Monitored Alarm systems/Companies

[kckndrgn]

Looking for recommendations for home alarm systems.  Just moved to a new home (well new to us) in Fayette County and the wife wants an alarm system for the home.  I know ADT is popular, but I was looking for alternatives.

 

TIA

[Slappy]

Simply Safe is fantastic and inexpensive/no contracts.

[xsubsailor]

 I can't praise Simpi safe enough. Quick, easy DIY setup with wireless monitoring. ($14.99/month)

 

BTW, congratulations on escaping Shelby County.

Edited December 30, 2015 by xsubsailor

[MP5_Rizzo]

Being a middle Tennessee resident I'm know not familiar with your options in the east of Memphis area. Speaking as a former long term ADT customer, I will never recommend them to anyone.

[Smith]

I went with simply safe just to try out and couldn't be happier. When I compare the cost, I don't know why anyone would pay so much more.

[kckndrgn]

Well, def going go to be checking out simply safe!

 

Thanks for the info.

 

And for the record, from the time my wife said "we're moving" to moving day, was exactly 3 months! Took us just under 2 months to get the house ready, then just over a month from contract to closing.  Had a contract on our house within 24hrs of listing it!

[runco]

Isn't there a phone app or some other method of when the sensors go off, it alerts you instead of paying somebody.  Really, what value add is a security company.............minimum wage computer operator @ ABC security ==> uh sensor at phone number xyz is going off, let me see that is located in x county, call 911 in x county and inform them of a alarm going off.  That will be $30 a month! 

[Sam1]

Screw simplisafe.

I may have posted it on here before, but the short version is:

We had them in our apartment in brentwood. Bought a house, moved out a month early but left the alarm there to protect from vandals until the lease was up.

Went back after a few weeks just to check and our door was unlocked. Maintenance had waltzed in, the door sensor didn't go off and the motion sensor didn't go off. The alarm was still armed. The base station lost connection, when I called dispatch they said it lost contact about a week prior.

They never thought to contact us when it lost connection? Even a week into the outage.

Biggest POS alarm system ever. You may save a few dollars, but are you willing to risk your safety for it? If so I may still have a few sensors and a base station from them you can have for free cause I wouldn't put that junk on an empty shed.

We use ACE alarms now and couldn't be happier. From the time our glass break sensor went off until they called for the code word was less than 30 seconds. (Was false alarm luckily)

[bud]

.

Edited January 6, 2016 by bud

[Sam1]

Ours is $14.99/month through cell monitoring.   Think that's the same price NCA charges, it does have to be monitored for the homeowners discount of 10%, and that savings pays almost the entire monitoring cost.

[Erik88]

We have Lifeshield but I would NOT recommend them. We pay $34.99/month.

[bubbadavis]

I recently switched to NCA. So far, they have exceeded expectations. 

[johnwilliams5721]

I have used NCA for years on both my previous and current houses. Good response times when the system has been tripped in the past (typically by me, once by a break-in). $15/mo with cell monitoring. No contract. The upfront cost is greater because you buy the system outright but the system. Good customer support. I had a low battery once that was causing odd behavior. They put me on the phone with a tech who walked me through figuring out it was a battery. He walked me through changing a setting so it will be more apparent next time. I have been very happy with them. However, I'm not sure NCA operates in your area since they have a small territory.

[kckndrgn]

Thanks all,

 

NCA does not offer services in my area :(   I did get a letter in the mail yesterday from a local company (Fayette Fire and Alarm I think) so I will contact them for pricing.  Still looking at simply safe but haven't made any decisions yet.

[Sam1]

YMMV but with God as my witness I wouldn't trust simplisafe to protect an empty shed. People may say the same thing about the company I use now too, or NCA.

I would recommend doing some research online and get feedback from people that use alarms that have had actual intrusions or failures, and not rely on feedback from people who have installed one and never faced any threats or failures.

[Patton]

I use a small, locally owned service offered by a member here and I couldn't be happier. I could write a book on the horror stories I have witnessed and heard from ADT over the years while working in law enforcement. My grandfather retired from ADT is what really hurts, but it is an entirely different company now. All that matters to them is the dollars; they do not care if you are happy or safe.

[brat]

Another happy ACE, now Interactive Systems, customer. Have had them 7 years now. Recently upgraded to cellular service. Was happy with landline as well. Quick response to alarm activation.