Re: avoiding being "locked out"

["Stanley Barthfarkle" <sbarth@xxxxxxxxx>]

There are several reasons why it's in a monitoring company's best interest
to "lock out" a panel- mostly having to do with keeping installer codes
secret, (which might be used in more than one customer's panel) and keeping
account numbers and central station phone line numbers private. With this
info, someone could disrupt monitoring for one or even many accounts, or
create a "runaway" phantom alarm panel to keep the police from responding
after several false alarms.

Some also do it to make it more difficult and expensive for another company
to "take over" an account.


<powercat@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1124629286.071477.270930@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Greetings I know a commercial alarm system installer who moonlights on
> residential set-ups.  Basically I do the unpleasant part (running the
> wiring) and he does the programming and is paid appropriately for that
> task.  What he does not do is sell alarm monitoring to avoid a conflict
> with his "real" employer.
>
> This all sounds very fair to me.  He does say "pick an alarm monitoring
> company that won't "lock out" your panel and prevent you from switching
> later".
>
> In short how do you know if a company is engaged in that practice
> (obviously I can ask).  This sounds very shady to me especially if I
> own the equipment.
>
> Thanks for any comments.
>