Can I Use a 2GIG GC2e System Without Alarm.com?

Yes, you can use a 2GIG GC2e System without Alarm.com. The system can still be armed, and the panel's sounder can be activated during alarm events. But if you want monitoring, then you must connect the GC2e with Alarm.com. This is needed for text/email alerts and/or central station service.

The 2GIG GC2e has an integrated 85 dB sounder. This sounder can be activated regardless of whether or not the system is actively monitored. This allows you to use the GC2e System as a local sounder, even if you do not have alarm monitoring service. But using the system without monitoring really limits what it can do. Monitoring service is needed if you want to make sure that you know about an alarm that occurs while you are off-site. With alarm monitoring you can have the system connected with a central station for automatic emergency dispatch. You can also receive text and/or email alerts regarding system activity.

The two (2) main types of monitoring service are central station service and self-monitoring service. Central station service means that the system is connected with a 24/7 central monitoring station. When an alarm occurs, a signal is forwarded to the central station. A highly trained operator will respond to the alarm and follow a set of pre-defined instructions. This includes verifying the alarm and sending out automatic emergency dispatch if necessary. In this case, Alarm.com serves as the "middleman" between the system and the central station. Alarm.com will forward any incoming alarm signals to Alarm.com.

The other type of monitoring is self-monitoring. A system that is self-monitored is not connected with a central station. Instead, Alarm.com sends the end user text and/or email alerts whenever alarms occur. It is then up to the end user to respond to these alerts as needed. In other words, it is impossible to receive automatic emergency dispatch with self-monitoring service. But you can still receive text and/or email alerts from Alarm.com with a central station plan. In that sense, a central station plan also includes complementary self-monitoring. It's just that only a central station plan will include connectivity with a central station.

Connectivity with Alarm.com is what makes both central station monitoring and self-monitoring possible. The GC2e System sends signals to Alarm.com, and then Alarm.com forwards the signals to the end user and/or the central station depending upon the user's monitoring plan. You must remember that the 2GIG GC2e must be set up with a cellular communicator in order to be connected with Alarm.com. This is due to requirements from Alarm.com, which state that a system must have an Alarm.com Cellular Communicator to be connected with their service.

There are two (2) main cellular communicators that are used with the GC2e System. These are actually the same communicators used with the older 2GIG Go!Control GC2. There is the 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC2 (Verizon LTE) and the 2GIG LTEA-A-GC2 (AT&T LTE). Both of these are LTE communicators, which means they can keep your GC2e System monitored well into the very distant future. This is because cell service providers like AT&T and Verizon have stated repeatedly that they plan to support their newer and faster LTE networks for many years to come. You will also need a monitoring plan to activate the cellular communicator. Alarm Grid customers can choose between any Gold or Platinum Level Plans. We offer Gold and Platinum Plans for full central station service and for self-monitoring service. Check our monitoring page to learn more.