Cellular Alarm Communicators Posts

Hi DIYers! Have you activated your 3G or 4G cellular communicator yet? If not, you are running out of time. All 3G and 4G communicators must be activated by June 26, 2019 for AlarmNet and June 30, 2019 for Alarm.com. After that, it will no longer be possible to activate these modules.

This is your very last chance to purchase a 3G or 4G communicator. If you wait much longer, we won't be able to guarantee that it will arrive to your address in time for you to install and activate it. And if you are still sitting on a 3G or 4G communicator, the time to activate it is now. You should reach out to Alarm Grid as soon as possible to get started with monitoring service. The following plans will work for cellular communication - Gold, Self-Gold, Platinum, Self-Platinum, Cellular-Only. Please read this blog post for more information about our monitoring plans.

Alarm Grid is still holding a sale on the iGSMV4G Communicator and the iGSMV4G-TC2 Kit. These products are currently available for $50 and $60, respectively. Buying a iGSMV4G from Alarm Grid right now is a strong choice if you want to get a VISTA Series System connected for cellular monitoring service for a very affordable price. More information about this sale can be found in this recent blog post.

Keep in mind that deactivating a communicator and then reactivating it counts as activating. If you discontinue monitoring service at any time after June 26th for AlarmNet and Total Connect 2.0 or June 30th for Alarm.com, you will not be able to reactivate your old 3G or 4G communicator. This is something to consider if you expect that you may move or relocate your system sometime in the near future. At this time, it is no longer possible to activate a CDMA communicator.

Remember, a 3G, 4G, or CDMA communicator is only a temporary solution at this point. AT&T will be shutting down their 3G/4G cellular network in February 2022, and Verizon is expected to shutdown their CDMA network around this time as well. Any already-activated alarm monitoring communicator that connects with one of these cellular networks provide reliable monitoring service until that time. After that, it will be obsolete.

Getting a 3G or 4G communicator in the next few days for a quick activation is a viable option. However, the best option is to get an LTE cellular communicator for your system. Both AT&T and Verizon have stated that they will support their LTE networks for many years to come. An LTE cellular radio is the best way to ensure that your security system will receive fast and reliable monitoring service well into the very distant future. We have many LTE communicators available for purchase on our website.

If you need help choosing a communicator, or if you are trying to activate a communicator before the cut-off date, please contact us as soon as you can. The best way to get a hold of us is to email us at support@alarmgrid.com. Our team will check your email at our earliest convenience and respond as soon as possible. If you would prefer to call us, we are available at (888) 818-7728. Remember that our business hours are 9am to 8pm EST M-F. You must schedule an activation during these hours. We look forward to hearing from you and activating your system for monitoring service.

Hi DIYers and future DIYers! Today, we're going to take an extensive look at the alarm monitoring plans offered from Alarm Grid. You can always reference this information on our alarm monitoring page. This helpful post will explain much of the terminology found on the monitoring page.

What is Alarm Monitoring?

First, it can be helpful to understand what exactly alarm monitoring is. Alarm monitoring is a service that allows a security system to send out signals. These signals can be received by a central station and/or an interactive service network. This will depend on the user's alarm monitoring plan. Without alarm monitoring, a system can still go into alarm mode and activate sirens. But this won't do any good if the user is off-site. A system without alarm monitoring is referred to as a local system or an unmonitored system.

There are several major advantages to having your alarm system monitored. This service is the best way to receive off-site text and/or email alerts regarding any specific system activity and system events. It is also the only method for receiving automatic emergency dispatch from a central monitoring station. Many alarm monitoring plans will also allow you to control your system remotely using an interactive service platform. This is impossible for unmonitored systems. Alarm monitoring may also be able to save you money on your homeowner's insurance with a Certificate of Alarm.

What is a Central Monitoring Station?

When you talk about alarm monitoring, one term that you will likely come across often is "central monitoring station". It's important to have a strong understanding of this term so that you know exactly what it entails. A central monitoring station is a center where trained dispatchers respond to incoming security system alarms. A good way to think of a central monitoring station is to picture a 911 dispatching center where dispatchers are answering emergency phone calls. The only difference is that the dispatchers at a central monitoring station are responding to security system alarms rather than emergency 911 phone calls.

A central monitoring station will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year (366 on leap years). Unless there is a very severe emergency, a central monitoring station will always be in operation, no matter what. The dispatchers at a central monitoring station are constantly checking for any incoming system alarms. When an alarm comes through, a dispatcher will be able to see the type of alarm and the location of the system. This is important because the dispatcher needs to know what type of alarm occurs. For example, the alarm could be a break-in, a fire, a medical emergency, or an outbreak of CO gas.

In most cases, the dispatcher will make two (2) attempts to contact the end user before requesting immediate emergency dispatch. Users will define a custom pre-dispatch and post-dispatch call list that must meet local ECV (enhanced call verification) laws. The dispatcher will attempt to contact the end user at any listed phone numbers. This is done to prevent false alarms. The end user will need to answer the phone and provide their false alarm passcode if the alarm was caused by accident. If the dispatcher is unable to contact the end user, if the user is unable to provide the correct false alarm passcode, or if the end user says their secret duress code, then emergency help will be sent out immediately. Please note that special restrictions may apply to areas where verified response is required. Additionally, some users put a note on their accounts to have the central station skip the step of attempting to contact before dispatch. For these users, emergency dispatch will be sent out as soon as an alarm occurs. Alarm Grid does not recommend this, as this can lead to false alarms.

Alarm Grid customers with central monitoring service have their systems connected with Criticom Monitoring Services. Criticom operates three (3) monitoring centers located across the United States. These centers are located in Florida, New Jersey, and California. These monitoring centers are networked and load-balanced so that calls are distributed most efficiently across these locations. In various situations, one monitoring center may go offline. An example of why a monitoring center may go offline is due to a major hurricane. But if this happens, there is nothing to worry about. Calls will be automatically rerouted to one of the other monitoring centers in these very rare situations. Please note that central station monitoring service from Alarm Grid and Criticom is only available to customers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

What is Self-Monitoring?

Not everyone with alarm monitoring service receives central station monitoring. There is also self-monitoring. A self-monitoring plan will not connect the system with a central station. Instead, the system will be connected with an interactive service network. The end user will receive text and/or email notifications regarding any alarm events. These alerts will describe exactly which system zone caused the alarm. The end user will then need to contact the necessary authorities on their own. Since no central station is involved, these self-monitoring plans are less expensive than central station monitoring plans. Self-monitoring is made possible using an interactive service platform.

There are many reasons why a customer might choose self-monitoring instead of central station monitoring. They might believe that they can respond reliably to text and/or email alerts and that they do not benefit from central monitoring service. The customer might be located outside of the United States and Canada and is therefore ineligible for central monitoring service. Maybe they are only really using their system for Z-Wave smart home control and they don't care about being connected with a central station. Regardless, a self-monitoring plan can be a great option for users who want effective and affordable alarm monitoring service. Please be aware that users with self-monitoring service will be ineligible for receiving Certificates of Alarm. As a result, it is unlikely that they will receive any discount in their homeowner's insurance.

What is an Interactive Service Platform?

Most Alarm Grid customers receive connectivity with either the Total Connect 2.0 service or the Alarm.com service. These are both interactive service platforms that provide a diverse range of functions. When an alarm occurs, the system uses its alarm monitoring communicator to send a signal to either the AlarmNet Servers for Total Connect 2.0 users or the Alarm.com Servers for Alarm.com users. These servers will then forward the alert to a central monitoring station and/or the end user via text and/or email. There are also a small number of Alarm Grid customers with access to the Telguard HomeControl Flex service using a Telguard Communicator. However, this is less common. All Alarm Grid customers with self-monitoring service will receive access to Total Connect 2.0, Alarm.com or Telguard HomeControl Flex. Alarm Grid customers with central station monitoring service will also receive access to one of these services, with the exception of those with a Standard Bronze Plan or a Cellular Only Monitoring Plan.

Interactive service platforms like Total Connect 2.0 and Alarm.com offer many excellent functions and features. For one, you can access your system remotely to arm, disarm and check its current status. This is made possible using the Total Connect 2.0 Mobile App or the Alarm.com Mobile App. Both of these mobile apps are available for free download from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. You can also use TC2 and ADC to control Z-Wave devices (Silver Plan or higher required), view the live feed for security cameras (Platinum Plan or Video-Only Plan required), and more.

Let's Discuss Monitoring Plans!

Now that we have talked about some basic terms, we can finally get into monitoring plans. The main monitoring plans from Alarm Grid are broken into four (4) tiers. These tiers - ranked lowest to highest - are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each tier is split into Central Station Monitoring Plans (aka, Standard Plans) and Self-Monitoring Plans (aka, Self Plans). This gives us a total of eight (8) main plans offered from Alarm Grid. As you move up in our monitoring plan tiers, you will get all of the services offered in the lower tiers, plus some new features. There are also some special monitoring plans that we will discuss in greater detail later. The type of monitoring plan you choose is a very personal decision. You should base your decision on your budget, the system you own, and the monitoring needs of your household or business.

One very important thing to note is that Alarm.com Service requires a plan that includes cellular monitoring service. These plans include Gold, Self-Gold, Platinum, Self-Platinum, and the Cellular-Only Plan. The reason this is required is because panels that use the Alarm.com Service require an Alarm.com Cellular Communicator and cellular monitoring service to connect with the Alarm.com Servers. The 2GIG GC2 can technically connect with Alarm.com with a 2GIG Go!Bridge IP Communicator and forgo cellular. But even then, the user will still need to sign-up for a Gold Plan or higher and pay the corresponding fee. If you plan to use an Alarm.com System, expect to sign-up for a Gold Plan or higher. This is a very important consideration when choosing an alarm system.

Also note that each monitoring plan can only cover one (1) security system. If you want to add a second security system or a second alarm control panel, you will need a second alarm monitoring plan. This is true whether the systems are installed in different locations or in the same building.

With that out of the way, let's look into our monitoring plans!

Bronze & Self-Bronze

The Bronze Level Plans from Alarm Grid represent our most basic and least expensive plans. With Standard Bronze, you get connectivity with a central monitoring station through either IP (internet protocol) or phone line (strongly discouraged). This will allow you to receive automatic dispatch in the event of an emergency. No other service is included in this very minimal plan. Standard Bronze customers will not be able to access an interactive service platform like Total Connect 2.0.

Self-Bronze customers will get the ability to receive text and/or email alerts from Total Connect 2.0. They will also be able to use the Total Connect 2.0 Mobile app to arm and disarm their systems remotely and check the current status for their systems.

Since cellular monitoring is impossible with the Bronze Plans, you should get a system that can do IP-only monitoring. This is possible for most Resideo Alarm Systems that connect with the AlarmNet Servers. Some examples of appropriate systems for Bronze customers include the Resideo Lyric Controller, the Resideo VISTA 21iP, and the Resideo L5210 with an added L5100-WIFI Card.

If you only want the most basic of alarm monitoring services for the lowest possible price, then a Bronze Level Plan is for you. The Standard Bronze Plan with central station monitoring is available for $15 per month. The Self-Bronze Plan is available for $10 per month.

Silver & Self-Silver

The Silver Level Plans introduce the ability to control Z-Wave smart home automation devices remotely. Without a Silver Plan or higher, you will be unable to control Z-Wave devices setup with your system remotely. Central Station Customers need a Silver Plan or higher to access Total Connect 2.0. This will allow remote access to their systems through the Total Connect 2.0 Mobile App. All Silver customers receive the features offered in the Bronze Level Plans.

Silver customers can also use Total Connect 2.0 to create Smart Scenes for their Z-Wave devices. This will allow these devices to activate automatically based on a set schedule or with certain system events. Total Connect 2.0 is also required if you want to control your Resideo System and connected smart home devices with voice commands through Amazon Alexa.

If you plan to use a Resideo System with IP-only monitoring and you want smart home automation functionality, then a Silver Plan is for you. The Standard Silver Plan with central station monitoring is available for $25 per month. The Self-Silver Plan is available for $15 per month.

Gold & Self-Gold

The Gold Level Plans introduce the ability to use cellular alarm monitoring service. Cellular alarm monitoring is more reliable than IP monitoring. This is because cellular connectivity is not dependent upon AC power, and it is extremely rare for a cellular communication path to go down or become unavailable. The same cannot be said for an IP communication path, which can sometimes go down for seemingly no reason.

Additionally, internet routers are dependent upon AC power. A power outage will take an IP-only monitored system offline, unless the IP router has a backup battery. Internet monitoring is also included with the Gold Level Plans, so any customer with one of these plans can use dual-path connectivity (IP and cellular) if they have the proper equipment. A Gold Plan is required for any customer who wants to use Alarm.com. It is also required for Total Connect 2.0 users who want to use a cellular communication path.

A Gold Level Plan is for you if you want the most reliable monitoring service possible. It is also for anyone who plans to use an Alarm.com-compatible system, like a 2GIG GC3 or a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. The Standard Gold Plan with central station monitoring is available for $35 per month. The Self-Gold Plan is available for $25 per month.

Note: Although Image Sensor support is not listed under the Gold Plans, you can use them as well!

Platinum & Self-Platinum

The Platinum & Self-Platinum Plans introduce video surveillance. This allows users to view IP security cameras from Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. The live feeds for these cameras can be viewed from virtually anywhere in the world using the respective mobile apps. The user can also download recorded clips for permanent storage and future use. The Platinum Level Plans also include all of the services offered from the Bronze, Silver, Gold Plans. These are the highest level plans available from Alarm Grid.

A Platinum Level Plan is for you if you want to use video surveillance with your security system. The Standard Platinum Plan with central station monitoring is available for $45 per month. The Self-Platinum Plan is available for $35 per month.

Other Monitoring Plans

Alarm Grid also offers some alternative monitoring plans. These monitoring plans are used with less frequency. They are designed for customers who do not fit the mold of our traditional monitoring plans. These alternative plans include the Cellular-Only Plan and the Video-Only Plan.

The Cellular-Only Plan is like the Standard Bronze Plan, except it allows for cellular monitoring service. The user will not have access to an interactive service platform like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. They will also be unable to control home automation devices remotely. However, they will get connectivity with a central monitoring station. This plan can also be used with Alarm.com Systems. You won't get access to the Alarm.com Interactive Service, but connectivity with the Alarm.com Servers will allow for central station monitoring. The Cellular-Only Plan is for you if you want the added reliability of cellular or dual-path monitoring, but you don't need the benefits of an interactive service platform or smart home automation. The Cellular-Only plan is available for $25 per month.

The Video-Only Plan allows for connectivity with Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com strictly for the use of security cameras. You do not even need a security system to use this plan. You can also combine this plan with another plan (e.g. Standard Bronze, Self-Silver) to add video surveillance to your existing monitoring service. The Video-Only Plan is for you if you want video surveillance for your home or business, but you don't have an alarm system, or you don't need cellular connectivity or smart home automation capabilities. The Video-Only Plan is available for $15 per month.

Get Alarm Monitoring

The best way to sign-up for alarm monitoring service from Alarm Grid is to click the orange Alarm Monitoring button at the top of this page. You can choose the best monitoring plan for your needs. Of course, you can always reach out to us if you need help making your decision. The best way to reach us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. Our planning team will check your email and respond as soon as possible. If you would prefer to speak over the phone, you may call us at (888) 818-7228. We are available by phone during our regular office hours of 9am to 8pm EST Monday thru Friday. We look forward to helping you determine the perfect alarm monitoring plan for your needs.

Hi DIYers! We are happy to announce that we are offering a sale on the iGSMV4G and the iGSMV4G-TC2 effective immediately. The iGSMV4G can be purchased for $50. The iGSMV4G-TC2 is available for $60. These are AT&T 4G Cellular Communicators that allow VISTA Panels to connect with AlarmNet360.

Earlier this year, AT&T announced the sunset of their 3G and 4G networks. By February 2022, it will no longer be possible to use an AT&T 3G/4G with your alarm system. You must upgrade to an LTE communicator by then. Additionally, AlarmNet will no longer allow activations for AT&T 3G Communicators and AT&T 4G Communicators starting Wednesday June 26th, 2019.

We still have some iGSMV4G and iGSMV4G-TC2 products in stock. We want to get rid of them before they become unusable. This is a perfect opportunity to get your Resideo VISTA System online for a very low price. With these communicators, you can access Total Connect 2.0 and use all of the available features. Please note that you will need a Gold Plan or higher to activate a cellular communicator with Alarm Grid. Also, we cannot offer overnight orders for these products.

If you do get one of these communicators, you must activate the module before June 26th. After that date, it will be impossible to activate the cellular portion of the communicator. Additionally, if you deactivate the communicator or discontinue service for any reason, you will not be able to reactivate this unit for cellular service after June 26th. You will still be able to use the communicator for Internet Communication only after this date.

Resideo has stated that more recently manufactured modules will be able to be activated for up to 180 days after June 26th. However, we cannot guarantee that a new iGSMV4G will be able to be activated after that date. For your own planning, you should not expect an AT&T 3G or 4G communicator to be activated after June 26th.

The Honeywell iGSMV4G is a dual-path AlarmNet Communicator for Resideo VISTA Series Systems. It uses AT&T 4G and hardwired ethernet to connect with the AlarmNet Servers and provide access to Total Connect 2.0. This module will provide fast and reliable connectivity until February 2022. The cellular portion of the module will no longer work after February 2022. At that time, you will want to upgrade to a newer LTE communicator. We are offering the iGSMV4G for $50.

The Honeywell iGSMV4G-TC2 is a bundled kit that includes the iGSMV4G module, as well as the necessary PROM Chip upgrades for the VISTA-15P and VISTA-20P Alarm Systems. You should purchase this kit if your 15P or 20P System is running a firmware version of at least 2.0, but less than 9.12. Any 15P or 20P system running less than version 9.12 will not be able to be used with Total Connect 2.0. We are offering this kit for $60.

If you aren't sure what firmware version your system is running, you can check the current PROM Chip. This is a small black chip located in the middle of the system. This FAQ can teach you how to replace an old PROM Chip if needed.

Here is an example of a PROM Chip for a VISTA-20PSIA System. This is basically a VISTA-20P System with some added features put in place to prevent false alarms. Note that this system is running v10.23, which is high enough to use TC2.

If you want to future-proof your VISTA System with an LTE communicator, then we can certainly help you with that as well. We currently offer the Honeywell LTE-XA (AT&T LTE), the Honeywell LTE-XV (Verizon LTE) and the Honeywell LTE-IV (dual-path Verizon LTE and IP ethernet). All of these communicators will extend the life of your VISTA System well into the very distant future.

Keep in mind that a VISTA-15P or VISTA-20P System will need to be running at least firmware version 9.12 to support Total Connect 2.0. A VISTA-21iP must be running at least version 3.13 to support TC2. We offer PROM Chip upgrades for VISTA-21iP Systems here. We do not offer bundled kits for VISTA-21iP PROM Chips. The PROM Chips included in the iGSMV4G-TC2 Kit are for 15P and 20P Systems only.

Remember, we cannot offer overnight orders for either the iGSMV4G or the iGSMV4G-TC2. You must activate these communicators before June 26th. They can remain active until February 2022. After that, you must upgrade to an LTE communicator or use IP only communication. If you have any questions about this sale or these communicators, please contact us at support@alarmgrid.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hi DIYers! Unfortunately, we have to keep this news brief, as we are currently preparing for ISC West 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. But a new dual-path communicator from Resideo for their VISTA Systems is now available. Presenting, the all-new Honeywell LTE-IV Verizon LTE Dual-Path Communicator!

The Honeywell LTE-IV uses a hardwired ethernet cable to connect a VISTA Panel to an IP network. If the internet goes down, it will have the ultra-fast and reliable Verizon LTE Cellular Network as a backup. Either way, the system will remain connected with the AlarmNet 360 Servers and the Total Connect 2.0 Service.

This release is huge, as this is currently the only dual-path communicator for a VISTA System that can connect with an LTE Network. Before this, the VISTA Panels had to rely on the Honeywell LTE-XV and Honeywell LTE-XA modules, which had no IP capabilities. Now with the Honeywell LTE-IV, VISTA owners have a dual-path LTE option that will keep their system connected for many years to come!

Note that the Honeywell LTE-IV connects with the Verizon LTE Network. We expect a similar AT&T communicator to be released at some point. You can purchase the Honeywell LTE-IV from the Alarm Grid website. If you have any question, please email support@alarmgrid.com or call (888) 818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Alarm Grid will post more information about the Honeywell LTE-IV as it becomes available.

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that AlarmNet announced an end date for activating 3G and 4G cellular communicators. Now Alarm.com has followed suit by announcing that they will no longer allow 3G activations starting June 30, 2019. Future activations must use LTE communicators.

Both AT&T and Verizon have made it clear that LTE and eventually 5G communication is the way of the future. They are beginning the process of phasing out their older 3G networks in favor of faster and more advanced technology. AT&T has publicly stated that their 3G network will be shutdown in February 2022. The shutdown for the Verizon CDMA Network is expected to occur around this time as well. Users should start preparing for the long-term now by getting LTE communicators for their systems.

If you have an Alarm.com 3G Cellular Communicator, you must activate it by June 30, 2019, or else it will not work. If you deactivate your Alarm.com 3G Communicator after this date, you will not be able to reactive it. Reactivating a communicator is considered the same as a new activation. If you have a 3G communicator that is already activated, then it will continue to work as long as the associated cellular network is kept in service. But once the network is shutdown, the communicator will stop working.

Any customer who has an Alarm.com 3G Communicator should get it activated as soon as possible to avoid missing the cut-off date. Customers who want to prepare for the long-term should obtain an LTE communicator. This may mean upgrading to a new alarm panel. To activate a communicator or to learn about the options available to you, please email support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Note: Verizon stopped allowing activations for all CDMA communicators starting on December 22, 2018. More information about this can be found here.

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that AlarmNet announced an end date for activating 3G and 4G cellular communicators. Now Alarm.com has followed suit by announcing that they will no longer allow 3G activations starting June 30, 2019. Future activations must use LTE communicators.

Both AT&T and Verizon have made it clear that LTE and eventually 5G communication is the way of the future. They are beginning the process of phasing out their older 3G networks in favor of faster and more advanced technology. AT&T has publicly stated that their 3G network will be shutdown in February 2022. The shutdown for the Verizon CDMA Network is expected to occur around this time as well. Users should start preparing for the long-term now by getting LTE communicators for their systems.

If you have an Alarm.com 3G Cellular Communicator, you must activate it by June 30, 2019, or else it will not work. If you deactivate your Alarm.com 3G Communicator after this date, you will not be able to reactive it. Reactivating a communicator is considered the same as a new activation. If you have a 3G communicator that is already activated, then it will continue to work as long as the associated cellular network is kept in service. But once the network is shutdown, the communicator will stop working.

Any customer who has an Alarm.com 3G Communicator should get it activated as soon as possible to avoid missing the cut-off date. Customers who want to prepare for the long-term should obtain an LTE communicator. This may mean upgrading to a new alarm panel. To activate a communicator or to learn about the options available to you, please email support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Note: Verizon stopped allowing activations for all CDMA communicators starting on December 22, 2018. More information about this can be found here.

UPDATE: The information presented below is outdated. The L5200 can now be updated using the LYNXTOUCH-MSD Firmware Updater Tool. Please read this blog for more information.

Alarm Grid has recently learned that the Honeywell 3GL, the longtime cellular communicator for the LYNX Touch Panels, has officially been discontinued. This leaves the Honeywell L5200 with no available cellular communicator. However, the newer LYNX Touch Systems still have cellular options.

The Honeywell 3GL was a cellular communicator that connected with the AT&T 3G Network. It was previously sold as the Honeywell 4GL. But Honeywell smartly changed the name, as it misled many people into believing it was a 4G communicator. The 3GL was compatible with the L5200, L5210 and L7000 Alarm Systems.

As for the L5210 and L7000, there are still cellular communicators available, specifically the LTE-L57A and LTE-L57V. Please note that the L5210 and L7000 must be running Firmware Version 9.00.209 or higher to support LTE-L57A, and Firmware Version 9.00.201 to support the LTE-L57V. More information on this is available here.

With the discontinuation of this module, the Honeywell L5200 now has no available cellular communicator option. Users of the L5200 who want to receive cellular monitoring should strongly consider upgrading to a newer system, such as a Honeywell Lyric Controller. This is Honeywell's newest wireless security system, and it has multiple cellular options available.

Please note that this news does not affect L5200 Systems that are already using an active 3GL Communicator. Any communicator that has already been activated will continue to function as normal. Additionally, if a user is able to find an existing 3GL or GSMVLP5-4G from somewhere else, then we can still activate it for cellular monitoring service with their L5200 System.

One alternative option for L5200 users without a cellular communicator is to go the WIFI-route instead. The system will support the L5100-WIFI module, which will allow the system to connect with a local WIFI network. Although WIFI is not as reliable as cellular service, it can be a good option if a user simply does not want to upgrade their panel. This is also a great option for Honeywell L5100 users, as that system also has no cellular radio in current production.

Finally, the ILP5 is still available for purchase, and it provides hardwired ethernet capabilities for any LYNX Touch Panel. But please note that a LYNX Touch cannot support both the ILP5 and a cellular communicator since they use the same port. Once a Honeywell LYNX Touch System is using IP or cellular communication, it will be capable of being used with the Total Connect 2.0 service.

The following table outlines all of the communicators available for the Honeywell LYNX Touch Systems and their compatibilities with each of these panels:

If you have any question about this news, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for further assistance. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or you may call us at 888-818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you.

As the sunset for 3G cellular networks is quickly approaching, Alarm Grid has some important news regarding support for Verizon's 3G CDMA network. This news affects both the Alarm.com service and Honeywell's AlarmNet server.

As of today, June 1st, 2018, Verizon will no longer activate Alarm.com CDMA cellular communicator SIM cards as they prepare for their CDMA network sunset. If the Verizon SIM card is already activated, which is done during manufacturing, Alarm.com will still allow the account activation to go through.

However, if a communicator is manufactured and never activated with Alarm.com, or if it's activated with Alarm.com but then cancelled, the Verizon SIM will eventually become deactivated. Therefore, it's possible that a CDMA module you already have won't be able to be used if it's not currently active with Alarm.com.

If you have an existing Alarm.com CDMA communicator with a different monitoring company, it can still be "recycled" and brought over to a new alarm company, as long as the communicator is re-activated with the new monitoring company soon after it's cancelled by the existing monitoring company.

Any existing Alarm.com CDMA communicator that is already active with Alarm.com will continue to work for the time being, but will be sunsetting soon.

If you need to purchase a new cellular communicator for an Alarm.com panel, we recommend one of the following Verizon LTE options:

For 2GIG GC3:

• 2GIG LTEV-A-GC3 (requires GC3 Firmware 3.0.2 or higher) (discontinued)
• 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC3 (requires GC3 Firmware 3.1.3 or higher)

For more information on GC3 Firmware Updates, please click here. Also see this guide to upgrade the GC3 communicator.

For 2GIG GC2:

• 2GIG LTEV-A-GC2 (requires GC2 Firmware 1.17 or higher) (discontinued)
• 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC2 (requires GC2 Firmware 1.19 or higher)

For more information on GC2 Firmware Updates, please click here. Also see this guide to upgrade the GC2 communicator. You can also review the FAQs 2GIG GC2 Firmware Update Instructions Using UPCBL2 and How to Upgrade GC2 Firmware Using a Cable for more information.

Starting June 30th, 2018, Honeywell AlarmNet CDMA cellular communicators that were manufactured before March 1st, 2018 can no longer be activated. If you have an AlarmNet CDMA communicator that was manufactured before this date, you must activate it by June 30th.

At that time, it will also be impossible to bring a Honeywell CDMA radio from one monitoring company to another. AlarmNet CDMA communicators that were manufactured after March 1st, 2018 can be activated until December 22nd, 2018. Any AlarmNet CDMA communicator that has already been activated will continue to work until the CDMA network is shutdown.

If you need to purchase a new cellular communicator for a Honeywell Alarm System, we suggest buying an LTE module. Alarm Grid recommends the following options based on system type:

Honeywell Lyric Controller: LYRICLTE-V supports Verizon LTE

Honeywell L5210 and L7000 (Firmware 9+): LTE-L57V supports Verizon LTE

Honeywell VISTA Systems: LTE-XV supports Verizon LTE or LTE-IV supports Verizon LTE & IP

Additionally, if you have a CDMA communicator that has not been activated, you will no longer be able to return it to Alarm Grid for a refund. We will not be taking any CDMA returns as of today. Our company stopped selling CDMA communicators roughly three months ago, and we have been preparing for the 3G sunset for quite some time.

Cellular service providers have already discontinued support for their 2G networks, and they are currently preparing to do the same for their 3G networks. This includes the Verizon 3G CDMA network. Instead, cellular service providers are shifting their focus to their newer and more advanced 4G and LTE networks. If you need to upgrade an alarm system to cellular, you should purchase an LTE module if possible.

Remember, existing CDMA communicators that have already been activated can still be used for the time being. These modules will continue to work until the CDMA network is discontinued. At that point, any CDMA cellular module will need to be replaced and upgraded to a newer communicator.

If you have any questions about this news, please send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at 888-818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Edit (6/8/18): This blog post previously stated that as of June 1st, no Alarm.com CDMA module that wasn't currently active with Alarm.com service could be activated on a new Alarm.com account, which has changed since it was written. It has been edited to reflect the correct information.

With the recent release of the LTE-L57V for the L5210 and L7000 Systems, there is now a viable LTE cellular communication module available for all of the most popular Honeywell Alarm Control Panels. Whether you own a Lyric, LYNX Touch or VISTA panel, there is an LTE communicator for you!

The current LTE options are as follows:

• Honeywell Lyric Controller: LyricLTE-A supports AT&T LTE
• Honeywell L5210 and L7000 (Firmware 9+): LTE-L57V supports Verizon LTE
• Honeywell VISTA Systems: LTE-XV supports Verizon LTE

Please note that for the Honeywell VISTA 21iP, there is currently no "snap-on" LTE module like that of the AT&T 3G/4G based VISTA-GSM4G. In order to use the Honeywell LTE-XV communicator with the VISTA 21iP, the "internal communications" jumper on the board must be set to the bottom two pins. Make sure to power the system completely down before making this adjustment. The communicator must then be installed as an external radio-like wiring on a VISTA-20P. By adjusting the jumper in this way, the integrated ethernet port for the VISTA 21iP will be disabled. However, this is not a huge concern. LTE cellular connectivity is extremely reliable, and it provides communication speeds that are comparable to that of IP. So even though IP connectivity will no longer be accessible, it is a worthwhile sacrifice to obtain LTE service over older cellular technologies like 3G and CDMA. Remember, LTE service is widely recognized as being the single best communication path available for modern alarm systems.

By releasing these new communicators, Honeywell has made it very clear that LTE cellular communication is the way of the future. This news is also important for users of the Verizon CDMA Network. AlarmNet (Honeywell's cloud server) has stated that new CDMA activations will no longer be permitted after June 1, 2018. This includes cancelling an existing CDMA account and then trying to reactivate it later. Anyone hoping to use CDMA with their Honeywell System must get the communicator active before it's too late. Verizon has promised that CDMA support for existing equipment will remain active until their CDMA network is shutdown. After that, the communicator will need to be upgraded.

All of the current LTE communicators for Honeywell Systems are available for purchase on the Alarm Grid website. We'll be sure to keep you updated with any news regarding additional Honeywell LTE communicators that are released in the future. We do not have any exact timelines for the release of a Verizon LTE module for the Lyric, nor AT&T LTE for the Lynx Touch and VISTA panels. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to our support team at support@alarmgrid.com.

AT&T has been announcing a deprecation of the 2G radios for a number of years. At midnight January 1, 2017, the network was turned off.

If you're one of the many Americans who has a 2G alarm system, and you've been caught flatfooted for one reason or another, Alarm Grid is here to help. For those who upgrade their 2G radio programmed to a different company's service to a new radio, Alarm Grid will provide 2 months of free monitoring.

If you have a bf error showing on your panel or a Check 103 error, we have some great FAQs explaining what you need to do to fix the error. Additionally, below, you will find a guide explaining how to go about fixing the problems. Generally you will need to replace your radio - a move that is dependent on the type of system you have. The following alert is on our FAQs pertaining to this issue, and will walk you through what you need to do to upgrade.