How can I get rid of my security alarm monitoring company?

[Ghetto Wash]

I don't have phone or internet at the carwashes and not interested in adding them just for alarm monitoring.

Right now the alarm is monitored by an alarm company using cellular technology.

Is there a way to just have a system call or text my cell (preferably with a zone number) instead of going through an alarm company? I've seen systems that will do this, but they require a phone line.

 

[mjwalsh]

I don't have phone or internet at the carwashes and not interested in adding them just for alarm monitoring.

Right now the alarm is monitored by an alarm company using cellular technology.

Is there a way to just have a system call or text my cell (preferably with a zone number) instead of going through an alarm company? I've seen systems that will do this, but they require a phone line.

Ghetto,

http://www.phonelabs.com/prd05.asp

I don't have any first hand experience with them but but they really should be adaptable to those system you are referring to that require a POTS land line.

mike

 

[MEP001]

Right now the alarm is monitored by an alarm company using cellular technology.

What are you paying for the monitored alarm now?

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I'm paying $25 per month per location.

As I understand it, I can use the device Mike pointed out and just get a cheap "pay as you go" cell phone to dock with it. If the cell phone costs less than $25 a month I come out ahead (not counting upfront costs).

Am I missing something?

I'll start pricing cheap cell service to see if this is viable.

 

[MEP001]

I've had a Tracfone "pay as you go" cell phone. It cost $10 and came with 60 minutes usage and 90 days of activation. After the 90 days, purchasing 60 minutes extended the phone activation for another year, so basically you get cell phone service for a year for $10 as long as you don't use the minutes up.

I researched and found a few monitored alarms that run on a cellular signal for $15 a month plus an up-front hardware purchase of about $200.

 

[bigleo48]

I'm paying $25 per month per location.

As I understand it, I can use the device Mike pointed out and just get a cheap "pay as you go" cell phone to dock with it. If the cell phone costs less than $25 a month I come out ahead (not counting upfront costs).

Am I missing something?

I'll start pricing cheap cell service to see if this is viable.

Yes...monitoring. My change machines and IBA entry system alarm points are direct calls to the police.

You would also need to test these devices to ensure they would carry modem traffic over cellular (Async Data). Unless you just want the call and not know why the system is calling. Cellular systems use voice-coders (CODEC) that compress and are made for natural voice. Modem traffic uses various kinds of tones (at those speeds, Pulse Amplitude Modulation). This is not natural voice and so the CODECs have trouble with this. In the past you use to be able to precede your number with *DATA that turned off the codecs. I believe that is no longer in use since you would just use the data services now (hence the death of landline modems).

AT $25/mth with cellular monitoring, the potential cash savings seem insignificant.

 

[pitzerwm]

I don't think that you could just "replace" their cell phone with a Pay As U Go, as what is in there now is a "chip/board" not an actual phone.

 

[MEP001]

I don't think that you could just "replace" their cell phone with a Pay As U Go, as what is in there now is a "chip/board" not an actual phone.

No, you'd have to replace the alarm with one that has a modem.

 

[mac]

I had a monitoring system but discontinued it after I realized that a loud alarm will scare the crooks off and a neighbor usually called the cops.

 

[travler]

How can I get rid of my security alarm monitoring company

if you have a computer you can buy a magic jack its $19.00 a year but the
tracfone is also a good idear.

 

[pitzerwm]

Majicjack, doesn't do tones real good, so if sending audio tones, it can shut it down, will not work using it on a landline to report to a central station.

 

[Tom Lee]

Check out alarmrelay.com

It's $8.95 per month.