Alarm for a Habitat For Humanity Site - who offers cellular packet data (no phone)

[personalt]

I am helping out on a Habitat for Humanity job site that has been broken in twice. They even have the steel temp window and door covers http://www.vacantpropertysecurity.com/ and someone still go in. We are looking to add in a alarm so at least someone knows about it. Last breakin these guys start dismantling the furnace. I am more worried about them hacking up the copper wire.

We are looking for a system that can be monitored by cellular data since phones will not go in until we complete the house. Since this is for habitat cost is a factor. Does anyone besides alarm.com offer a phoneless alarm? I was checking nextalarm and on the site at least all I saw was alarms that went over internet but none over cellular data. Do they or anyone else offer anything that doesnt require a phone?

 

[electron]

IMO, the ElkGuard system is perfect for this. I would contact Elk directly, and see if they are willing to help out, since this is for charity.

 

[personalt]

It appears elkguard actually uses alarm.com for service as per http://www.elkproducts.com/elkguard/service_plans.html

I was actually looking for someone with cheaper monthly as their service is $29.99

IMO, the ElkGuard system is perfect for this. I would contact Elk directly, and see if they are willing to help out, since this is for charity.

 

[electron]

This is only a temporary installation, right? I can't imagine a better (and cheaper) solution than the ElkGuard. Even doing it yourself will still cost you money, because you have the cell requirement.

 

[personalt]

I am looking something for now but really want it to be wired in to encourage the new home owners of the house to keep it active. In order to encourange them to keep it I really want to see about keeping the monitoring costs as low as possible.

I dont know if anyone offers GSM monitoring for $10 a month but that is what I was shooting for. I have used a different 'portable' alarm that works with alarm.com in construction job sites before and I really like it so I know their service is good. If I was doing an alarm.com install I would just put in one of their permanent GE units.

what I was really looking for was cheaper GSM monitoring. Is there such a thing?

This is only a temporary installation, right? I can't imagine a better (and cheaper) solution than the ElkGuard. Even doing it yourself will still cost you money, because you have the cell requirement.

 

[electron]

What about Uplink? I would even try to contact alarm.com and see if they are willing to drop their rate for this kind of project.

 

[WayneW]

UpLink isn't a monitoring service, they are simply a cellular-to-landline relay/forwarding system. So you would need UpLink and NextAlarm, which is still fairly economical, depending upon the plan you pick from NextAlarm. And NextAlarm can handle all the UpLink setup and billing for you to make it easy one-stop-shopping.

 

[personalt]

I will give nextalarm a call at lunch... but does anyone know of the top of their head of nextlarm charges more for the service via wireless GSM rather then over internet?

UpLink isn't a monitoring service, they are simply a cellular-to-landline relay/forwarding system. So you would need UpLink and NextAlarm, which is still fairly economical, depending upon the plan you pick from NextAlarm. And NextAlarm can handle all the UpLink setup and billing for you to make it easy one-stop-shopping.

 

[WayneW]

I will give nextalarm a call at lunch... but does anyone know of the top of their head of nextlarm charges more for the service via wireless GSM rather then over internet?

# Full Dispatch Monitoring - Live operator response to all alarms
* $11.95-$17.95 per month over dial-up or Internet (depending upon payment plan)
# NetAlarm - Extreme low cost, non-dispatched monitoring
* $11.95 per month, over dial-up or Internet
# There is an additional fee of $7.50 per month for monitoring of a cellular backup, regardless of your chosen billing plan.

 

[Neurorad]

I'd call some local LV alarm installers, see if someone wants to donate equipment and/or services, in exchange for some good PR. Put their sign on the front lawn, so the volunteers and locals will see it.

Those VPS door and window covers look pretty secure - how do they get in? I bet they use the same way next time.

 

[personalt]

No idea how they got in through the VPS covers. We originally had there combination door in front. VPS guy swears someone saw the code being entered.

When we got there the back door was open but if they got in they can open it from the inside. Luckely we only lost a $500 generator. They had $3K in furance and tankless water heaters in the back yard. I guess they had planned to come back.

I'd call some local LV alarm installers, see if someone wants to donate equipment and/or services, in exchange for some good PR. Put their sign on the front lawn, so the volunteers and locals will see it.

Those VPS door and window covers look pretty secure - how do they get in? I bet they use the same way next time.