Security System Monitors (Sarasota: house, cost, centers)

[MrPeterkin]

Not sure what company I want to go with, but I do know I want a system by August, especially when I leave my girls at home while at work. What is everyone using to monitor their homes, who would you stay away from?

[ilikepizza]

I've used ADT for years. They try to sell you the monitoring for $45/month but you can talk them down to $33/month. If you are a USAA member then you never have to pay for the techs otherwise its an outrageous hourly charge if you need them to come out. Also USAA members never have to wait more than a day for a tech to come out.

[EngGirl]

Google "security monitoring service" and contact couple places. Most likely you will be refering to the same call center even though names my be different. If you have the system and only need monitoring, it would cost you $8-10 per house (for landline and $12-20 if you have no landline). Best thing about it there are no hidden fees and there is NO contract at all!
All major security companies outsource monitoring services to call centers out of state anyways, but charge you more for service.
Never had any problems with call center.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by ilikepizza

I've used ADT for years. They try to sell you the monitoring for $45/month but you can talk them down to $33/month. If you are a USAA member then you never have to pay for the techs otherwise its an outrageous hourly charge if you need them to come out. Also USAA members never have to wait more than a day for a tech to come out.

Dang, I always forget to use my USAA card.

[Sunscape]

Didn't know there was any advantage to being an USAA member....Good to know!
We have this EMG company which works out of Sarasota, but it works out just fine for us.

[karen5005]

I use simplisafe... It is actually purchased online and very easy to install. If you move, you take it. My complete reporting system that includes fire cost about 350.00 (Bought it 3 years ago). Moved it with me. Just made a phone call to change location. The monthly monitoring is $14.00 a month. No contract. It works great! Can go online and check the status of my system. The system has paid for itself with the 14.00 a month for monitoring.

[Restrain]

A quick comment on monitoring and response. As an appraiser and RE agent, a common problem is the alarm left on when it is supposed to be off. Average response time is over 20 minutes for the police. Have even had times when the police never come.

I would recommend Simply Safe or similar as monitoring is less than ADT, and the system can call your cell phone as well. Your response is much more likely to et a quick response than a security company alarm.

[EngGirl]

The procedure for all monitoring centers is the same. The matter of fact ADT outsource their monitoring services to these "online" companies.
Response time by police is not something ANY monitoring company can control.

[ApolloBeachRetiree]

Originally Posted by EngGirl

The procedure for all monitoring centers is the same. The matter of fact ADT outsource their monitoring services to these "online" companies.
Response time by police is not something ANY monitoring company can control.

I had ADT many years ago and was unimpressed. We use Dynamark here and they use CMA (?) for monitoring. They usually call us within five minutes or so which I consider slow. We had a small company in Atlanta and they did their own monitoring - very inexpensive and they would call within 30 seconds of an alarm.

[EngGirl]

Originally Posted by ApolloBeachRetiree

I had ADT many years ago and was unimpressed. We use Dynamark here and they use CMA (?) for monitoring. They usually call us within five minutes or so which I consider slow. We had a small company in Atlanta and they did their own monitoring - very inexpensive and they would call within 30 seconds of an alarm.

No days everything is electronic and the company we deal with right now has a setting when system goes off we receive an automated call to inform us. I never tested the time, but it was fast. However it's not something that can affect cops be there earlier.