Re: ARE YOU REALLY BEING MONITORED? READ THIS

["Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Devin" <youdontneedit@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:rO9ff.40$kZ3.21@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Well thats why we use a daily test signal from all our panels. It costs us
nothing to do.

1000 accounts-1 signal per day-31 days a month=31,000 messages a month. Are
they dialing your 800 number? If so, how does this equate to *no costs*? Are
you charging for daily tests? Lets take the bigs. Do the math. 5 millionX31
days=155 million signals in a month, nice phone bill and not very realistic.
>
>
> Sonicduck wrote:
> > 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.
> >