Re: Home Alarm and Vonage

["Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

Mike wrote:
> I recently switched to Vonage and for awhile my home alarm system could
> not dial the monitoring station to check in, when I lost my local phone
> service.  I recently isolated the home phone lines and can use them as
> before with multiple phones, but the home alarm still cannot call out.
> I've read a few ideas as to a solution :
>
> 1) Re-program the alam to append a '#' at the end of the number it
> calls.  Assuming I can reprogram it at all.
> 2) Some complicated rewiring to directly connect the Vonage router to
> the phone lines.
> 3) Ask my monitoring company to try to fix it, for a heft price.
> 4) Drop the monitoring
>
> Anyone had success ?

As you can see the answers to your question vary. That's because there
is no guarantee that what works today on VoIP will work tomorrow. The
Cable company, over time, will likely "manipulate" their protocols to
accomodate new technologies or to tweek bandwidth. In doing so, these
changes will be transparent to voice users. However, there's no way to
predict how it will affect the transmission of signals by your alarm
system. Stick with Pots, or get a cellular or some kind of radio backup
system if you don't.


New Subject:
 I'm a very handy guy. Other than alarm systems, home audio, and other
technical expertise, I can fix refrigerators, air conditioners,
washers, driers, oil burners, do home electrical repair and
installation, along with semi major home construction/modification.
Also, small engine and marine engine repair and rebuilding. 30 years
ago, I built my own kitchen cabinets from scratch. I recently renovated
my kitchen again, Called the cabinet guy in. Paid a lot, but got the
best job for the money.

When I don't have the time to explore or I think it's not worth the
effort ...... I call the expert. Granted, I'm not the easiest customer
to work for, but ...... If the guy knows his stuff, it's a piece of
cake.

My question is ........Why would you begrudge paying your alarm company
to come in and help you solve a problem? I can't imagine how "hefty" a
price they could conjure up, to make you not want to take advantage of
their knowledge and/or experience. Exactly how much did they tell you
it was going to cost to fix your problem? You obviously don't know the
answer to your problem and you're trying to find out ..... that I can
understand. But you just sounded like you were motivated to seek
information elsewhere, because there was going to be some outlandish
cost involved and that the alarm company was going to rip you off for
asking to get paid to help you with a problem.

Also, if they did come over and didn't solve the problem, how much
would you/they expect payment to be?

If I don't get results, when people work for me, they don't get paid.
Just the same as when I provide service to my clients, If I don't get
it right the first time, I keep going back until it's fixed ..... no
labor charge, only cost of equipment. If I ever couldn't fix something,
I'd give them a refund for what they'd already paid me.

Just curious.