Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Don't most recently installed systems use an internal cell phone as the
alarm channel now? (Now that TV has educated all the young'uns about
cutting the phone line before you jimmy the window, and then waiting
awhile to see if there is a cell backup...)

And unless the alarm company has their own cars to send out for first
response, expect bill from local PD after about the 3rd false alarm.
Many PDs don't really have the staff to respond to non-human reports any
more. They MAY tell the car in the area to drive by. But unless alarm
company has talked to a human in the house to confirm distress, they
won't send an emergency response.

All in all, it may be better to have the alarm system call YOUR cell
phone, unless you are out of town a lot.

--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:
On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Don't most recently installed systems use an internal cell phone as the
alarm channel now? (Now that TV has educated all the young'uns about
cutting the phone line before you jimmy the window, and then waiting
awhile to see if there is a cell backup...)

And unless the alarm company has their own cars to send out for first
response, expect bill from local PD after about the 3rd false alarm.
Many PDs don't really have the staff to respond to non-human reports any
more. They MAY tell the car in the area to drive by. But unless alarm
company has talked to a human in the house to confirm distress, they
won't send an emergency response.

All in all, it may be better to have the alarm system call YOUR cell
phone, unless you are out of town a lot.

Hi,
If they want to cut my phone line it is underground at least 2 feet
deep! Say it WiFi.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:23:45 -0600, Tony Hwang wrote:



aemeijers wrote:
On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Don't most recently installed systems use an internal cell phone as the
alarm channel now? (Now that TV has educated all the young'uns about
cutting the phone line before you jimmy the window, and then waiting
awhile to see if there is a cell backup...)

And unless the alarm company has their own cars to send out for first
response, expect bill from local PD after about the 3rd false alarm.
Many PDs don't really have the staff to respond to non-human reports any
more. They MAY tell the car in the area to drive by. But unless alarm
company has talked to a human in the house to confirm distress, they
won't send an emergency response.

All in all, it may be better to have the alarm system call YOUR cell
phone, unless you are out of town a lot.

Hi,
If they want to cut my phone line it is underground at least 2 feet
deep! Say it WiFi.

You don't have a demarc box on your house? Are you sure it's 2' down? I cut
through mine up last summer installing grass edging around the perennial beds.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:21:14 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one.

I don't know about that. Unless you cancel ADT, they're going to keep
charging you, whether your alarm calls them or not. Don't they also
remove their equipment, which they install free?


Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

I have a friend who owns a burglar alarm company with about 700
customers, many that he bought from companies where the owner was
retiring, and others that just swtiched from someone eles. . He
contracts with a monitoring company, and last I heard he was charing
15 or 20 a month, certainly less than ADT.

He likes to put his own alarm panel in very location, but doesn't
charge. Now they have panels where he can make most changes without
going to the customer.

I'm not sure if he removes his equipment or not when somoene cancels.

When my brother bought a house in Dallss 20 years ago, he didn't sign
up for monitoring, and I can see that. Wasn't much crime in his
n'hood, but I thought he shoudl still use the alarm and siren when he
went out of town. So my first day vistiing, I turned it on and tested
it, and it rang, and then I went to go bike-riding. I didn't realize
the old monitoring company's phone number was still in the alarm, if
they called the house on the phone, the number was changed when my
brother bought the house a year or two earlier.

So the police showed up. It was pitiful. Even though I was taking
his bicycle out of the garage, via the alley, when they came, they
seemed not at all suspicious. I had a key to the house but they
didn't ask if I did. And I know my brother's last name, but they
asked for no evidence I have the same last name (if they even knew his
name). I guess because I'm white, and maybe because I was 45 and
looked at least 35.

On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Typically the reason you are paying more is because the install is
subsidized by those higher payments.

On Mar 27, 2:28*pm, aemeijers wrote:
On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:

Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? * There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. *It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. * Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Don't most recently installed systems use an internal cell phone as the
alarm channel now? (Now that TV has educated *all the young'uns about
cutting the phone line before you jimmy the window, and then waiting
awhile to see if there is a cell backup...)

What most recently installed systems use or don't use makes no
difference.
The system in question is 5 years old and uses a phone line. Just for
the record, I think if you look at a variety of alarm companies,
you'll
find that they offer new systems that can use phone land line, VOIP,
or cellular. It all depends on what level of security you want and
how
much you are willing to pay for the eqpt and monthly. The cellular
capability can be added to most any panel, new or old.




And unless the alarm company has their own cars to send out for first
response, expect bill from local PD after about the 3rd false alarm.

So now in addition to being an expert on alarms, you know about the
policies and procedures of my local PD too.



Many PDs don't really have the staff to respond to non-human reports any
more.

Here's a clue. With a monitored alarm system, it's a human that makes
the
call to the local PD after first trying the numbers listed by the
alarm owner.




They MAY tell the car in the area to drive by. But unless alarm
company has talked to a human in the house to confirm distress, they
won't send an emergency response.

Total BS and actually backwards. The alarm monitoring company first
calls the house. Only if someone answers and gives the correct
password
do they disregard the alarm. In all other cases, including no one
answering
they call the police. I've had the alarm go off here accidently when
I wasn't
home and the police have responded.


All in all, it may be better to have the alarm system call YOUR cell
phone, unless you are out of town a lot.

--
aem sends...

Uh huh. On the one hand you propose cellular because it's more
reliable
than a phone line. Then you suggest that cell call go to my cell
phone...
Go figure.

Anything else I can help you with? BTW, I take it you have no
answer to
the actual question, which was experience with any of the lower cost
monitoring companies.

On 3/27/2011 8:28 PM, wrote:
On Mar 27, 2:28 pm, wrote:
On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:

(somewhat deserved chastising snipped)

Didn't mean to set you off, there. I was mainly commenting based on
newspaper articles I have read in several different cities about how
local PDs found home alarms to be an expensive PITA. More than one of
the articles stated that if the alarm company DIDN'T talk to a human (or
get a duress alarm from a portable sender), PD would NOT do an emergency
response. Rate of false alarms was just way too high.

But yeah, my direct personal experience is limited. I don't have enough
toys, or live in a bad enough area, to need an alarm system. I have
helped rip a few out over the years, and found the technology slightly
interesting.

--
aem sends...

On Mar 27, 6:42*pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:21:14 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? * There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. *It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one.

I don't know about that. Unless you cancel ADT, they're going to keep
charging you, whether your alarm calls them or not. *Don't they also
remove their equipment, which they install free?

Well of course you'd cancel ADT. Actually, I was using ADT as an
example
of the higher price monitoring companies. ADT and the other
companies
do not necessarily install eqpt for free. It depends on how you
engage with
them, what you need or already have.
They will monitor any system for a monthly fee. If you want a new
system,
then if you pay a higher monthly rate for a guaranteed term of X
years,
then the install for at least some level of system is free. Who owns
the eqpt
after that I don't know, but
somehow I think it's going to cost ADT a lot more money to send
someone
out and start ripping out an old panel which costs them $100. IF they
take
out the keypad, do they fix the holes in the wall?



* Wondering about experiences with

reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

I have a friend who owns a burglar alarm company with about 700
customers, many that he bought from companies where the owner was
retiring, and others that just swtiched from someone eles. . * He
contracts with a monitoring company, and last I heard he was charing
15 or 20 a month, certainly less than ADT. *

Yes, exactly what I was talking about and looking for experiences
with.



He likes to put his own alarm panel in very location, but doesn't
charge. *Now they have panels where he can make most changes without
going to the customer.

I'm not sure if he removes his equipment or not when somoene cancels.

When my brother bought a house in Dallss 20 years ago, he didn't sign
up for monitoring, and I can see that. Wasn't much crime in his
n'hood, but I thought he shoudl still use the alarm and siren when he
went out of town. *So my first day vistiing, I turned it on and tested
it, and it rang, and then I went to go bike-riding. *I didn't realize
the old monitoring company's phone number was still in the alarm, if
they called the house on the phone, the number was changed when my
brother bought the house a year or two earlier.

So the police showed up. *It was pitiful. *Even though I was taking
his bicycle out of the garage, via the alley, when they came, they
seemed not at all suspicious. *I had a key to the house but they
didn't ask if I did. *And I know my brother's last name, but they
asked for no evidence I have the same last name (if they even knew his
name). * I guess because I'm white, and maybe because I was 45 and
looked at least 35.

He should re-route the phone line around the panel to prevent that
from happening again.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:41:41 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Mar 27, 6:42*pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:21:14 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? * There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. *It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one.

I don't know about that. Unless you cancel ADT, they're going to keep
charging you, whether your alarm calls them or not. *Don't they also
remove their equipment, which they install free?

Well of course you'd cancel ADT.

Then why do you need an addtional adapter between the panel and the
phone line? Oh, is it because the original panel, if it was provided
by ADT, will call only ADT?

Actually, I was using ADT as an
example
of the higher price monitoring companies. ADT and the other
companies
do not necessarily install eqpt for free.

Well, the non-ADT panels will definitely call any phone number you
want, so why the addtional adapater?

It depends on how you
engage with
them, what you need or already have.
They will monitor any system for a monthly fee. If you want a new
system,
then if you pay a higher monthly rate for a guaranteed term of X
years,
then the install for at least some level of system is free. Who owns
the eqpt
after that I don't know, but
somehow I think it's going to cost ADT a lot more money to send
someone
out and start ripping out an old panel which costs them $100. IF they
take
out the keypad, do they fix the holes in the wall?



* Wondering about experiences with

reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

I have a friend who owns a burglar alarm company with about 700
customers, many that he bought from companies where the owner was
retiring, and others that just swtiched from someone eles. . * He
contracts with a monitoring company, and last I heard he was charing
15 or 20 a month, certainly less than ADT. *

Yes, exactly what I was talking about and looking for experiences
with.



He likes to put his own alarm panel in very location, but doesn't
charge. *Now they have panels where he can make most changes without
going to the customer.

I'm not sure if he removes his equipment or not when somoene cancels.

When my brother bought a house in Dallss 20 years ago, he didn't sign
up for monitoring, and I can see that. Wasn't much crime in his
n'hood, but I thought he shoudl still use the alarm and siren when he
went out of town. *So my first day vistiing, I turned it on and tested
it, and it rang, and then I went to go bike-riding. *I didn't realize
the old monitoring company's phone number was still in the alarm, if
they called the house on the phone, the number was changed when my
brother bought the house a year or two earlier.

So the police showed up. *It was pitiful. *Even though I was taking
his bicycle out of the garage, via the alley, when they came, they
seemed not at all suspicious. *I had a key to the house but they
didn't ask if I did. *And I know my brother's last name, but they
asked for no evidence I have the same last name (if they even knew his
name). * I guess because I'm white, and maybe because I was 45 and
looked at least 35.

He should re-route the phone line around the panel to prevent that
from happening again.

My brother doesn't know how to do anything like that, and he really
didn't want me touching the alarm after that. But I would think that
after they sent the police once and he still wouldn't subscribe, that
the company would stop providing that service for him even if the
alarm called them again.

BTW, I forgot (oh, I didn't forget. Oops.) to say that I wasn't going
to try too talk him into the montoring, only into using the alarm and
the siren, which was plenty loud and free (and may have had a timer,
though I didn't get that far in my thinking.)

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:28:55 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

Just for
the record, I think if you look at a variety of alarm companies,
you'll
find that they offer new systems that can use phone land line, VOIP,
or cellular. It all depends on what level of security you want and
how
much you are willing to pay for the eqpt and monthly.

Yeah, I got carried away and put in an outdoor siren and an indoor
siren, even though no one here is ever going to cut the wire to the
outdoor siren, even if my house were only one story high!. Certainly
not two stories.

No one is going to cut any phone lines either.

Gordon Liddy is retired.

The cellular
capability can be added to most any panel, new or old.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:37:03 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:


Didn't mean to set you off, there. I was mainly commenting based on
newspaper articles I have read in several different cities about how
local PDs found home alarms to be an expensive PITA. More than one of
the articles stated that if the alarm company DIDN'T talk to a human (or
get a duress alarm from a portable sender), PD would NOT do an emergency
response. Rate of false alarms was just way too high.

I've never had monitoring (but maybe soon, since my friend gave me my
new panel after lightning probably ruined the old one)

So the police never got called and afaiknew, I'd never had a false
alarm. Until finally someone said sometimes the alarm went off (until
the timer stopped it)

I figured out to talk to the mailman, who said when I got a certified
letter and he rang the doorbell, it would go off. I used a resistor
box to find the lowest value resistor that would but the volume of the
bell below that level.

This didn't happen at first because i didnt' have glass/wood breakage
detectors, and it still didn't happen for years after that until I got
a doorbell for the basement. Then I had to change doorbell
transformers to a bigger one, and that made the ground floor bell
louder.

I don't realy need this much security, but I like gadgets.

responding to
http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ng-627305-.htm
davidjoe897 wrote:
The wireless door video
http://www.espow.com/wholesale-secur...rm-system.html is
a low cost home security monitor.

On 3/27/2011 8:28 PM, wrote:
On Mar 27, 2:28 pm, wrote:
On 3/27/2011 1:21 PM, wrote:

Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one. Wondering about experiences with
reliability, conversion, hidden charges, contracts, etc.

Don't most recently installed systems use an internal cell phone as the
alarm channel now? (Now that TV has educated all the young'uns about
cutting the phone line before you jimmy the window, and then waiting
awhile to see if there is a cell backup...)

What most recently installed systems use or don't use makes no
difference.
The system in question is 5 years old and uses a phone line. Just for
the record, I think if you look at a variety of alarm companies,
you'll
find that they offer new systems that can use phone land line, VOIP,
or cellular. It all depends on what level of security you want and
how
much you are willing to pay for the eqpt and monthly. The cellular
capability can be added to most any panel, new or old.




And unless the alarm company has their own cars to send out for first
response, expect bill from local PD after about the 3rd false alarm.

So now in addition to being an expert on alarms, you know about the
policies and procedures of my local PD too.



Many PDs don't really have the staff to respond to non-human reports any
more.

Here's a clue. With a monitored alarm system, it's a human that makes
the
call to the local PD after first trying the numbers listed by the
alarm owner.


That certainly is true of alarm systems you purchase from say ADT with
monitoring but then there are the folks who installed cheepo do it
yourself alarm systems that call the PD directly. Every jurisdiction I
know of has either banned that completely or created a fine that applies
after so many calls.





They MAY tell the car in the area to drive by. But unless alarm
company has talked to a human in the house to confirm distress, they
won't send an emergency response.

Total BS and actually backwards. The alarm monitoring company first
calls the house. Only if someone answers and gives the correct
password
do they disregard the alarm. In all other cases, including no one
answering
they call the police. I've had the alarm go off here accidently when
I wasn't
home and the police have responded.


All in all, it may be better to have the alarm system call YOUR cell
phone, unless you are out of town a lot.

--
aem sends...

Uh huh. On the one hand you propose cellular because it's more
reliable
than a phone line. Then you suggest that cell call go to my cell
phone...
Go figure.

Anything else I can help you with? BTW, I take it you have no
answer to
the actual question, which was experience with any of the lower cost
monitoring companies.

On Mar 27, 9:16*pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:41:41 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Mar 27, 6:42 pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:21:14 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one.

I don't know about that. Unless you cancel ADT, they're going to keep
charging you, whether your alarm calls them or not. Don't they also
remove their equipment, which they install free?

Well of course you'd cancel ADT. *

Then why do you need an addtional adapter between the panel and the
phone line? *Oh, is it because the original panel, if it was provided
by ADT, will call only ADT?

The panel will call the number that is programmed into it. To change
any
of the system parameters, ie add zones, change delays, etc, you need
the installer code. Typically any alarm company that installs the
panel
does not and usually will not give that to the consumer. It's kind of
like
Honeywell with their VisionPro thermostats. You can't even find the
installation manual on their website and they expect you to call a guy
with his butt crack showing for $100 if you want to change one
parameter.

That's why the lower cost monitoring companies all offer an adapter
that goes between the phone line coming out of the panel and either
the phone line, or internet, or cellular. It's just easier and it
works.


Actually, I was using ADT as an
example
of the higher price monitoring companies. * ADT and the other
companies
do not necessarily install eqpt for free.

Well, the non-ADT panels will definitely call any phone number you
want, so why the addtional adapater?



For the reason cited above. Regardless of who installs it, they
almost
never give you the installer code. That keeps you coming back to them
for service on the hardware, ie if you want to add a zone you can't
DIY
and for monitoring service. If you get them to give you the code,
they
most likely aren't going to just give you the code. At best, they
will
probably charge for a service call to change the code before giving
it to you, if they will even do that. The low cost alarm companies
generally give you the little adapter widget for free.

On Mar 27, 10:42*pm, (davidjoe897)
wrote:


Boy that homeowners website just gets more and more annoying. I
didn't
have much of an issue with them before, but I have to say, after this
post,
I'm with those of you here that think the website is scum. I mean
making
a post linking back to their website which in turn just has the same
thread
I started right here? That plus some other useless link that has no
relevance.
Sure looks like a spammer attempting to generate traffic.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:32:23 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On Mar 27, 9:16*pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 17:41:41 -0700 (PDT), "





wrote:
On Mar 27, 6:42 pm, mm wrote:
On Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:21:14 -0700 (PDT), "

wrote:
Anyone have experience using one of the lower cost security monitoring
services that charge $10 to $15 a month for alarm monitoring, versus
$35 from ADT? There are a bunch of them available that either can
step you through how to'
change the dial # on the existing system or else give you a small
adapter that sits between the existing alarm panel and the phone
line. It intercepts the alarm call to the old monitoring company and
in turn dials the new one.

I don't know about that. Unless you cancel ADT, they're going to keep
charging you, whether your alarm calls them or not. Don't they also
remove their equipment, which they install free?

Well of course you'd cancel ADT. *

Then why do you need an addtional adapter between the panel and the
phone line? *Oh, is it because the original panel, if it was provided
by ADT, will call only ADT?

The panel will call the number that is programmed into it. To change
any
of the system parameters, ie add zones, change delays, etc, you need
the installer code. Typically any alarm company that installs the
panel
does not and usually will not give that to the consumer. It's kind of
like
Honeywell with their VisionPro thermostats. You can't even find the
installation manual on their website and they expect you to call a guy
with his butt crack showing for $100 if you want to change one
parameter.

That's why the lower cost monitoring companies all offer an adapter
that goes between the phone line coming out of the panel and either
the phone line, or internet, or cellular. It's just easier and it
works.

Okay. Thanks. That does make the adapter clever.





Actually, I was using ADT as an
example
of the higher price monitoring companies. * ADT and the other
companies
do not necessarily install eqpt for free.

Well, the non-ADT panels will definitely call any phone number you
want, so why the addtional adapater?



For the reason cited above. Regardless of who installs it, they
almost
never give you the installer code. That keeps you coming back to them
for service on the hardware, ie if you want to add a zone you can't
DIY
and for monitoring service. If you get them to give you the code,
they
most likely aren't going to just give you the code. At best, they
will
probably charge for a service call to change the code before giving
it to you, if they will even do that. The low cost alarm companies
generally give you the little adapter widget for free.