FAQs

Who will be monitoring my alarm?

A state-licensed, Underwriters Laboratory (UL-listed) 24-Hour Monitoring Center, usually referred to as the "Central Station". Our professionally trained operators are always there to promptly respond to all of your alarm events.

How does an alarm system work?

We program the Security System's communicator to dial the telephone number of an alarm receiver at the UL-listed monitoring station. Your security system is connected to a telephone line at your home or business for this purpose. We recommend standard telephone service to ensure proper communication from your system. At this time, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone services have some reliability issues for signal transmission.

When alarm activation occurs, your security system "seizes" your telephone line and dials the alarm receiver. Your system transmits digital data identifying your account number and alarm status/condition and then releases your telephone line. Central station personnel take over from here, contacting your home to verify the alarm condition and communicating with the appropriate emergency response authorities (Police, Fire, EMS) when necessary.

What happens when my alarm is triggered?

Upon receipt of an alarm signal from your security system, dispatchers in our monitoring station will telephone your home or business first. This will avoid false alarms. If you're home when the alarm is triggered, Central will call and ask you to provide your secret password and then verify the alarm condition. If there is no answer, a constant busy signal or an incorrect password given, we telephone the Authorities (Police, Medical and/or Fire) and advise them of the alarm’s event status. When there is no answer at your residence or business, we begin notifying your Emergency Call List. Your call list may include yourself, neighbors, employees, friends and/or family members.

Why should I have a monitored burglar alarm system?

If your alarm were to go off at anytime during the day or night, who will go out of their way to call the appropriate response agency? When we monitor your security system, our 24-Hour Monitoring Center will notify local authorities whenever they receive alarm event signals – unless you’ve “aborted” the alarm with your password. The appropriate response agency is dispatched to your home or business to help protect your possessions and ensure your safety.

Will your Monitoring Center receive an alarm signal if the alarm is not armed?

No, it must be active (armed) to send signals. Known as the “stay” mode, it is important to arm your system, even when you are at home. This mode bypasses any interior motions and allows you to move about freely inside your home while ‘protected’ doors and windows remain armed.

What is the difference between a hard-wired and wireless system? And what about my pets?

Wireless allows for protection where we cannot run a concealed ‘hard’ wire. As for effectiveness, wireless sensors and devices are extremely reliable. Pet-Immune motion detectors accommodate a large dog or combined weight of ~80 pounds.

My telephone lines are exposed, what happens when the phones are dead or the line gets cut?

Normally, if your phone lines become disabled due to tampering, bad weather, or construction, your alarm signals will not reach our 24-Hour Monitoring Center. Because our 24/7/365 Monitoring is a critical part of your security system, we offer alternative “back-up” options. Communicators (Cellemetry units) send signals via the very reliable GSM cellular channel to the Central Station. This can be used as “primary communication” when no traditional landline is available.

Aren’t these things thousands of dollars to put in?

What cost $3000 to $5000 twenty years ago to do, can now be done for as little as - $99 Installation Charge (Basic/ Essential Pkg.) to a few hundred dollars. For a few thousand dollars, you can turn your residence into an automated ‘smart’ home with Security, Lighting, Thermostat and other amenities, controlled from virtually anywhere in the world. It all depends on the level of security, comfort, convenience and safety you desire. Resale home value is increased about 2% to 8%, thus increasing your home’s future marketability and realizing a great return on your investment.

How long will it take to install my security system?

Typically, an ‘Essential Package’ installation takes 3 to 6 hrs. in a 2500sf home. Additional installation time will depend upon the size of your system and accessibility within the home.

Texas License B14343