Re: Monitoring Rates

["Robert L Bass" <RobertLBass@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"bit eimer" wrote:
>
> Is the monitoring cost variation due to:
>
> 1) attempt to recapture some portion of the initial cost the equipment base
> 2) higher average cost of maintaining that larger equipment base
> 3) assumption that the customer is willing to pay more (monthly) for
> higher-end system
> 4) something else

5. Greed.  It's a racket. :^)

Most honest alarm companies charge a flat fee for residential service.  There
may be an incremental cost for daily auto-test, a feature where the panel
calls the central station every day with an "I'm OK" signal, because that ties
up the receiver lines more, requiring more lines and more hardware for a given
number of accounts.  Other than that, very few companies charge extra for
additional zones.

A few companies charge an extra few dollars for fire monitoring although
there's no real justification for doing so since the major portion of signals
are burglary related -- not fire so there's no measurable incremental cost to
the company.  ADT used to (and perhaps still does) charge extra for fire.

For monitoring DIY alarm systems, consider 911Alarm.com (crude website but a
number of my DIY customers use them and say they do a good job) or
NextAlarm.com (slick website, lots of options, but feedback has been mixed).

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
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Customer Service 941-232-0791
Fax 941-870-3252
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