Re: ARE YOU REALLY BEING MONITORED? READ THIS

["Crash Gordon" <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sonic sounds like Paulie re-incarnate but on a different mission of
misinformation.


"Doug L" <vssdoug@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:IsidnbddDIDcvuDeRVn-jg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| That is not how it works,  the monitoring center doesn't dial into each
| customers home and wait for a signal, its the other way around, if a timer
| test is programmed into a panel at the customers premises, then the
control
| panel calls the monitoring center at preset intevals, if this test signal
is
| not received at the monitoring center then the monitoring station system
| will flag a no timer test and the appropriate action can be taken.
|
| Mastermind from MAS (General Electric) is but one of many software
packages
| used in the industry.
|
|
| Doug L
|
| --
|
| "Sonicduck" <jones1019@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
| news:1132272672.113574.41260@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| > One of the most interesting, yet disturbing things about monitored
| > security systems is their ability to tell whether your system is
| > actually online or not.  The method most companies do this, and most
| > security consultants do not bother to tell their prospects, is by an
| > "electronic bullet".  The electronic signal is sent from the monotoring
| > center and "dials into" each customer home, and waits for a signal
| > telling it that everything is working ok.
| >
| > This activity cannot be done all the time.  Realistically, it can only
| > be done efficiently once a month.  First, the companies performing this
| > "service" have to pay for all the long distance phone charges, the
| > postage for letters notifying those failing, that their system needs
| > service, and the humans performing these tasks, usually get paid by the
| > hour.  I knew the receptionist in our branch (ADT) was charged with
| > this task.  She used to tell me it was an impossible task.
| >
| > While working at ADT, I discovered through conversations with
| > installers and managers that they NO LONGER send this test signal.  I
| > had access to ADT's at home VPN, or remote access to their website and
| > database, through the internet.  I was shown an area on Mastermind, the
| > software used by most, if not all major security companies to track
| > everything from billing to service, to account, and alarm status
| > history.  The area I was shown detailed any service related issues.
| > One night, while learning the system, and using my town code, I
| > discovered about 14 of my recently installed customers were NOT being
| > monitored.  They had "error codes", when tested from the initial
| > install.  When I confronted my manager, and asked him why, he said,"ask
| > the install/service manager."  I asked him, and he just sighed, and
| > never really gave me an answer or promise to correct these issues.  I
| > feel like I must have opened a can of worms.  What this means to me, is
| > that many, many customers are out there, that are paying for moitoring,
| > but are not even online to the monitoring center.  They won't know
| > unless their alarm goes off, and no one calls.
| >
| > In Bell South from Protection One's defense, and Brinks, to the best of
| > my knowledge, both companies are still sending the bullets monthly.
| > ADT is not.  It was simply too expensive for a company with 5 million
| > customers to do it once each month.  Is this ILLEGAL?  To NOT send a
| > signal and still charge you?  The short answer is no.  They covered
| > their butts by their agreements, or contracts.  In that little, small
| > type that every sales rep. tries to "blow by you", they state that "IT
| > IS THE CUSTOMERS RESPONSIBILITY TO CALL THE MONITORING CENTER WEEKLY"
| > to make sure they are active.  Most rep.'s will tell you to do whatever
| > is comfortable, whether a weekly call, or a monthly call.  Any SALES
| > REP worth his or her salt, if he/she REALLY cares about your safety,
| > WILL tell you to make those calls.  It is the ONLY way you will know
| > for sure.
| >
| > If you don't do this simple task, and remind yourself to do it, you
| > risk having a serious emergency event, with no response, at your
| > residence.  Almost as bad, in the long run, short of having a non
| > responsive emergency event, you will be paying for a service you are
| > NOT receiving.
| >
| > Don't be misled.  Be safe!  If you have any questions, please do not
| > hesitate to e-mail me.
| >
|
|