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Which Monitoring Service?

  • Thread starter Armond Perretta
  • Start date
A

Armond Perretta

Jan 1, 1970
0
I know this is like "how long is a piece of string?" but I thought I'd get
the group consensus in any case. I own my own system and everything is
working up to spec. I have the software and am reasonably proficient at
programming the panel. It is presently monitored on a month-to-month basis.
For various reasons I want to change the monitoring company. I am looking
for an arms-length service and have no need for the service to download the
panel for me. Just want the phone number and account number and where to
send the check.

Monitoring services are easy enough to locate on the Internet, but I am
having a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff. Are there any
rating services that have looked into the performance of various companies?
Is this even something to worry about?
 
A

Aegis

Jan 1, 1970
0
Armond Perretta said:
I know this is like "how long is a piece of string?" but I thought I'd get
the group consensus in any case. I own my own system and everything is
working up to spec. I have the software and am reasonably proficient at
programming the panel. It is presently monitored on a month-to-month basis.
For various reasons I want to change the monitoring company. I am looking
for an arms-length service and have no need for the service to download the
panel for me. Just want the phone number and account number and where to
send the check.

Monitoring services are easy enough to locate on the Internet, but I am
having a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff. Are there any
rating services that have looked into the performance of various companies?
Is this even something to worry about?

I don't know of any rating services for monitoring centers (not to say they
don't exist). Trade mags sometimes will put that kind of stuff in... Maybe
check out some of their sites for articles?
 
F

Frank Olson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Armond Perretta said:
I know this is like "how long is a piece of string?" but I thought I'd get
the group consensus in any case. I own my own system and everything is
working up to spec. I have the software and am reasonably proficient at
programming the panel. It is presently monitored on a month-to-month basis.
For various reasons I want to change the monitoring company. I am looking
for an arms-length service and have no need for the service to download the
panel for me. Just want the phone number and account number and where to
send the check.

Monitoring services are easy enough to locate on the Internet, but I am
having a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff. Are there any
rating services that have looked into the performance of various companies?
Is this even something to worry about?


Most professional CS's won't allow anyone but a properly licensed Dealer
program panels to communicate with their receivers. In fact, most won't
allow any Dealer but their established "in house" ones set up new accounts.
I would imagine there are a few CS's that deal with DIYer's direct and
probably offer "fantastically" low prices... Good luck in your search...
 
R

RH.Campbell

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have no idea whether this company is any good or not; however, they did
call me today in regards to looking for schematics for some older ADT panels
(came off my website and this newsgroup). We had a good discussion, and
afterwards, when I went up to their website, they offer monitoring for
$10.95 monthly, no long term contract. That's as good as I've seen from a
company that appears to be reputable from the looks of their website.
They're in Texas, so I don't know if this is out of your area or not.

Their service is pretty expensive however (or at least is seems that way to
me...), but you "pays your money and takes your chances"...

www.sloansecurity.com

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com
 
A

Armond Perretta

Jan 1, 1970
0
Frank said:
Most professional CS's won't allow anyone but a properly licensed
Dealer program panels to communicate with their receivers. In
fact, most won't allow any Dealer but their established "in house"
ones set up new accounts. I would imagine there are a few CS's that
deal with DIYer's direct and probably offer "fantastically" low
prices.

There seem to be quite a few outfits here (USA) who are interested in this
type of business. Some work entirely on the Internet, some require other
paperwork, and some are local alarm companies. I am staying away from the
"big guys" just on general principles (and because of some of the horror
stories I've read on this board).

I spoke to a few local alarm companies who also were interested in this
business and didn't seem to mind that I wanted to program the panel myself.
BTW I'm certainly not a pro, but I have "studied up enuf" to be able to
program my DSC Power 832. After speaking with the local guys a bit they
seemed comfortable with my proposed arrangement.

As for "fantastically low prices" my present monitoring is through a local
company and I am paying only his cost, which is very low. However pure
economics is not the primary issue in this case; I believe I get what I pay
for, and I do not want to work with a monitoring service that's merely
"good enough" or "OK for the price." Mind you, I'm not really fond leaving
money on the table either.

The web companies are all offering $9 to $12 USD per month (in general), and
the local guys, from whom perhaps a little more personal service might be
expected, are roughly about $20.
 
A

Armond Perretta

Jan 1, 1970
0
AlarmReview said:
Presently, there are no true "rating" services available on
monitoring centers. Many of the "rankings" that appear in trade
magazines deal more with size versus performance ...

Worry? No. Confusing? Yes. Some of the key questions I've heard
asked of monitoring centers by concerned entities include items
like ratio of operators to active accounts. Average time period
from signal receive to operator handling. Number of authorized
decision making supervisors to operators. Peak signal periods to
reserve staff. Although these do not give a complete picture, they
go beyond the stock "response time" "back up systems" and "price"
that seem to be the major points pushed by some sales people.

This is the kind of info I need. Thanks.
 
A

Armond Perretta

Jan 1, 1970
0
AlarmReview said:
... If a rating service ... was made
available, what would be the key factors, as an end-user consumer,
that you would be interested in knowing? What items would matter to
you from your perspective?

You mentioned quite a few criteria earlier that I hadn't though of, so
answering your question is not really easy for me. Yet I would want to be
assured about things like reliability (system downtime record, 24 hour
service performance record), employee bonding and UL certification
compliance, response times (this relates to both equipment and staffing
levels, I suppose), service orientation (alarm testing assistance when and
if required, for example).

I'd have to sit and think a bit to come up with a few more items, and it
could easily happen that some of my expectations turn out to be unrealistic
or unnecessary. Hard to say.
 
A

Armond Perretta

Jan 1, 1970
0
Robert L. Bass wrote:
... [several citations snipped by Bass] ...
...
... most stations that do accept DIY accounts still require
that the client be affiliated with a dealer ...

I am having trouble with "most," since all of the Web-based providers I have
looked into do not do this. Of course I have no idea what percentage of the
industry they represent.
It should be noted that *most* online dealers still lock DIYers out
of programming their own panels -- even panels which the client has
installed himself -- while they are providing monitoring ...

Same comment about "most.".

This won't work for me. I don't spend much time "playing" with the panel,
but I pretty much want to be the guy who determines what the codes and
option settings are. I think my case may be different from some others
since I have some (although not extensive) experience with alarm system
installations, and I have some idea of how to avoid false alarms from the
hardware and operations points of view. As stated earlier I am not nearly
a professional; the word "informed" probably applies.

OTOH I have quite a bit of experience with computers and programming, so
programming an alarm is in no way foreign to me. However I grant your point
and sympathize with providers who might take this position.
Most of the DIYers I know don't go for the lowest price. In fact
the majority ask for one of the larger, more sophisticated systems.
Most follow my advice and install a full perimeter alarm using the
"sensor per zone" approach. This costs a few dollars more but the
end result is more robust security and more a flexible design.

I think you took my comments out of context. I have installed, either
through a contractor or by myself, what most folks would consider a top
flight system. Of course I shopped for the individual components, but I
ended up spending quite a bit. My comment on costs was directed
specifically at monitoring services.
The best bet for the consumer is to try to find which dealer is
most helpful to DIYers. A simple Google search will give a
definitive answer in about 5 seconds.

I'm an OK Googler, but I still found it necessary to write to this group
with my query. I don't think the decision is quite so simple as you have
suggested.
 
M

Mark Leuck

Jan 1, 1970
0
AlarmReview said:
Ahhh, but you're the consumer and what matters to you should matter to those
offering the service. When those within an industry attempt to compile what
they see as important to a consumer, they are seeing it from the inside out,
it's the consumer looking in and saying, "Hey, I would like to see this or
that". Just take a look at the Pontiac Aztec, That certainly was designed
without the input of the consumer!

Sometimes companies must take risks and hope they come up with something the
customer didn't know they wanted otherwise we'd still be driving Model T's.
However someone was smoking some serious weed when they dreamed up the Aztec
:)
-
 
A

Aegis

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sometimes companies must take risks and hope they come up with something
the
customer didn't know they wanted otherwise we'd still be driving Model T's.
However someone was smoking some serious weed when they dreamed up the Aztec
:)
-

Don't forget the primary reason Chevrolet and Chrysler ever were able to get
started was because of Ford's little motto. "You can have any color car you
want.... as long as it's black." Stubborness and an unwillingness to please
the wants and needs of customers will get ya every time.
 
M

Mark G.

Jan 1, 1970
0
That sounds exactly like what i want.

my needs are simple; i want someone else to deal with the initial
programming, installation and other problems, but if i want to make a change
to the programming, i can do it without waiting for the alarm office to open
on monday (seems like my only free time is on the weekends when they are not
open). if i screw something up i will take the hit and pay the company to
fix it. thats why i wouldnt want to contract directly with the central
system - whos going to answer my questions and upgrade/fix my alarm when
necessary or when i dont have the time?

if i could find a service like yous, in the los gatos/san jose area of
california, i would sign up immediately.

for now, im still locked out of my panel......

mark
 
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