Industry News and Discussions Posts

Hi DIYers! We have spooky good news for everyone today. We are proud to announce the unveiling of the brand-new Alarm Grid SiXTH Sensor. This is the world's first ever security system sensor that activates upon detecting any paranormal or spiritual activity. It is a must-have for all users!

As you may know, there are the five "standard" senses that we use on a daily basis. These are of course sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. But what you might not know is that there is paranormal activity lurking among us. You cannot detect such occurrences through normal means. You need a "sixth" sense to detect any paranormal, spiritual or otherworldly activity that may be cursing you and the people in your presence. That is why we created the all-new SiXTH Sensor.

We took inspiration from Honeywell's SiX Sensor Lineup in creating the Alarm Grid SiXTH Sensor. Just like the existing SiX Sensors, the SiXTH Sensor offers 128-bit AES encryption to thwart any real-life hacking attempts. We also added Advanced Spirit Stopping encryption to stop any hacking attempts initiated from the otherworld. You can count on the SiXTH Sensor to function perfectly both in our present world and the dimensions beyond our normal reach. Please be aware that you can only see the Advanced Spirit Stopping encryption through the use of various psychonautic substances that are neither sold nor endorsed by Alarm Grid. But trust us - it's there!

Now, you might be wondering how exactly the SiXTH Sensor works. Well we are happy to explain! The sensor pairs with a wireless zone on your alarm panel much like any "present world" sensor. But you will notice a few things new. You will set the Device Type as "Paranormal Detector". The Response Type should be set to "Bruce Willis". This is a brand-new Response Type designed exclusively for use with our SiXTH Sensor. You will only get this option upon setting the Device Type, so make sure to set the options accordingly. After you save your changes, your SiXTH Sensor will be ready to go!

If your SiXTH Sensor detects any paranormal or spiritual activity that should not be present in our present world, a silent spiritual alarm will be sent to your system. Within moments, the central station will get to work sending out a response. But you can't stop spirits, ghouls and curses with police officers, firefighters or emergency medical personnel. Oh no, you need something better. Instead, you can expect Bruce Willis (not that Bruce Willis) to show up at your home or business to rid the area of any paranormal activity.

Bruce Willis (not that Bruce Willis) will come equipped with sage and various incantations to cleanse the premises and protect the spirituality of yourself and those around you. While Bruce Willis (not that Bruce Willis) might appear to be in an uncomfortable or unusual state as he performs the necessary exorcism, we can assure you that this is perfectly normal. Additionally, you can expect a call from the central station to make sure that Bruce Willis (not that Bruce Willis) arrived safely and without real-life incident. Please note that Bruce Willis (not that Bruce Willis) does not come with cab fare, and you may be responsible for ensuring his departure. Alarm Grid cannot assist with this issue, and it is up to you to make the appropriate arrangements.

Alarm Grid has already tested the SiXTH Sensor with the Honeywell Lyric Controller with great success! We easily enrolled the device to the system, and we intentionally released a safe, but other-dimensional, spirit into our headquarters. We made sure to do this at night to protect the majority of our technicians and staff members. One brave soul working the late shift was around to see the SiXTH Sensor in action. Needless to say, our expectations were more than met.

The Alarm Grid SiXTH Sensor will be coming soon, sometime within your existence. We will make sure to keep you posted about any news related to the SiXTH Sensor as it becomes available. Thanks for being an Alarm Grid customer, and we hope that you have a happy April!

Hi DIYers! We have learned that Resideo put out a new feature for Total Connect 2.0 in the form of "No Activity Alerts". Users can now receive text and/or email alerts when no system activity occurs after a set period of time. This can be great for making sure that a loved one is active.

The No Activity Alert feature represents an ideal method for keeping tabs on a relative or loved one and ensuring that they are moving around and using their system like normal. The feature can be be set to send notifications after every hour, four hours, eight hours, 12 hours or 24 hours. If no system activity occurs after the set period of time, then a notification will be sent to out to any phone number or email address listed as a recipient.

Total Connect 2.0 previously made it possible to send out a notification if a specific event did not occur within a set period of time. Users had to create individual notifications for each activity that did not occur. This general No Activity Alert feature is more of a "catch-all" to eliminate the need for setting up a series of notifications.

Additionally, this new feature will continue to send out notifications every time the set period passes without activity occurring. For example, if you have the feature set to send alerts after four hours of no activity, you will receive a first notification after four hours of no activity, then a second notification after eight hours of no activity, and so on.

Users should keep in mind that No Activity Alerts will only be sent out when the system is in a Disarmed state. If the system is Armed, then No Activity Alerts will not be sent out. The list of activities that can prevent a No Activity Alert from being sent out is extremely extensive. No notification will be sent out as long as at least one of the following events occurs during the set time period:

• Sensor Open
• Sensor Closed
• Sensor Trouble
• Sensor Trouble Cleared
• Sensor Alarm
• Sensor Alarm Cleared
• Sensor Bypass
• Sensor Bypass Cleared
• Sensor Tamper
• Sensor Tamper Cleared
• Sensor Supervision
• Sensor Super. Cleared
• Sensor Low Battery
• Sensor Low Batt Cleared
• Sensor Close Left Open
• Sensor UnMask
• Disarmed
• Armed Away
• Armed Away (Bypass)
• Armed Stay
• Armed Stay (Bypass)
• Armed Away Instant
• Armed Away Instant (Bypass)
• Alarm
• Alarm (Bypass)
• Armed Stay Instant
• Armed Stay Instant (Bypass)
• Disarmed (Bypass)
• Fire
• Alarm Cancelled
• Disarmed Not Ready
• CO Alarm
• Alarm Silenced
• Exit Alarm
• Night Stay
• Night Stay (Bypass)
• Night Stay Instant
• Night Stay Instant (Bypass)
• Armed Custom
• Armed Custom (Bypass)
• Armed Custom Instant
• Armed Custom Instant (Bypass)
• Comm Fail
• Comm Fail – Resolved
• AC Restored
• System Battery Restored
• Phone Line Restored
• Program Exit (New Config)
• Arming
• Disarming
• Cover Tamper
• Cover Tamper Restored
• Duress Alarm
• Partition Removed

Overall, this feature is particularly useful for making sure that loved ones are using their system like they are supposed to. You can set it up for an elderly or disabled user to make sure they haven't fallen down or experienced an injury. It's also great for making sure that your kids or your spouse has returned home safely.

You can set up this feature from the Total Connect 2.0 website or mobile app. For this post, we're going to show the feature on the website. Start by logging into your Total Connect 2.0 account, and then choose the Notifications tab on the left, followed by List. Then choose the Add Notification button:

Choose Security > System. Then provide a Notification Name. In our example, we chose "No Activity Example". Then select No Activity Alert. Finally, choose the time interval for when a notification should be sent out. We chose 12 Hours in our example. Press Continue when you have finished:

Next you will choose who will receive the notification. You can use an existing group, or you can create a new one. In our case, we used a group called "Example", but you can set yours accordingly. Press Save when finished, and then press Yes to confirm:

Your new notification should then appear somewhere in your list under the Security section:

If you are an Alarm Grid monitored customer with questions about this new feature, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! We are happy to announce that the Honeywell LYNX Touch Updater Tool is now available for purchase on our website. This easy-to-use module allows users to conveniently update the firmware for any Honeywell L5210 or L7000 and get it running on the latest software version.

As you may recall, LTE Communicators for the L5210 and L7000 were released last year. There is the LTE-L57A for the AT&T LTE Network and the LTE-57V for the Verizon LTE Network. But these systems require a minimum firmware version to support these modules. The LTE-L57A requires firmware version 9.00.209 or higher, while the LTE-L57V requires firmware version 9.00.201 or higher. Any newly manufactured L5210 or L7000 will already be running a high enough firmware version. However, older L5210 and L7000 Systems may require a firmware update.

It used to be possible to push down an over-the-air (OTA) firmware update to an L5210 or L7000. However, this is no longer the case. All firmware updates for these two systems must be applied using the Honeywell LYNX Touch Updater Tool, officially known as the Honeywell LYNXTOUCH-MSD. This tool allows users to update the firmware for their L5210 or L7000 System at their own leisure. It will also come in handy if Resideo decides to release any future firmware updates for these systems at some point.

Alarm Grid has already released an FAQ to help you use this new device to upgrade your L5210 or L7000 System. We also invite you to check out the Installation Guide for the module for even more information. Remember, you will want to get your LYNX Touch System connected with an LTE network sooner rather than later. The 3G sunset is rapidly approaching, and LTE connectivity will allow you to greatly extend your system's lifespan!

If you are an Alarm Grid monitored customer with any questions about the Honeywell LYNXTOUCH-MSD Updater Tool, or if you would like to know why upgrading to LTE is important, we encourage you to reach out to us. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com or call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you might have!

Update: As of October 2019, the LYNXTOUCH-MSD Updater Tool can also be used with an L5200 Panel. See this blog post for more information.

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.

We have received news that San Jose, CA has recently repealed its Verified Response policy for emergency dispatch. The city will now respond normally to a dispatch request from a central monitoring station. This is great news for customers in San Jose who depend on reliable dispatch.

For anyone who does not know, Verified Response is a policy in which a dispatching center will not send out emergency police response unless a crime is confirmed visually or audibly. The purpose of these policies is to reduce false alarms and to save costs by not sending out potentially unnecessary dispatch.

As a monitoring service provider, Alarm Grid is opposed to Verified Response policies. We want all our customers to receive reliable emergency dispatch in the event of a potential crisis. We understand the need to limit false alarms and not waste the time and resources of our valued local law enforcement. That being said, we take several steps to eliminate false alarms with our central station partner, Criticom.

Some of the actions that Criticom takes to reduce false alarms include check-in calls, false alarm passwords, and allowing end users to place their systems on test mode. A Verified Response policy only makes it more difficult for an end user to get the help that they need in a timely manner, and it does not sufficiently reduce occurrences of false alarms.

The truth is that the vast majority of false alarms come from a very small percentage of overall alarm users. Putting burdensome requirements in place before allowing the authorities to properly respond and failing to work directly with the end users and alarm companies that create false alarms leads to a less safe environment for all.

We are sure that our San Jose customers will appreciate this action, and they will enjoy greater peace of mind in knowing that Criticom Monitoring Services will now be able to successfully request emergency police dispatch to their homes and businesses. Additionally, we have noticed a trend that many Southwestern US Cities have started reversing Verified Response policies that were all put into effect somewhat recently. Alarm Grid will provide updates as we receive more information.

If you receive alarm monitoring service in an area where a Verified Response policy is still in place, there are some actions you can take to ensure that emergency help is sent out during a crisis. The best option is to install security cameras or use image sensor modules to provide a visual look-in for any activity at your home or business. End users might also consider using panels with a built-in camera, such as a Honeywell Lyric Controller or a Qolsys IQ Panel 2.

Remember that when using cameras, you must be able to respond to calls from the central station and let them know that any given alarm is legitimate. If you cannot do this, then you will not receive the authority response you expect. For these users, the best option is often to use a local guard service that handles the dispatch and alerts the local police after they arrive on the scene and confirm that a crime is taking place. Alarm Grid customers in Verified Response areas can contact us about arranging for a local guard service to protect their homes and businesses.

We encourage every Alarm Grid customer to check with their local jurisdiction to find out if any Verified Response policies are in effect in their area. If you have any questions about Verified Response policies, you can always reach out to us. We are available via email at support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our regular business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! We have received news from Honeywell that Lyric Firmware Update MR8 is now available! This is the latest firmware update for the Honeywell Lyric Controller, and it is currently available for free download. End users can expect a few minor system improvements with the update.

From an end user's perspective, the following changes can be expected with Firmware Update MR8:

• The WIFI indicator in the upper-left corner will now display a red X if WIFI connectivity goes down.
• The Honeywell SiX Series Sensors now have a shorter RF transmission supervision interval. It is now six hours for all burglary devices, four hours for the Honeywell LKP500 Keypad, and two hours for all life-safety devices. Previously, the RF transmission supervision interval was 12 hours on all devices.
• In the SiX Programming Menu, the Zone Number will now be shown in Red if the zone is faulted. Additionally, a tamper message will be displayed in Red if the zone is tampered.
• The SiX Programming Menu now shows every enrolled SiX Series device for quick access. Newly enrolled sensors will be labeled "Newly Enrolled", which will be displayed in place of the Zone Number.
• The Honeywell LKP500 Keypad will no longer beep after performing an update.
• The Honeywell LKP500 Keypad will no longer announce Night Stay when Voice is disabled.
• Eaton Cooper Z-Wave Light Switches are now supported.

Additionally, the update includes various changes that will make it easier for your alarm company to monitor your system. That is why performing the update is crucial for all Lyric System owners.

Performing the update is very easy. First, you must make sure that your Lyric System is ready and has no trouble conditions, including any tamper cover and low-battery messages. It must be actively monitored with a working communication path. Start from the main screen of the system, and choose Security, followed by Tools. Then enter your system's Installer Code, which is 4112 by default. Then click on the Update Firmware button. The button should grey out to indicate that it has been selected.

You can then return to the home screen, and the update should be applied automatically. It will typically go through in a few minutes with a WIFI connection, but it may take up to an hour with cellular only. Once the update is ready, the system will reboot to complete the process.

You can check the system revision to confirm the update. Go to Security > Tools > Master Code (default 1234) > Advanced > System Information. Then check the revision to make sure it reads 01.08.

If you are an Alarm Grid monitored customer with any questions about the the MR8 Firmware Update, you can email support@alarmgrid.com for more information. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! You may be pleased to learn that Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is now allowing online open-access to their library of UL Safety Standards. The catalog can be viewed by any installer, organization or safety and security enthusiast. This includes more than 1,400 safety standards.

UL is the world's leader for maintaining consistent and reliable safety standards. Their safety standards cover nearly every electrical appliance found in residential and commercial locations. The company marks equipment as certified after strict and rigorous testing. Its stamp of approval is global symbol for safety. UL currently operates approximately 46 laboratories and 200 inspection centers in more than 70 countries.

For manufacturers of security equipment, receiving UL approval is crucial for ensuring the public that their products are safe, trustworthy and reliable. UL Standards are also important for installers who want to ensure that their work is up to code and of the highest-quality. According to UL, making their catalog of Safety Standards accessible to the public is a major step for keeping their standards relevant and ensuring that the entire safety industry stays educated.

We think it's great that UL has taken this step to make their safety standards accessible to everyone. This truly benefits the DIY security industry, as DIY installers will now have an easier time in safely completing their projects and meeting the appropriate standards. If you're a DIY user of a security system, we strongly recommend that you follow these standards to achieve the most reliable and consistent installation possible.

You can view the UL Safety Standards Catalog here. We hope that this helps to make your life easier as a DIY Alarm Grid customer!

Alarm Grid wants all of its customers to be aware that AT&T is now taking steps to formally discontinue their 3G and 4G networks. This is very important for anyone looking to activate an AT&T 3G or 4G communicator, as well as those who currently use either network with their alarm system.

Starting Wednesday June 26th, 2019, it will no longer be possible to activate a new AT&T 3G or 4G Communicator with AlarmNet. If you want to activate an AT&T 3G or 4G Communicator on a Honeywell System for use with Total Connect 2.0, you must do so before this date. Additionally, if you deactivate an AT&T 3G or 4G Communicator for a Honeywell System on or after this date, then you will not be able to reactivate it. Trying to reactivate a deactivated communicator is considered the same as an activation.

Please note that this only applies to AT&T 3G and 4G Communicators on Honeywell Systems that are used with Total Connect 2.0. Alarm.com has not announced any deadline for activating an AT&T 3G or 4G Communicator. Alarm Grid will post any new information as it becomes available. For now, the deadline only affects communicators being used with AlarmNet.

A sole exception applies to any AT&T 3G or 4G Communicator that was manufactured within the past 180 days. These communicators come with SIM cards that are pre-activated by AT&T, and they can continue to be activated for the next 180 days, even after the June 26th, 2019 date has passed. You will not be able to activate the communicator after the 180 day period has elapsed. You will also not be able to deactivate the communicator and then have it reactivated. You can check the manufacture date both on the box and on the radio label sticker on the communicator.

Additionally, the AT&T 3G/4G Network is set to be shutdown in February 2022. After that, all AT&T 3G and 4G Communicators will stop working entirely. This applies to any AT&T 3G or AT&T 4G Communicator, including those used with Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. End users will need to upgrade to a new communicator or alarm system to maintain cellular communication. This does not apply to AT&T 4G LTE Communicators.

In order to maintain an active cellular communication path, it is crucial that you upgrade to an LTE communicator. LTE stands for "Long-Term Evolution", and AT&T is expected to support their LTE network for many years to come. Most alarm systems that we support currently have an LTE communicator available, while others should be releasing one in the coming months. We recommend checking through our selection of cellular communicators to see if an LTE communicator is available for your system.

If you are affected by the AT&T 3G/4G Sunset, now is the time to take action. You still have an opportunity to keep your system monitored or upgrade to a new system if necessary. The best thing you can do is contact Alarm Grid immediately. We can verify which communicator your system is using if you aren't sure. If you do need an upgrade, we can make a recommendation of which communicator to go with.

Some systems may have an LTE communicator readily available, while others may have one set to be released in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, some users may need to upgrade to a new system entirely. The experts at Alarm Grid know exactly what you need to stay monitored, and we can present you with all the possible options. Remember, by upgrading to a newer LTE communicator, you are guaranteeing that you equipment can stay monitored for many years to come. We fully expect that LTE networks will remain active and in-service even as 5G technology begins to emerge.

Alarm Grid is on your side. We want you to stay monitored and protected. That is our absolute top priority as a company. If you are affected by the AT&T 3G/4G Sunset, we urge you to reach out to us. Likewise, we also urge you to reach out to us if you are not sure. We can check your equipment and confirm whether or not an upgrade is needed.

The best way to reach us is to send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. Our team will reply to it as soon as possible so that you receive the support you need. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to helping you determine the best solution for your home or business.

Note: For information on the Verizon CDMA Sunset that went into effect last year, please click here.

If you're looking to get started with DIY home security, then your first step is usually to get a system. What many people don't realize is that they don't necessarily need a brand-new panel and sensors to get started. Most users can achieve dependable security setups with used systems.

Really, the decision to whether you get new or used equipment comes down to personal preference. For some users, there's nothing quite like taking a fresh panel out of the box and appreciating its modern beauty and shiny exterior. We understand. It's fun. Believe it or not, this is actually why many of the people at Alarm Grid chose this profession - we love working with the latest and most advanced security equipment on a regular basis!

For other users, this might not mean as much. They might not care how their system looks or if it is technically the most advanced model. They just want a reliable piece of equipment that will keep their home or business safe for many years to come. And that's fine. Alarm Grid embraces these customers just the same as those who are willing to shell out thousands of dollars for brand-new state-of-the-art equipment. In fact, we often view trying to use existing equipment as the true DIY spirit. If you have it and it works, why replace it?

From our perspective, we don't really care whether you use new or used equipment. We just want to get you monitored and keep your home or business safe. Our monitoring plans are not dependent upon which system and sensors you use. They are dependent upon the services you receive. Customers pay higher monthly fees for necessary services like cellular connectivity, central station monitoring, access to an interactive service platform like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com, smart home automation features and video surveillance.

In other words, your monitoring fee is not affected by whether you use a brand-new Honeywell Lyric Controller with encrypted sensors or a 15-year old VISTA Panel running the same hardwired sensors since day one. If that VISTA is running cellular and the Lyric is WIFI-only, then the VISTA will have the higher monitoring costs. It's as simple as that. So really what you should be doing if you are new to monitoring is finding out what services you need.

When you think about it, the main job of an alarm system is being able to send reliable outbound alerts. Everything beyond that is just used to add extra features or to improve upon the end user's experience. It doesn't matter whether your system is brand-new or 20-years old. What does matter is whether or not it can function reliably based upon today's standards.

The main reason why alarm systems ultimately become obsolete is because they cannot keep up with the latest communication technology. These days, if a system cannot support cellular communication through an LTE network, then it could be considered obsolete. Older 2G networks are already a thing of the past, and 3G networks should follow suit in the coming years. For a long-term investment, getting on an LTE network or higher is a must.

But not all alarm system cellular communicators are created equal. Older modules can only connect to older cellular networks. And when these older networks become discontinued, the communicator becomes obsolete. The alarm manufacturer needs to decide whether or not it is worth releasing a new communicator for this older system. This is more difficult than it might initially seem. Releasing a new communicator might require a major system firmware update that could be difficult to apply, and many people might have already moved on to a new system.

The reality is that sometimes it's just best for an alarm manufacturer to drop support for a panel and try to steer their customers to their newer offerings. This is how they stay competitive and move the industry forward. What can be difficult for customers is knowing when they are best reviving an older system and when it's time to just buy a new model instead.

There are many older panels that can do nearly anything a modern alarm system can. They can receive communicator upgrades to work across faster and more reliable networks. They can have smart home automation modules installed to support Z-Wave devices. Many even have touchscreen keypads available for a better end user experience! You just need to ask yourself if the system you are looking at can support a proper communication path and whether or not it can fulfill all your needs.

If you do decide that an older system is the way to go, then we think that's great! Our team will certainly help you embrace the task of helping you get your used alarm system up and running with Alarm Grid monitoring services. We even had s few tips for helping you find older equipment.

First and foremost, you should look around you. For example, you might have moved into a new home with an existing alarm system. Or maybe your friend or loved one has a system they don't use any more, and they don't mind giving it to you. Even if you just find some old sensors, they might be a start. Check around and see if you come across some older systems. You might be surprised!

If you do need to make some purchases, why not try an online auction site or your online classifieds? There is often perfectly functional security equipment available at shockingly low prices. You may be able to buy it for yourself and get it monitored. Just make sure to find out what the panel can and cannot do before you buy it! We strongly recommend getting a system that can support cellular communication and access to an interactive service platform. Used security sensors are also often a great option, since they can usually be obtained at a fraction of the price!

For users who want a quick and easy answer, they might consider buying refurbished equipment from Alarm Grid. We currently offer options for refurbished Honeywell Lyric Alarm Systems and refurbished Honeywell VISTA 21iP Systems. This equipment is sent to us directly from the manufacturer, and it is guaranteed to work just as well as a brand-new system. This way, you can get a system at an affordable cost and know that it will work just as well as a new one.

If you're looking for used alarm system equipment, you don't have to go at it alone. Alarm Grid is here to help you so that you can get monitored. We can answer your questions about used security panels and sensors and determine whether or not they are right for your needs. We recommend sending an email to support@alarmgrid.com with any questions you might have. We also offer phone support for those interested in our monitoring services. Just call (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to helping you find the best security equipment for your needs.

Hi DIYers! We recently had a customer with an all too common story that is worth sharing. This customer obtained a Honeywell VISTA 20P System and was getting it activated with Alarm Grid. We had started the activation process, and began programming. But then the customer got cold feet.

The customer then decided to explore their options and possibly have their system monitored by a different company. That's fine; we hadn't activated their system yet, and we always give our customers the option to cancel their service. We wished that customer the best and then moved on as if nothing had happened.

But a few days later, this customer decided to come back to us. They weren't happy with the service the other monitoring company offered, and they realized that Alarm Grid was the best option all along. We laughed it off, and decided to get started with the activation. The only problem was that the other company had actually locked the customer out of *29 communicator programming!

Because of that, we had no way of properly setting up their communicator for monitoring. The only options for that communicator were to activate it with the other company or to convince the other company to release it. There was nothing that we could do with that communicator, even though it was perfectly capable of being monitored just a few days prior. We couldn't even backdoor into programming, since only local communication programming was locked out. In the end, the customer had to buy a whole new communicator!

Admittedly, our technical support team found this pretty funny. The customer should have just stayed with Alarm Grid all along! But joking aside, there is a serious concern about users being locked out of programming. Companies often do this to prevent customers from taking their equipment elsewhere. They will essentially be locked in with that company. A company may also force a customer to rely on them for programming their system so that they are forced to pay extra service fees.

In this case, the customer was lucky. They were only locked out of communicator programming, and they only needed to buy a new communicator. There are deep-level programming options that could have permanently locked them out of system programming entirely. If that were the case, the customer would have needed to purchase a whole new system. It really could have been a lot worse!

Alarm Grid never locks its customers out of programming. We want our customers to be able to access every programming field so that they are empowered and can make their own system changes. We will also never brick equipment and make it proprietary for our use only. If you want to take your system elsewhere, that is your choice. We will cut all ties, and you can take your panel to a new monitoring company. That is the freedom you receive whenever you sign-up as an Alarm Grid customer.

We are not saying that every other alarm monitoring company will lock you out of system programming. There are certainly other honest companies out there. But what we can say is that we will never use such tactics. Your alarm system and communicator both belong to do, and what you do with them should be your business. With Alarm Grid, you can be absolutely certain that we will never keep you out of programming or brick your equipment. What the other guys do is none of our business.

If you would like to learn more about Alarm Grid monitoring services, we would love to talk to you! The best way to reach us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. If you prefer to speak with a live person, we have phone hours available from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. The number to call is (888) 818-7728. We also invite you to check out our alarm monitoring page for quick information online. You can even sign-up for monitoring right from the page!

We look forward to working with you and providing you with all your home and business security needs.