Alarm System Problems
AlanB:
Quote from: SteveInWA on May 02, 2014, 07:17:36 pm
So, yes, please do let us know what you decided. Were you able to break your contract with ADT?
Steve. Yes, a little off topic, but getting an alarm system working through an Obi is related and of interest.
I don't have a contract with ADT. Maybe I'm luckier than I realized. I signed up through my insurance company over 12 years ago. I think it was a two year commitment. At the time my insurance discount was more than my ADT bill, although that's no longer the case (not because ADT went up much but the discount went down). My ADT price has only increased once in 12 years. So, I don't have the issue of breaking contract.
I also fortunately have the ADT installers code. I was able to enter the system and play around. I did that some before signing up for NextAlarm by having the system automatically call a different SP for outgoing call.
I haven't cancelled yet, so I can't promise that ADT won't try something, but since they currently can't really even communicate directly with my system, there's really no way they can (without some NSA type tatics).
For NextAlarm I first checked their website to see if my system was compatible, it was. But, I decided to call NextAlarm to ask the question anyway, under the theory that if I couldn't get good help before I was a customer, I certainly wouldn't get it once I was a customer. My call was answered very quickly (I don't recall exactly how long, I think it was about 15 seconds). The representative was very helpful and verified that my system would work, asked whether I knew the installer code, and some other questions. I verified that my smoke alarm which is part of the system would also work.
Setting up the NextAlarm account was easy. You can do it before or after hooking up the ethernet adapter (it's not even required, you can have your system call NextAlarm, but of course I'm trying to avoid the whole VOIP thing for the alarm system). I bought and hooked up the adapter first. Following the instructions, I was able to verify that my alarm system could communicate with the NextAlarm system, so I then created my account.
NextAlarm wants the basic info such as name, address, passcode, alternate contacts, etc. They also have me enter each zone, and an optional description of each zone. I entered the description as it makes it more clear which alarm went off. You also enter whether each zone should be police, fire, ambulance, etc.
NextAlarm also has you provide the local emergency number (not 911). I simply called my local police department and asked them what emergency dispatch number and alarm service company should call. I did that after I set up my account, but I emailed them the information and they added it to my profile. Once my account was completely set up after a couple of days, I see where I could have added that info myself.
I can easily put the system in test mode, just like with ADT, so I can test the system and verify that NextAlarm got the signals.
If you alarm system supports it, they off the ability to arm/disarm remotely (mine does not support that).
Also, if you system is programmed to report every disarm, you can set up NextAlarm to notify you if it's not disarmed at a certain time. This is for "latch key kids", so you know if they didn't arrive home by a certain time. I did not set up this feature.
The other day, my power went out and I got an e-mail from NextAlarm stating that they had lost contact with my alarm system. After the power came back on, I got another email stating that the connection was re-established. My alarm system has a battery of course, so if I put my adapter, modem, and router on a UPS system, I could survive a power outage for a few hours or so.
I have not tested an actual emergency (ie system not in test mode), so of course I don't know how well they actually respond.
I also only paid for one month of monitoring. They offer discounts to prepay more than one month.
I'll probably drop ADT like I originally planned because I do get sick and tired of all the e-mails and postcards wanting me to upgrade to the Pulse system. I'm not a big fan of companies that I do business with spending tons on advertising on current customers.
SteveInWA:
Alan, great information! Thanks for the write-up.
I agree on the endless "upselling" ADT does. The whole alarm industry is based on the "annuity revenue stream" concept, and whatever they can do to double a customer's monthly fee just doubles their annuity stream.
I've got the code for my panel, too (I "social engineered" the installer into it, along with the complete installer's guide, since I was programming in X-10 power-line modules at the time). So, this is all good food for thought.
RobertThompson:
Hello:
Steve at http://voip2go.net/adt.html has given me advice concerning my ADT alarm system over VoIP.
He said that it was OK to post his email address so, here it is: steve@voip2go.net
Steve specializes in alarms over VoIP.
Everton:
Trev, who sells OBi ATAs in Canada and VOIP Provider, stated some time ago that he has identified a set of OBi settings for sending reliable Alarm Signals via VOIP/OBi. I think he is a registered user of this forum and actively participate on the dslreports Forum.
However, if you have a Ademco or DSC Alarm System, a better approach would be to use the $99.00 Envisalink 3 which is connected directly to your router and you get all the alerts you need for free, plus arming and disarming your system remotely via Mobile phone or PC. You can get monitoring your Alarm relay for roughly $9.00 per month in the US or through Eyez-on Full Service Monitoring. Using the EnvisaLink 3, the signals are sent almost instantly via the broadband service (no VOIP).
http://forum.eyez-on.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=207&sid=1d52c1758584449abcb59f0fe5418bde
http://www.eyezon.com/?page_id=176
ibotalk:
At two addresses I had ADT and Monitronics via cellular and landline respectively. They worked ok as far as I knew--- both systems provided little (no) feedback as to how things were working. But they were both expensive. So I switched to Nextalarm via a wifi adaptor at one address and Alarmrelay via a powerline at the other. They are both low cost (about 1/4 to 1/3 of the original monthly cost). They both have web sites that allow endless tweaking. They both can be set up to send emails for routine and non-routine events (like alarm being set or disarmed). Both send out routine daily (or more often) signals to testing the line - the result of which can be emailed. Occaisionally, the internet goes offline--- I get emails and/or phone calls alerting me to this --- within any specified time period.
Offline internet is the reason often quoted not to use VOIP for alarm systems. This makes little sense to me. My internet/VOIP is down less that 1% of the time. Burglars would have to have exquisite timing to take advantage of this. Or cut my internet connection... or...... Implicit in this rationale not use VOIP is the idea that alarm systems can provide perfect protection. That's silly.
I am very happy with both. Lower cost, more feedback, better service (typically by phone), more control.......
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