Help after break-in Brinks system

Think about what you are saying. If someone cuts your phone lines, can you still make phone calls? 90% of consumer home alarm systems work with POTS ( Plain Old Telephone Service Lines). There are modules you can buy that monitor the lines locally, but all they can do is sound the local alarm if the line is cut or goes dead. It sounds like you might have had one of these.

Many sensitive commercial establishments (banks and jewelry stores) have dedicated phone lines to a local monitoring service. These are expensive, but the service gets a "trouble" indication if the line is cut and they can act according to pre-programmed instructions.

A radio frequency backup would be a good option but its cost should not be based on the number of keypads. It has nothing to do with the number of keypads.

Beachcomber

why would you think you would get a break on the price? does the elec, phone, cable co. or even the car dealership where you bought your car 10 years ago give you a break for being a long time customer?? just because you pay your bill on time does not entitle you to any discounts or any free equipment!!! you payed your bill, you got what you payed for....that's it!!! why would anyone owe you any more than what you payed for?

Sir, not to sound harsh, but it is ultimately your responsibility to know how your alarm system works. On the other hand, I can empathize with you, since I often find that a lot of people don't have the foggiest idea of how their alarm works to the station. No matter how well you train them, many think that simply disconnecting or fooling with an alarm sensor, or disconnecting the line exclusion jack is somehow going to generate an automatic signal to the monitoring station. It is surprising how few appreciate the fact that an alarm simply dials on the phone network like a telephone does....

Luckily for our industry, the average thug has even less knowledge of how they work

R.H.Campbell Home Security Metal Products

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Tell them to call the panel and check the event log, the system has an internal log that will note the time of the alarm.

Line-cut will sound the siren if the perp. cuts the line but no signal will be sent to the central station. Sometimes this is adequate to scare off the intruder before he enters the premises, but it is NOT an effective back-up by any means.

That is your best bet. The signal gets transmitted whether or not a POTS line exists.

$7 per/mo. is very reasonable. It has nothing to do with the amount of keypads in the home however. If they will only charge $100 for the cell backup unit and $7/mo. extra for monitoring it's a good deal. The units cost the dealer between $200-$300, and dealers have to pay the cost of monitoring through a third-party cell provider.

I bet if you pleaded to the branch manager he would waive the cell backup installation fee, be prepared to sign another 3 year contract though.

The system can not communicate if the lines get cut! It does not matter how old the system is. In your case I would ask the branch manager to upgrade the system for free and install the cell backup for free in exchange for a contract renewal (plus the extra $7).

You may also want to re-evaluate the system layout to make sure the sensor coverage is adequate.

You should harden or conceal your telephone wires.

Best advice. Shop around for another Alarm Monitoring Provider. There are many national programs out there that will install a new security system and include your existing equipment. You can have them add the cell backup and because you're a new customer, they'll generally do it for a real low price. The monitoring of the cell backup shouldn't be more than a few bucks extra a month and it is definitely worth getting. The main thing is, when you call a security company to ask for a quote, keep in mind, they really, really, really, want you're business and should bend over backwards to help you out as long as you have a decent credit score. Best thing to do is call several different companies and let them know your shopping. Tell them what you want and what you have.

However, there is a kicker to going down this road. You got to make sure you're no longer under contract with your current security provider. Many companies have roll-over clauses in their contracts that lock you in for another full term of the contract if it is not cancelled within 90 days. This means, if you don't cancel within this time, you're locked in for whatever length the contract stipulates. It's absolute bullshit if you ask me but its absolute legal bullshit so you gotta check your contract first. Don't waste anyone's time if your locked in for another 2 or 3 years, to pay that off to start with a new company would cost a small fortune. If you can cancel and sign up with someone new, do it. Make sure the company is reputable and stable and you should have a good experience.

Oh and also check to see what sort of service plan they offer. Some have plans that cover everything for the life of your monitoring contract and you are only responsible for a small $20 or $30 trip fee. And definitely make sure you add at least 1 monitored smoke detector but more if you can afford it. Those things can absolutely save your life, absolutely.

Except you can't takeover a Brinks system, so he'd have to buy new equipment...panel & keypad(s) at least. The new company will have to spend time figuring out the Brinks wiring as well.

I've never heard of any company basing the price of radio backup upon how many keypads you have installed...seems weird.

wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com... | | snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote: | > Hello, | > I had a break-in last week. I have a Brinks system (about 10 years | > old). The burglers cut the phone lines so my system didn't alert Brinks | > or the police. The alarm sounded etc. but Brinks said because they | > don't get a signal they don't know when the intrustion happened. | >

| > I checked with them about a "line-cut" feature, but they said my system | > is too old. Is this a good feature to have? How about the radio | > frequency backup. The rf feature would cost $100 per keypad and I think | > $7.00 extra per month. | >

| > I have been a long time customer and thought I would get a break but no | > such luck. I am surprised that most people I have told of the break in | > have assumed that an alarm system always calls the police, even if the | > phone lines are cut. Is my system just so out-dated? | >

| > Thanks | > Mel | | Best advice. Shop around for another Alarm Monitoring Provider. There | are many national programs out there that will install a new security | system and include your existing equipment. You can have them add the | cell backup and because you're a new customer, they'll generally do it | for a real low price. The monitoring of the cell backup shouldn't be | more than a few bucks extra a month and it is definitely worth getting. | The main thing is, when you call a security company to ask for a | quote, keep in mind, they really, really, really, want you're business | and should bend over backwards to help you out as long as you have a | decent credit score. Best thing to do is call several different | companies and let them know your shopping. Tell them what you want and | what you have. | | However, there is a kicker to going down this road. You got to make | sure you're no longer under contract with your current security | provider. Many companies have roll-over clauses in their contracts | that lock you in for another full term of the contract if it is not | cancelled within 90 days. This means, if you don't cancel within this | time, you're locked in for whatever length the contract stipulates. | It's absolute bullshit if you ask me but its absolute legal bullshit so | you gotta check your contract first. Don't waste anyone's time if your | locked in for another 2 or 3 years, to pay that off to start with a new | company would cost a small fortune. If you can cancel and sign up with | someone new, do it. Make sure the company is reputable and stable and | you should have a good experience. | | Oh and also check to see what sort of service plan they offer. Some | have plans that cover everything for the life of your monitoring | contract and you are only responsible for a small $20 or $30 trip fee. | And definitely make sure you add at least 1 monitored smoke detector | but more if you can afford it. Those things can absolutely save your | life, absolutely. | |

they don't..th OP was misinformed, or confused... the barron radio goes for $200, plus $7 for monitoring. he may have 2 keypads, and thinks that's why it's $200... he would, however HAVE to upgrade to the 4000a panel, which there would =probably= be no charge for.... but charging PER keypad....nope....

Yeah, I agree that is weird but they make up all sorts of abitrary costs. One company I worked for used to charge additional money for every contact monitored. Biggest rip-off I've ever seen.

But, he shouldn't have to buy new equipment. Dealers for the larger companies usually absorb the cost for the installation, new control panel and new keypad and then incorporate all the contacts. As long as the contacts are N.O. or N.C., there should be no problem. It's all in the resistance, after all. But even if the sensors need to be replaced, unless it's a large system with lots of contacts/motions/sensors, it shouldn't cost more than an activation fee and the first months monitoring.

The cell back-up will cost but because the price has dropped so substantially, he shouldn't have to pay more than $200 for the unit and maybe a few dollars more a month but the company I work for now doesn't charge anything for the additional monitoring. I think cell back-up is the new plan for the future of alarm monitoring anyway. Phone lines are just too damn hard to protect and for just a few dollars you can get better coverage; so why not. I don't know what the prices for all this stuff is countrywide but in the northeast, we're begging for clients whenever we can find them. You'd be amazed at all the stuff we throw in just to get a deal. Maybe other cities and states operate differently but I'm just going by what I know.

They may absorb the cost of panel/keypads, but not without a 2-3 year contract...I wouldn't either.

wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@h76g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... | | Crash Gordon wrote: | > Except you can't takeover a Brinks system, so he'd have to buy new | > equipment...panel & keypad(s) at least. The new company will have to spend | > time figuring out the Brinks wiring as well. | >

| > I've never heard of any company basing the price of radio backup upon how | > many keypads you have installed...seems weird. | | | Yeah, I agree that is weird but they make up all sorts of abitrary | costs. One company I worked for used to charge additional money for | every contact monitored. Biggest rip-off I've ever seen. | | But, he shouldn't have to buy new equipment. Dealers for the larger | companies usually absorb the cost for the installation, new control | panel and new keypad and then incorporate all the contacts. As long as | the contacts are N.O. or N.C., there should be no problem. It's all in | the resistance, after all. But even if the sensors need to be | replaced, unless it's a large system with lots of | contacts/motions/sensors, it shouldn't cost more than an activation fee | and the first months monitoring. | | The cell back-up will cost but because the price has dropped so | substantially, he shouldn't have to pay more than $200 for the unit and | maybe a few dollars more a month but the company I work for now doesn't | charge anything for the additional monitoring. I think cell back-up is | the new plan for the future of alarm monitoring anyway. Phone lines | are just too damn hard to protect and for just a few dollars you can | get better coverage; so why not. I don't know what the prices for all | this stuff is countrywide but in the northeast, we're begging for | clients whenever we can find them. You'd be amazed at all the stuff | we throw in just to get a deal. Maybe other cities and states operate | differently but I'm just going by what I know. | |