What Is the Total Connect Remote Service?

The Total Connect Remote Service is what allows the Total Connect Mobile App to control a Honeywell System. Without this service, the Total Connect Mobile App will be unable to control or manage the user's system. The service can be included as part of a user's alarm monitoring plan.

When an alarm monitoring plan includes "Total Connect", it really means that the plan will provide the user with a Total Connect Account. This account is what grants the user access to the Total Connect Remote Service. With an active Total Connect Account, a user's smartphone can control a synced Honeywell System through the Total Connect Mobile App. This is because the mobile app will have access to the Total Connect Remote Service.

In reality, anyone can download the Total Connect Mobile App and have a Honeywell System. But only with the Total Connect Remote Service and an active Total Connect Account can the mobile app be used to control the Honeywell System. If a user were to discontinue their service, the Total Connect Mobile App would naturally still remain on their phone. However, their account would no longer be active, and they would no longer have the Total Connect Remote Service. This would make the Total Connect App on their phone essentially useless.

Using the Total Connect Mobile App and the Total Connect Remote Service allows a user to control their Honeywell System in some pretty useful ways. A user can use the mobile app to arm and disarm their system, check the status of any security sensors and control Z-Wave home automation devices. This can be done from anywhere in the world, as long as their phone has active service.

Of course, for a Honeywell System to be controlled in this manner, it must be connected to the network. This can be accomplished with an IP connection or with a cellular connection. One of these connections will allow the security system to send and receive signals from the Total Connect service. If the communication path for the panel were to be down or not working, then the Total Connect Mobile App would be unable to send signals to the system. The Total Connect Remote Service would still try and communicate with the panel, but its commands ultimately wouldn't go through.