work out there that they tend to turn away the less lucrative non monitored installs? Or is there some other issue involved? |
#22
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In my experience, alarmco's won't bother with a local system, or if they do
install, it's at a VERY high price. Unfortunately, the market has been squewed towards the monthly portion as the major source of revenue (undoubtably by the proliferation of "free systems"). So without that, most alarmco's will only install a local system by adding a portion of the profits they would otherwise make in the monthly costs. Often, small local contractors just starting out, will install local systems, both for the money and to increase exposure in the marketplace, since ultimately it will be referrals that will bring in customers over the longer term. So unfortunately, those wishing only a local system are left to fend for themselves. (I will service the 50 or so local systems I personally installed, but at a fair market price for service. Others I won't touch unless they want them monitored properly) I too am "guilty" of this. I just don't want to waste my time and labour on systems which are IMO crippled in their ability to do a professional job from the "getgo". Alarm systems are about response, not noise. Without professional monitoring, you have no response worth speaking of. After 10 years in the business, I truly have come to believe this. However, it can also be said by the more sceptical, that I am biased and have become lured by the siren song of RMR ! To that, I also plead guilty !! But the former reason is the more important one ! R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products Ottawa, Ontario, Canada www.homemetal.com "Wug" wrote in message ... "Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... Why might one run into trouble if the latter is true? Couldn't alarm companies simply charge for the parts, charge for the installation, and offer some kind of limited warranty for parts & workmanship like electricians, plumbers, HVAC, etc folks do? I can understand them wanting the extra income associated with monitoring, but is there really so much work out there that they tend to turn away the less lucrative non monitored installs? Or is there some other issue involved? |
#23
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Yes they can.
I will do a local system if I have time, my monitored clients have my full attention though. Some companies won't install local systems at all, you'd just have to find one that will. And, keep in mind you may pay a higher price, not punitively, but because the installing company continues to make money on a monitored client whereas on in a local system you may not see that client again for years...if at all. "Wug" wrote in message ... "Crash Gordon" wrote in message ... Do you intend to install this yourself, or try to find an installing company that will install a "local" alarm system? You may have trouble if the latter is true. Why might one run into trouble if the latter is true? Couldn't alarm companies simply charge for the parts, charge for the installation, and offer some kind of limited warranty for parts & workmanship like electricians, plumbers, HVAC, etc folks do? I can understand them wanting the extra income associated with monitoring, but is there really so much work out there that they tend to turn away the less lucrative non monitored installs? Or is there some other issue involved? |
#24
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Most people who are aware of VOIP think that it's cheap primarily
because of some great digital technological breakthrough. They don't realize that virtually all voice traffic has been digital for a very long time. In the case of existing phone lines, the A/D was done at the switch at the local phone company. From there on through the network it was all handled digitally, running through exactly the same kind of fiber optic lines and other high speed digital lines as the internet, until it was converted back to analog at the far end. The big difference was that the phone system guarantees that every digital sample arrives at the other end at precise intervals that correspond to the 8khz sampling rate. With VOIP, the packets can be routed all over the place, with no guarantee that they will get there at the right time. That's a big difference in quality of service. Most people who went to VOIP did not do it to avoid the $20 monthly local phone service fee. The did it because they had high toll call bills, with a lot of that likely being over seas calls. So what they were avoiding was the regulated tariff structure, both domestic and international, at the the expense of reliability. Along the way, many found out that there are in fact some serious problems, like the 911 issue and call quality. And also, since we're on the subject of call monitoring, do the major monitoring services work with VOIP? I know as of a couple years ago, they had a policy of not supporting it. The domestic long distance cost has dropped sharply over the last few years, with most providers now offering some form of bulk or unlimited calling packages at more reasonable rates, so the incentive to switch keeps dropping. And today statements like: "Those of us who actually use VoIP every day might tend to disagree with you. I've had the service for over a year. At first there were major quality and reliability issues so I only used it as an overflow for my POTS lines. " hardly bring a ringing endorsement. If there were major quality and reliability issues that recently, I'll just stick with Verizon. |
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There are several different grades of Internet service. They range from
aDSL, cable modems, and satellite. They offer NO guarantee of up time, hence the low cost. sDSL, T-1, and other fractional T services offer guaranteed up time, typically 99.99 percent. Unless you're dependant on running your business out of your home, typically, you choose the cheapest service you can find. Where a business, typically, chooses the higher dependability of services. Of course nothing, including anything you own electronic, is guaranteed to work all the time. It's knowing when it doesn't that makes the Internet a better choice for routing alarm signals, and either radio back-up, or cellular back-up, that further ensures communication. People who choose to cancel land lines, and place a VoIP service as their only form of communication to the outside world, aren't very smart. There isn't a single business in the US that operates with that kind of mentality. VoIP is a product designed to cut communication costs, not replace them. The reliability just isn't there yet, residentially. "Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message news And then there is the question of reliability of the Internet service on which VoIP depends. When we lived in NY, our phone service (Nynex/BA/Verizon) was more reliable than our Internet service (CableVision/Optimum Online), and in the two years we've been in W. Michigan our phone service (SBC) has been more reliable than our Internet service (Charter). In both places interruption to Internet service has been rare (but once as long as 36 hrs in NY), but I wouldn't want to have to depend on my ISP for phone service. Perce On 09/11/05 06:15 am tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup: Most people who are aware of VOIP think that it's cheap primarily because of some great digital technological breakthrough. They don't realize that virtually all voice traffic has been digital for a very long time. In the case of existing phone lines, the A/D was done at the switch at the local phone company. From there on through the network it was all handled digitally, running through exactly the same kind of fiber optic lines and other high speed digital lines as the internet, until it was converted back to analog at the far end. The big difference was that the phone system guarantees that every digital sample arrives at the other end at precise intervals that correspond to the 8khz sampling rate. With VOIP, the packets can be routed all over the place, with no guarantee that they will get there at the right time. That's a big difference in quality of service. Most people who went to VOIP did not do it to avoid the $20 monthly local phone service fee. The did it because they had high toll call bills, with a lot of that likely being over seas calls. So what they were avoiding was the regulated tariff structure, both domestic and international, at the the expense of reliability. Along the way, many found out that there are in fact some serious problems, like the 911 issue and call quality. And also, since we're on the subject of call monitoring, do the major monitoring services work with VOIP? I know as of a couple years ago, they had a policy of not supporting it. The domestic long distance cost has dropped sharply over the last few years, with most providers now offering some form of bulk or unlimited calling packages at more reasonable rates, so the incentive to switch keeps dropping. And today statements like: "Those of us who actually use VoIP every day might tend to disagree with you. I've had the service for over a year. At first there were major quality and reliability issues so I only used it as an overflow for my POTS lines. " hardly bring a ringing endorsement. If there were major quality and reliability issues that recently, I'll just stick with Verizon. |
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