Eircom Phonewatch - landline required?

Pininfarina

Hi all, quick couple of queries. Currently have Eircom Phonewatch installed with Eircom landline active.

I don't use the landline at all, so am tired of paying the line rental. Am I right in assuming that if I cancel the landline, then Phonewatch will no longer work?

Also, can I cancel my Phonewatch subscription also and just leave the alarm system function as a standalone alarm?

Thanks in advance.

northdublin

yes you can cancel the monitoring if you wish along with your landline. if you wanted to keep the monitoring they could install a gsm unit which are normally used as a back up to a landline......not ideal to use as a standalone but better then no monitoring at all. if you cancell your monitoring the dial up mumbers will have to be removed aswell as other programming and will cost you a call out charge

Pininfarina

Thanks for the response. Just to confirm, can I cancel just the landline and leave the monitoring in place as is (i.e. without a GSM unit)?

Jnealon

No landline = No monitoring with your current set up
Your alarm will be a bells only, that is if you have a real bell fitted outside and not a decoy

northdublin

any monitored system is dependant on a landline unless a gsm is in place, so without a landline theres no medium for the signal to reach the control centre.

dewsbury

I agree with what has been said above.
However, two other points.

1. You may be tied into Phonewatch for a fixed number of years ??

2. Now this is an interesting one - if slightly off the point. The whole phonewatch think is one big scam! I had phonewatch and paid an annual sum for the service. Then I thought about it....AND concluded,

What is the point if my alarm system phoning Eircom and then Eircom phoning me?
I.e. What don't I just get my alarm to phone me and cut out the middle man (i.e. Eircom).

This is exactly what I did and I saved myself several hundred euros per year.

The whole phonewatch thing is essentially a marketing scam with little substance! Their advertising makes them sound as if they offer something more sophisticated than is actually the case.

Stoner

dewsbury wrote: »

The whole phonewatch thing is essentially a marketing scam with little substance! Their advertising makes them sound as if they offer something more sophisticated than is actually the case.

I agree, there are systems that are better (and worse) out there, the idea that they are the Mercedes of the alarm world is misleading IMO

northdublin

if you have one of their hkc systems cutting out the middle man is easy, just a bit of programming in the text digi.
if you have one of their simon wirefree systems as far as i know a digi or text module has not sucessfully been intergrated with this type of panel.it has its own digi built in that only allows the station numbers.
if you have a concord wirefree you can remove the monitoring station numbers and enter only 1 number into the domestic dialer. this will ring you and play an annoying tone over the phone, but you can ring back your alarm and use the dtmf key pad on your phone to check the staus or arm/disarm the system.

molder

Pininfarina wrote: »

Hi all, quick couple of queries. Currently have Eircom Phonewatch installed with Eircom landline active.

I don't use the landline at all, so am tired of paying the line rental. Am I right in assuming that if I cancel the landline, then Phonewatch will no longer work?

Also, can I cancel my Phonewatch subscription also and just leave the alarm system function as a standalone alarm?

Thanks in advance.

landline is only for monitoring purposes.the alarm will work fine without line.

molder

the landline is only for monitoring purposes.the alarm will work without landline.

Gerry1995

dewsbury wrote: »

I agree with what has been said above.
However, two other points.

1. You may be tied into Phonewatch for a fixed number of years ??

2. Now this is an interesting one - if slightly off the point. The whole phonewatch think is one big scam! I had phonewatch and paid an annual sum for the service. Then I thought about it....AND concluded,

What is the point if my alarm system phoning Eircom and then Eircom phoning me?
I.e. What don't I just get my alarm to phone me and cut out the middle man (i.e. Eircom).

This is exactly what I did and I saved myself several hundred euros per year.

The whole phonewatch thing is essentially a marketing scam with little substance! Their advertising makes them sound as if they offer something more sophisticated than is actually the case.

Well said Dewsbury, I have been thinking the same thing here, they scare people into monitoring just more people putting their hand in your pocket.

I have a GE Services Phonewatch panel with wireless contact points, so can I get it to call over something like NTL ?
One way or the other I am cancelling the monitoring. The principal is stupid, they cally, can't get you so they cll a keyholder, can't get them the call the Gardai, so an hour later someone gets to your house. By then either you are being robbed by a deaf or very hard knecked Bas**rd

fishdog

What is the point if my alarm system phoning Eircom and then Eircom phoning me?
I.e. What don't I just get my alarm to phone me and cut out the middle man (i.e. Eircom).

A very good point!!

I also think that alarm systems that do not have a working outside bell box should not be certified! The fake bell boxes comprimise security as do easy to cut phone lines that have no "back up system" such as a GSM module.

fishdog

In my opinion one of their advertisements very misleading so I wrote a letter to the advertising standards authority. I have attached the reply from them.

I had to compress the document so that I could upload it so it is a little hard to read.

The most interesting part is the conclusion in the last 4 lines of the report. This is in the secretariats recomended conclusion that finishes with ".....and in the circumstances upheld the complaint."

dewsbury

Well done fishdog.

Incidentally, Phonewatch have won marketing awards for the way they promote their product.

One of these days the general public will wise up to the rip off.


...bizarrely enough ... as I type ...there is an ad. for phonewatch on my boards screen right now!

fishdog

Incidentally, Phonewatch have won marketing awards for the way they promote their product.

I have to admit their marketing is fantastic. It seems as though there is always a special offer that can never be beaten that is just about to run out!

However it does not necessarily follow that their alarm systems provide a reasonable level of security. I personally bypassed and removed one of their wireless systems with the greatest of ease in front of their customer prior to a house renovation. She was shocked, even more so when they tried to bill her for monitoring weeks after the same alarm had been removed!!!

However, I have seen when they have used hardwired systems like HKC and they have been installed to a high standard.

I think that the general public do not understand what alarm monitoring really is. Many believe that it a monitored alarm goes off that the Gardai are immediately informed, which is not the case.

They do not understand things such as how long an alarm will go off for before a monitoring station is even allowed to call the Gardai for assistance.

dewsbury

Exactly Fishdog.

Unfortunately there lies, damned lies and marketing !

The marketing is particular cynical the way they scare people (esp. old people) by the constant mention of "BURGLARS".

derek_g34

Its true, there can be a delay between an Intruder Alarm activation and the call made by a monitoring station. Some systems do not even dial out unless they have been ringing for 20 seconds. Then there may be a minimum activation period programmed into the control equipment in the monitoring station i.e. 60 seconds, before the activation will even appear on the operators screen. Finally, if the intruder breaks in through the timed entry door, that another 30 seconds. Two minutes before a call is made..

Just remember, since the implementation of the Garda policy in relation to the monitoring of intruder alarms, whereby they will only attend a confirmed alarm activation i.e. two seperate detection devices must activate, false alarm attendance by the Garda has been practically wiped out.

fishdog

Some systems do not even dial out unless they have been ringing for 20 seconds.

AFAIK the regulation for monitored alarms is 30 seconds.

two seperate detection devices must activate

Yes this is correct. So if the intruder only sets off one device the Gardai will not be called at all!!:eek:

Even if the second device is activated it will take a few more valuable minutes
before the gardai are called.:eek::eek:

false alarm attendance by the Garda has been practically wiped out.

... at what price??? Intruders now have more time before the Gardai are called (if at all)!!