What is Wholesale Alarm Monitoring?
Wholesale alarm monitoring describes the purchase of monitoring services by an alarm company from a monitoring station in order to resell those services to their own customers.
Should I Monitor my Own Alarm System?
There’s no question, self-monitoring your own DIY alarm saves you the monitoring costs but it leaves you vulnerable. A professional, UL Listed monitoring station never sleeps, runs out of cell battery, goes out of cell coverage, or has to pull out their cell phone while driving to determine the status of their alarm system and respond. We recommend that every user also has their smoke detectors monitored so that they have security and fire safety protection 24/7 that doesn’t hinge on one or two people. In addition to security and peace of mind, a professionally monitored system can provide a home insurance discount.
What is PERS Monitoring?
PERS stands for Personal Emergency Response System which is an electronic device designed to allow a user to alert a monitoring station that they need medical help. In most cases, it involves a pendant or other device worn by the user and the ability to communicate hands-free with monitoring station personnel.
What is a GSM Alarm Communicator?
This is a device that allows an alarm system to communicate over the cellular network. It bypasses the traditional phone and internet communicator vulnerability to line cut and power loss. In some cases, these devices are designed to be used with specific manufacturers alarm systems. Others, such as a dial capture communicator, will work with any alarm system that would typically utilize a phone line to communicate. These devices require a GSM alarm communication service which incurs an additional monthly fee.
What is GSM Alarm Communication Service?
These are companies that purchase cellular service from major providers like AT&T & Verizon and resell that service alongside the GSM alarm communicator that they or a parent company manufactures and sells. They may also offer additional interactive features such as remote alarm arm/disarm and camera viewing as well as lock and thermostat
control.
A few examples of alarm communication services would be M2M, Alarmnet, Connect24, Telguard, SecureNet, and Alarm.com
What is a Dial Capture Alarm Communicator?
A dial capture alarm communicator interfaces with the alarm system via the tip and ring terminals allowing the alarm system to communicate wirelessly or, in some cases, over IP even when designed to communicate over a physical phone line.
Should I Use a GSM Alarm Communicator?
For most users, the answer is yes. It’s a cost-effective way to improve the security of an alarm system’s ability to communicate alarm events off-site. In some cases, it will save the customer money if they are able to cancel their traditional home phone line. In addition, the option for interactive services is a good way to increase revenue while adding value to the user.
Should I Use an IP Alarm Communicator?
In general, an IP alarm communicator has the same line cut vulnerability as a phone line but doesn’t require the fees associated with a GSM alarm communication service. Since it relies on the user’s network equipment and infrastructure, it has an additional vulnerability that doesn’t exist with GSM alarm communicators. In residential installs, it’s virtually never a good idea as the user is unlikely to install and properly maintain backup power on their network devices. Even in commercial installs, the additional headache of dealing with IT personnel and issues can mean a GSM communicator still makes more sense.
What is M2M?
M2M is a GSM alarm communication service that primarily utilizes dial capture communicators. They are the most cost-effective provider available and include interactive features like remote arm/disarm at no additional cost.
What is Connect24?
Connect24 is a GSM alarm communication service that primarily supports DSC alarm systems.
What is Alarmnet?
Alarmnet is a GSM alarm communication service that primarily supports Honeywell alarm systems.
https://www.security.honeywellhome.com/solutions-and-services/alarmnet-services
What is Alarm.com?
Alarm.com is a GSM alarm communication service that integrates with several different manufacturer’s equipments. They are a leader in developing new interactive services and hardware integration.
What is Telguard?
Telguard is a GSM alarm communication service that primarily utilizes dial capture communicators.
What is SecureNet?
Securenet is a GSM alarm communication service with a focus on smart home and IoT solutions.
What is an AES Alarm Communicator?
AES is a wireless alarm communicator that utilizes short wave radio rather than a cellular service to communicate alarm events. This can be a good long-term solution as it’s independent of cellular technology sunsets such as the upcoming 3G sunset.
What’s the Difference Between POTS and SIP for alarms?
POTS is the original telephone network and is being replaced by SIP technology for voice communication. Alarms communicate data via sound over the phone line but the integrity of that data is vulnerable to quality and timing issues introduced when a connection switches back and forth between POTS and SIP based technology. The solution that’s worked for our phone line based alarm communications involves intercepting the connection early on SIP and maintaining a quality SIP codec and provider throughout the path.
What’s the Difference Between True SMS and Email to SMS Messaging?
Most cell providers allow you to send a text message by sending them an email. For example, if you want to text a Verizon customer you would send an email to 9995551234@vtext.com and they would send that on as a text message to 999-555-1234 This requires that you know the carrier for that specific phone number in order to work. True SMS involves paying a service to determine the carrier and send the text to the number provided. These services charge based on a data plan and usage which means a variable and sometimes unpredictable cost.
Why pay other companies for your wholesale monitoring? You can be an owner of your own central monitoring station, call or email today.