Re: IS this overkill

["Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

TheAberdeenKid@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 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.

You are the one that has to decide if it's "worth it" or not. In my
opinion "hardning" the line had better be pretty darn hard, where I
live. Take a look at you telephone service and telephone box on the
outside of your home. Do you have overhead service our underground? If
overhead, in my opinion, any kind "hardning" that's ever been suggested
in this group wouldn't work here. If someone wanted to eliminate the
telephone line in pipe all that's needed is a good size axe or wrap a
rope around the pipe and pull it right off the side of the house. Or
....Throw a rope up over the wire coming from the telephone pole and
pull it down. Climb up the pole and cut it. Go down the street to the
telephone pole with the junction box and cut every wire in the
neighborhood. The real question is ........ how far do you think
someone will go to get into your house?

If you've got underground telephone service to your home, and if you
have a basement, you can route the telephone wire through your
foundation below the ground level and keep your connections in the
basement. This could cause your telephone company some grief, but
usually not. Worse case is you'd have to make sure you were home if you
ever needed any telephone service to allow them access.

If no underground telephone service, I'd go with some sort of back up
transmitting device. It's going to have to be what ever is in use and
popular with the alarm installation companies in your area. As far as I
know, the wireless service providers won't do business directly with
the end user. But that may vary in different areas.