Why Should I Get an LTE Cellular Communicator?

You should get an LTE cellular communicator because they represent a long-term solution for cellular alarm monitoring. An LTE communicator provides fast and reliable connectivity, which is perfect for monitoring service. We recommend that everyone uses LTE communicators with their systems.

Every alarm system needs a communication path for communicating with a monitoring platform. A cellular communication path is the most reliable option available. Unlike IP (internet protocol) service, cellular service almost never goes down or becomes unavailable. It is also unaffected by power outages that will usually take an internet router offline. You just have to make sure that you have adequate cellular signal strength. If you find that obtaining a strong cellular signal is difficult in your area, you can always look into getting a cellular amplifier or a cellular antenna to boost the signal strength.

A cellular communicator connects with a cellular network. As such, an LTE cellular communicator will connect with an LTE network. These networks are also sometimes referred to as 4G LTE networks. The 4G LTE cellular networks are currently the best cellular networks that you can use for alarm monitoring. It is expected to remain this way for many years. In fact, you can even recognize this with the name LTE, which stands for "Long-Term Evolution". This is an indication that LTE networks are not going anywhere any time soon.

Remember, 5G networks still have a very long way to go before they will be widely used. For the foreseeable future, 4G LTE communication is definitely the way to go. The 4G LTE cellular networks are also much faster and more reliable than older cellular networks like 3G, CDMA, and 2G. By connecting with an LTE network, you are providing your system with the best communication path for alarm monitoring and remote smart home automation functionality.

Additionally, cellular service providers like AT&T and Verizon have publicly stated that they plan to support their LTE networks well into the very distant future. These networks will continue to remain in service even once 5G networks become widely used. Cellular service providers have spent tremendous amounts of money creating the infrastructure needed to support 4G LTE communication. These companies are smart. They wouldn't waste enormous amounts of capital on networks they didn't plan on keeping active in the long run. This is a long-term investment on their part.

Cellular service providers are also currently in the process of shutting down their older, non-LTE networks. The companies that operate alarm monitoring platforms are aware of this. As such, these companies no longer allow users to activate non-LTE communicators. While you can temporarily continue to use an older, non-LTE radio that was already activated for alarm monitoring, the module will no longer work once the associated cellular network is put out of service.

If you are using a non-LTE communicator, the clock is ticking. In the next few years, you will either have to upgrade to an LTE communicator, replace your entire alarm system, switch to IP-only monitoring, or lose your monitoring service altogether. You may as well upgrade now so that you can enjoy faster and more reliable cellular monitoring service right away. For the record, AT&T is planning to shut down their 3G network after 2022. Verizon is expected to shut down their CDMA network around this same time as well, though the company has not provided a firm date.

In order to use an LTE communicator, you will need an alarm monitoring plan that supports cellular communication. For Alarm Grid customers, this is normally a Gold Plan or a Platinum Plan. More information is available on our alarm monitoring page. We also offer a less expensive Cellular-Only Plan for users who want cellular connectivity with a central station, but do not care about the interactive features available with our Gold and Platinum Plans.

Keep in mind that cellular monitoring is the same cost, regardless of which network you use. In other words, you will still pay the same monthly fee for cellular alarm monitoring whether you use a 4G LTE communicator, a 3G communicator, a CDMA communicator, or a 2G communicator. There really is no reason not to use an LTE communicator at this time.