 antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
United State
kudos:4
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Physical Home Alarm Security System? Hello!
According to Google searches, it seems like FrontPointSecurity is better than ADT. Do you guys agree on this? Has anyone tried both for a house to see which one is better? Is it true that FrontPointSecurity doesn't have 24/7 support like ADT?
Thank you in advance. 
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Ant @ »antfarm.ma.cx and »aqfl.net. Please do not IM/e-mail me for technical support. Use the forum! Disclaimer: The views expressed in this posting are mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer |
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 alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC
kudos:1 | If they both call the police when the alarm is triggered, then really, I think it's all about the equipment and price.
It's possible that they don't have 24/7 support, but the odds of it being a problem are low, but possible.
I'm with Chubb Edwards (Canada) and they don't have 24/7 support and one Christmas day, my alarm was giving an error code and I couldn't arm it before leaving for the family event. I could have benefited from 24/7 support... but that's it. |
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| reply to antdude
Most people here would recommend that you go with a local alarm company. Big nationwide companies are overpriced and will nickle and dime you for everything. |
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 MsradellP.E.Premium
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| said by aannoonn :Most people here would recommend that you go with a local alarm company. Big nationwide companies are overpriced and will nickle and dime you for everything. My sentiments exactly. A small local alarm company is far superior to any of the national alarm companies in many ways. There's certainly no comparison. |
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 IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA
·Comcast
 ·Verizon Broadban..
| reply to antdude
I bought my alarm system from an online retailer, installed it myself, and had a local alarm contractor take over the monitoring. My alarm system is a DSC Alexor that I bought from www.homesecuritystore.com
www.safemart.com sells DIY alarm systems as well. You have to know how to install these things or you are better off calling a professional. Just stay away from the national companies as they have been known to have their alarms fail. One national company had an alarm fail during a home invasion that ended with a homicide.
Installing the panel/keypad/sensors is one part of installing alarms, programing them is the other and most important part. |
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 DaarkenRara AvisesPremium
join:2005-01-12
Southwest LA
kudos:3 | reply to antdude
As a person who works for a "local security company" I have to agree, you tend to get better rates and installation then through the big national accounts.
I really love those ADT Commercials, it makes those systems seem like magic.
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Getting it Done. |
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antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
United State
kudos:4 | reply to IowaCowboy
Yeah, my family wants to do professional installers instead of DIY. Obviously, good support. |
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alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC
kudos:1 | reply to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:One national company had an alarm fail during a home invasion that ended with a homicide. I dont know about typical national companies, but my alarm system was installed by ADT by the previous owners and Chubb took it over when I signed up with them through my insurance company.
The panel is a standard model which has a lot of parts and add-ons available on amazon. I don't see how a local company's alarm system is more robust than national companies. Especially when you are offered to pick from different models of different qualities. |
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| said by alkizmo:I don't see how a local company's alarm system is more robust than national companies. It's not more robust. It's the same equipment. But it's cheaper. And not only is the equipment cheaper, but you'll find that the monitoring is at least 33% cheaper. So you're saving at least 33% every month by going with a local alarm company. |
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| reply to Msradell
said by Msradell:said by aannoonn :Most people here would recommend that you go with a local alarm company. Big nationwide companies are overpriced and will nickle and dime you for everything. My sentiments exactly. A small local alarm company is far superior to any of the national alarm companies in many ways. There's certainly no comparison. the guy i moonlight with as a cable monkey doing alarms uses a local monitoring company, turns out they also handle one of the nationals, depending on which line rings they use a different phone greeting lol |
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| reply to aannoonn
said by aannoonn :said by alkizmo:I don't see how a local company's alarm system is more robust than national companies. It's not more robust. It's the same equipment. But it's cheaper. And not only is the equipment cheaper, but you'll find that the monitoring is at least 33% cheaper. So you're saving at least 33% every month by going with a local alarm company. i was surprised to see how some of the bigger companies will even get manufacturers to brand the hardware for them, some people assume its better because it has the nationals name on it. |
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DaarkenRara AvisesPremium
join:2005-01-12
Southwest LA
kudos:3 | Yeah our primary residential line is DSC, and many times our company has been hitup to have the keypads branded.
We basically refused because part of our policy is that the customer owns the system, and thus are allowed to drop our service without the hassel of having to have thier panel "locked" to us.
Our main monitoring company handles monitoring for over 50 clients and everytime they get a call in, the screen prompts them with the correct company name to respond with.
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Getting it Done. |
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antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
United State
kudos:4 Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to antdude
Protect America? Any personal opinions on Protect America and Time Warner Cable's home security systems compared to the others earlier? This is for a big one floor house with a family who don't want to build one.
Thank you in advance. |
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DaarkenRara AvisesPremium
join:2005-01-12
Southwest LA
kudos:3 | The posts provided in this thread still provide you with the answers you seek.
Both Protect America and TWC will nickle and dime you for everything, stick you on a contract and possibly even "lease" you the equipment.
Good Luck
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Getting it Done. |
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| reply to antdude
i obtained my Honewell VISTA 20P from ADT under a $200 early termination fee contract option. I recommend doing that. Then cancel the service after the first month and reprogram the VISTA system using an AD2USB board or Alpha keypad and use a local monitoring company. Youre out $200 but that more than covers buying the system on fleabay and installing it yourself. Make sure you haggle the ETF fee to $200 though -- some ADT residential contracts can ding you for as much as $1500 if you cancel. I haggled mine down through the ADT rep and got it in writing. Also you have to crack open the alarm box (ADT keeps the key). Use a thin bladed screwdriver to jimmy open the alarm box, hammer out the lock and replace it with a new lock. Also got the ADT stickers for all windows and doors and garden flag. |
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 Jack_in_VAPremium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA
kudos:1 | N/M |
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BobAccount deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey | reply to fluffybunny
Or you could just save yourself the trouble and have a local alarm company install the same (or better!) system for less money than ADT charges. |
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 49528867Premium
join:2010-04-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL
kudos:3 | reply to fluffybunny
said by fluffybunny :Make sure you haggle the ETF fee to $200 though -- some ADT residential contracts can ding you for as much as $1500 if you cancel. Seems kinda silly when one can buy a brand new basic Vista Attack Pack which includes the control panel, keypad, siren, battery and an RJ21x for $140 or vista 6160 Attack Pack which adds an upgraded keypad and a PIR for $230.
Wayne
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Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready… |
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antdudeA Ninja AntPremium,VIP
join:2001-03-25
United State
kudos:4 | reply to antdude
SSD Systems? How about SSD Systems? |
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