Re: Next Alarm

["Armond Perretta" <newsgroupreader@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jen...tel wrote:
> I dealt with Nextalarm in NV for some time.  They have no idea what
> your alarm does.  You can tell them item point 1 is a motion when it's
> a door.  You can tell them number 2 is a door, but it's a glass
> sensor. Point 3 is a motion when it's a window in the out-house.
> They have the worst record for mislabeling alarms, police show up
> because someone said the neck panic went off when it was just a
> motion outside set off by the cat.  They don't see the alarm and
> depend on the customer to tell them what it is.  I know one house
> being monitored that the home owner has half the points jumped
> bacause they still haven't ran the wires.   It's a joke.  Nextalarm =
> Next time get a real company!

I have been using NextAlarm since Jan 05, and so far no problems.  However I
don't think this kind of service is for the inexperienced alarm system
owner.  It's probably better suited for a DIY individual willing to invest
the time to really study the manuals and get involved.  In general there is
some programming involved (unless you let them download the panel which I
would _not_care to do), and as mentioned above, the data one provides (i.e.,
zone descriptors, etc.) determines to a large extent the accuracy of the
monitoring service's response to an event.

For the price, and from a convenience point of view, I don't think an
experienced owner could go too far wrong with NextAlarm.  However they will
_not_ show up at your residence at 0200 to check out the system, and in
general they will _not_ provide all the services that a local, experienced,
and well-regarded service is able to provide.  An owner has to learn a
little "alarm-speak" and should have a bit of background in low voltage
wiring, etc.

I have a fairly new home that was hard-wired for all perimeter openings by
the builder's electrical sub, but I chose to go "bare bones" otherwise.
Later I set up additional modules and services and programmed my own system
(somewhat painfully and with a few mis-steps) over a period of time.  At
this writing I know as much about it as just about anyone.  This doesn't
necessarily mean I will solve the next problem as well or as quickly as a
professional doing this type of thing day-in and day-oat.  But for someone
like me (and probably the OP), NextAlarm will do the job and do it at a low
price.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare