Re: IS this overkill

["R.H.Campbell" <rh.campbell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That depends ! If the phone line can be armoured properly ( I do it all the
time...), that may well be enough to guard the line. Sometimes it can be
quite difficult depending upon 1- where the line is in relation to the
electrical stack...and 2- how much is actually exposed outside ie: an old
style drop from a pole, down the side of the house and into the basement can
be impossible to secure properly. However, depending upon your level of
concern, you may want to opt for one of the cellular backup devices (and
resultant extra monthly communication costs). A professional can tell you
what you need; it's up to you to tell him what you want after discussing the
varioius options available.

Nothing in security is ever 100% effective. You're strictly playing the odds
! Anyone who tells you differently is either a liar or a fool !!! Someone
can always get around just about anything if they really want to make the
effort. Luckily for us, most thieves are neither very ambitious or very
clever, and won't go to much effort to get in. However, what you have to ask
yourself is whether the extra effort and costs is worth it for you in YOUR
SITUATION. For example, in our area, kids rarely cut phone wires simply
because the nature of residential robberies in our area is simply
"opportunistic". They ring the doorbell, and if no one answers, they kick
the door in !! They don't plan to get into a particular house; it just
presents an immediate opportunity that they seize upon !

But some major cities in Canada, such as Toronto and Montreal, it is
becoming more common to cut phone lines. This was helped along nicely by one
of the large alarmco's in Toronto (Alarmforce) advertising their solution
for this so called "problem" with conventional alarms (so much for caring
about things other than the bottom line...).

Personally, I have gone to an Uplink cellular backup solution for those that
need it or want it. There are several others as well. But phone line
armouring works well when it fits the situation.....

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com


<TheAberdeenKid@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1115050757.158032.86760@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>I just would like some opinions. I am a paranoid person by nature and I
> am always worried that the phoned line will be cut and hence the CMS
> will not get the alarm call. I was going to buy radio backup from
> Robert Bass but he said it was probably a bit of overkill. He told me
> that the radio backup itself would be a few hundred bucks and then my
> CMS would then charge me another 10 or 20 bucks a month on top of my
> basic charge to monitor the radio backup. He suggested instead to get a
> hardened case and pipe for the phone box and wire that lead into the
> house. Since Mr Bass has not steered my wrong yet I didn't buy the
> radio backup but I am curious what others may think.
>
> Do I need a radio backup or is it overkill?
> Is the hardened box enough?
>
> Thanks for the replies.
>