[solved] URGENT help needed!! Need new security service provider or wifi alarm monitoring system!!

[technerd]

EDIT - I wish I could edit the topic but this issue has been resolved to my satisfaction - thanks again to uControl.

Hi All, I need urgent assistance with my security system!!

I have been a user of uControl for a few years and have been VERY happy with uControl. They reduced my price also to a monthly charge of $24.95 and I have internet, telephone (POTS), and wifi (GSM) monitoring of my Ademco Vista 20P alarm system.

However, recent changes to local police policy has forced uControl to move out of my market, so I must return my uControl box (which was just a plug-in) in one week and find a new service provider!!

I have been spoiled by uControl's automated reporting, multiple monitoring capabilities, and relatively low cost compared to the traditional alarm companies.

If I must, I will switch to a self-monitoring security system that just sends emails/text messages to myself when events occur, and not worry about a central monitoring station.

But I need to act fast, and I'd like to keep my Ademco Vista 20P alarm system instead of having to buy a new central system if possible.

Please, I need your recommendations on what I should do to either find another service provider with the same capabilities as uControl, or configure my alarm system to do self-monitoring.

Thanks!!!!

 

[Digger]

Hi All, I need urgent assistance with my security system!!

I have been a user of uControl for a few years and have been VERY happy with uControl. They reduced my price also to a monthly charge of $24.95 and I have internet, telephone (POTS), and wifi (GSM) monitoring of my Ademco Vista 20P alarm system.

However, recent changes to local police policy has forced uControl to move out of my market, so I must return my uControl box (which was just a plug-in) in one week and find a new service provider!!

I have been spoiled by uControl's automated reporting, multiple monitoring capabilities, and relatively low cost compared to the traditional alarm companies.

If I must, I will switch to a self-monitoring security system that just sends emails/text messages to myself when events occur, and not worry about a central monitoring station.

But I need to act fast, and I'd like to keep my Ademco Vista 20P alarm system instead of having to buy a new central system if possible.

Please, I need your recommendations on what I should do to either find another service provider with the same capabilities as uControl, or configure my alarm system to do self-monitoring.

Thanks!!!!

Check out NextAlarm.

 

[CollinR]

Where do you live and why did they pull out?

It's odd for them to behave that way even if your location goes to verified responce.

 

[technerd]

Where do you live and why did they pull out?

It's odd for them to behave that way even if your location goes to verified responce.

Hi guys, thanks a lot for the quick replies. I was just on NextAlarm's site and checking out goodies.

I have been told the city that I live in has absurdly high annual fees for service providers, and they have a ton of hoops that service providers must run through. For example, if I get a false alarm, I and my service provider's employee MUST attend a security alarm class provided by the city, and all alarm service provider employees must be fingerprinted and records kept at the local city.

Also, the local police just does a drive by in case of a dispatch, and if no signs of forced entry are apparent, they do nothing.

Anyway I have just worked out a solution to my satisfaction.

I contacted uControl, and told them I couldn't care less about police dispatch. I use text messaging / voice calls / email to contact myself, my family who live close by, and neighbors (former police and current firefighters) in case my alarm triggers. I trust my family, friends, and neighbors more to look at my house and see if anything is wrong than just the slow police response any way.

So basically I will self-monitor with friends/family/neighbors through uControl, and relieve uControl of the responsibility of dispatching police. I realize this is not ideal but like I said I would rather have self/friend/neighbor monitoring through telephone/internet/wifi rather than some other service provider that does only basic servicing.

Thanks again for all your helpful replies and it looks like I can stop panicking now.

 

[CollinR]

I have been told the city that I live in has absurdly high annual fees for service providers, and they have a ton of hoops that service providers must run through. For example, if I get a false alarm, I and my service provider's employee MUST attend a security alarm class provided by the city, and all alarm service provider employees must be fingerprinted and records kept at the local city.

Also, the local police just does a drive by in case of a dispatch, and if no signs of forced entry are apparent, they do nothing.

I always got that feeling from those people, what you just discribed is considered normal not excessive. Remeber this is life and death in some situations.


Also your duress code functions should be dealt with differently, possibly a seperate duress codes (you, wife, you+wife). The last thing you want is when you need the thing for it to alert the invader that you have no monitoring.

EDIT: Also cops/firefighters die every year responding to flase alarms so if you know one be glad you now have some of those hoops protecting them.

 

[technerd]

CollinR thanks again for the input.

I love uControl and am very glad to keep them - their customer service is still vastly superior to any other company in any other industry I have ever dealt with, plus they are constantly improving their state of the art technology. In an area as critical as home security having a solid company that backs up its service and products with superior customer service is key, and I have been fully satisfied in every interaction I have had with uControl since I became their customer, including today's interaction with them.

I wish other providers would step up and provide us more of the fancy controls and alerts and remote capabilities plus redundant lines of communication at a reasonable price. This industry moves far too slowly to my liking in response to new technology.

 

[Steve]

I agree it is good to have monitoring, especially for duress stuff as stated, but I don't agree with all those hoops, they sound excessive. ANYONE can get a false alarm for any reason at any time, and no amount of time spent in a stupid class is gonna prevent that. Most cities just start fining for multiple false alarms.

 

[technerd]

I agree it is good to have monitoring, especially for duress stuff as stated, but I don't agree with all those hoops, they sound excessive. ANYONE can get a false alarm for any reason at any time, and no amount of time spent in a stupid class is gonna prevent that. Most cities just start fining for multiple false alarms.

Hi Steve, thanks for your input.

I think in today's litigous society, cities have to protect themselves and shift the burden to alarm providers in the way of hoops, high annual permit fees, etc etc.

It's just a nature of our lawsuit happy society I guess, and we all end up paying the price one way or another.

I also think it's a political effort by some of the local alarm companies to enact an artificial "barrier" to limit competition from coming in from out of the state. They may have "bribed" local officials to pass some of the ordinance to help reduce competition.

You just never know with all the politicking these days...