Alarm Monitoring Services Review 2017

Alarm Monitoring Services is a Kirkland, Washington based company providing security monitoring services since 1991. As the name implies, they focus on providing monitoring services for customers who already have security equipment installed at their properties.

The Good

Alarm Monitoring Services is a well-established company that has been providing services for 26 years. Throughout this period, the company has consistently updated their offerings to supply the latest products. Today, customers have a choice between choosing landline, broadband, and even cellular monitoring services.

For customers who are not sure on which service to choose, they offer free consultation and recommendations. All monitoring is provided by Intertek and Factory Alarm Monitoring Services. The monitoring stations comply with UnderWriters Laboratories and are certified by Central Station Services.

The company provides a guaranteed response time of 30 seconds in times of burglary, hold-up or fire emergencies. If a delay of more than 30 seconds is recorded, they will give away 6-months of free service to a customer. Furthermore, Alarm Monitoring Services offers a 90-day money-back guarantee. This is rare in the industry and makes it an attractive option for first-time customers.

The Bad

Unlike other security companies, Alarm Monitoring Services provides a very limited number of products to choose from, instead focusing primarily on monitoring services.

While they do offer a few DIY alarm systems, the company does not provide any home automation or surveillance equipment. It is also not a reseller for any major security equipment provider.This seriously limits the company’s appeal to only those customers who already have a security system installed and simply need to purchase monitoring services.

Furthermore, the alarm systems provided by the company are low-cost and very basic starter kits. Hence, if a customer wants to add-on more equipment, they would need to buy it from another vendor.

Bottom Line

Alarm Monitoring Services is an excellent company for individuals who need a low-cost and a highly reliable monitoring service. However, it is only suitable for customers who already have professional equipment installed, since the company does not provide a lot of options for quality hardware.

Monitoring Plans and Pricing

The company provides a number of monitoring plans and packages to choose from:

Monitoring by Phone – $5.59/month: This plan uses an existing local land line.If an alarm is triggered, the system automatically makes a call to the monitoring center through a toll-free number.

Monitoring by VoIP – $5.59/month: This requires an existing VOIP service through a customer’s high-speed internet connection. If an alarm is triggered, the system makes a call to the monitoring center through a toll-free number.

Monitoring by Wi-Fi Broadband – $10.95/month: This package uses the company’s patented Wi-Fi Broadband Internet Adapter.

Monitoring by GSM/Cellular – $15.95/month: The plan requires the use of a Cellular or GSM transmitter. If an alarm is triggered, the system will make a call to the monitoring center using back data channels from numerous cellular networks, ensuring the fastest and most secure way to report an alarm.

Monitoring by Mini GSM – $15.95/month: Similar to the GSM/Cellular plan but comes with a patent pending device called the Dicell Mini, named due to the small size of the equipment.

UL Fire Monitoring – $20.95/month: This plan is for customers looking for extra protection on top of their existing plan. The package adds a Fire Monitoring and Alarm system which works with the company’s installed equipment to alert nearest monitoring centers in times of crisis.

Email Monitoring – $5.95/month: This is a simple system that uses an encrypted email address to send a signal to monitoring centers and any automation equipment. It is designed to work with any alarm system that can send an email and can even be voice-activated using Amazon ECHO or Google Home.

AlarmEar Monitoring – $5.95/month: The AlarmEar is a patented technology that is used to detect sirens and bells. It works with all kinds of alarm systems that send out a siren or a bell when triggered. The AlarmEar automatically sends a signal to one of the company’s monitoring centers in case of an alert. The AlarmEar is compatible with all latest equipment as well as older hardware.

FireEar Monitoring – $5.95/month: FireEar is a patented device that works wirelessly with any standalone or daisy chained carbon dioxide and fire detector. FireEar is linked to the company’s monitoring center and can send a signal in less than 10 seconds. It can work without the need for a complete fire system or even a panel and can be powered from an AC or battery source.

E-Notify Services – $5.95/month: E-Notify services can be added to all the above packages. It sends out a text message and/or an email alert in real-time, allowing a customer to respond immediately.

Features

Alarm Monitoring Services provides a number of features to its customers including:

• 24/7 Monitoring
• Certified Monitoring centers
• Response times of less than 30 seconds
• Free basic phone support
• Patented and patent pending monitoring equipment

Equipment Options

The company’s monitoring services are provided by Intertek and Factory Alarm Monitoring Services. They also sell DIY alarm system kits by SkyLinkPlus.

Customer Support

Customer Support is available via a phone number and email. Basic support is only available during office timings throughout the weekday, while support on the central monitoring station is available 24/7 through their phone number and email.

Contract Details

The company provides a 90-day money-back guarantee, a no-contract obligation with a month to month agreement and same-day installations for all customers. A complete list of their terms and conditions is available on their website.

Review Summary

Alarm Monitoring Services is a well-established provider of monitoring services. For customers who already have security equipment installed in their properties, the company offers quality monitoring services at an affordable cost. They provide a variety of packages to choose from including email notification and fire monitoring, all of which are priced well below the industry average. However, customers looking for a turn-key solution with procurement, installation of equipment and monitoring would be disappointed by the limited hardware and DIY equipment.

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