Re: Computer virus??? READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

[Nick Lawrence <nlaw@xxxxxxx>]

AlarmNews.com "The on-line public service source of real news from the
alarm industry."


Unlicensed Alarm Company News:
The California Alarm Association (CAA), a chartered state association of
the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), from July 2005
through October 2006, has failed and refused to investigate or to
sanction its unlicensed alarm company member.

The CAA could have issued a warning to, or suspended, or expelled, the
unlicensed alarm company member. Despite conclusive proof from the State
of CA license agencies, that one "large company" member company was,
from 2000 until late 2005, unlicensed to engage in the burglar and fire
alarm business in CA, the CAA Board of Directors chose to not even open
an investigation into the matter, according to CAA President Jon Sargent
(ADT). Complete details are available from AlarmNews upon request.

Bay Alarm Company, of Pacheco CA, CAA Large Company member, has not
issued any public statement on the allegations and findings, nor has it
yet apologized for its part in the matter.


Class Action Lawsuit:
A purported Class Action lawsuit was filed, in March 1998, in Alameda
County CA Superior Court, against Bay Alarm Company of Walnut Creek CA.
The lawsuit generally alleged that Bay Alarm Company used
"local-programming lockout", a feature of several brands of alarms, to
deny certain of its residential subscribers access to the security alarm
systems they purchased from Bay Alarm Company.

"Local-programming lockout", sometimes referred to as a "computer
virus", is a programming option available to dealer-installers found in
several brands of security alarm systems (including Ademco, FBI, First
Alert, Honeywell, Napco, and others) and which can be used to prevent
subscribers from accessing the "programming mode" of their security
alarm system, and thereby from selecting a competitive vendor for repair
or monitoring services.

One of the actual "locked out" security alarm system panels, made by
FBI, has been examined by AlarmNews.

In answering the complaint, Bay Alarm Company, now named Balco Holdings
Inc, denied any wrongdoing. Bay Alarm Company's attorneys stated, in
2005, that "the lawsuit was not a consumer class action, but rather a
purported class action" and "the lawsuit was settled in mid-1999 without
Bay Alarm admitting any wrongdoing and without a class being certified".

In his "Legal Tips" column published in the February 1999 "Security
Sales" magazine, while not commenting specifically about this suit,
leading industry attorney Jeff Gorelick offers these words: "My advice
is not to use lockout codes as a method of preventing customer attrition".


California Alarm Association Mission Statement:
(Excerpt) "To Provide a Vehicle to Promote Growth and Professionalism
within the Alarm Industry throughout the State of California. The
California Alarm Association is a state trade association comprised of
licensed alarm company operators and suppliers of products and
services." (SEE ARTICLE ABOVE)


Frank Olson wrote:
 > "Local-programming lockout", sometimes referred to as a "computer
virus", is a programming option available to dealer-installers found in
several brands of security alarm systems (including Ademco, FBI, First
Alert, Honeywell, Napco, and others) and which can be used to prevent
subscribers from accessing the "programming mode" of their security
alarm system, and thereby from selecting a competitive vendor for repair
or monitoring services.
 >
 > http://911.com/alarmnews.html
 >
 >
 >
 > Oh... PLEASE!  Don't tell me someone actually *believes* this?


Frank Olson wrote:
> "Local-programming lockout", sometimes referred to as a "computer
> virus", is a programming option available to dealer-installers found in
> several brands of security alarm systems (including Ademco, FBI, First
> Alert, Honeywell, Napco, and others) and which can be used to prevent
> subscribers from accessing the "programming mode" of their security
> alarm system, and thereby from selecting a competitive vendor for repair
> or monitoring services.
>
> http://911.com/alarmnews.html
>
>
>
> Oh... PLEASE!  Don't tell me someone actually *believes* this?