Monitored House Alarm-GSM unit?

YoungFolks

really hope someone who knows what theyre talking about can help me,an elderly relative of mine has recently gotten in a monitored house alarm with a well known and reasonably reputable company,but has been told she needs a GSM unit at the princley cost of 275euros!can someone tell me exactly what this does as she is not exactly sure herself,im also curious as to how this equipment might interact/disrupt broadband and/or landlines-

much obliged!!

FusionNet

Its what we call a failover. What that means in english is when your main analogue line is down, disrupted or tampered with then the GSM unit handles the dial out function to activate the alarm. To say they "have" to get it sounds strange? Do they use a pendant system for personal alarm/attack or injury?

I am not a fan of alarm systems. Many times in my career have I had to cut main telephone lines and nothing happens the alarm. Remember an unmonitored alarm is useless. I had a client recently paying the usual 200-300 a year for monitored alarm. I had to re-organise all his lines so had to cut the alarm. Not only did the outside box not go off but the monitoring company had no idea.

Only certain systems have heartbeats so they can tell if a line has been tampered with. Anyways this unit is basically a gsm phone with analogue ports on it to conect to the alarm system. I think its a good idea and could be worth it.

btw I dont sell em in case your thinking Im trying to flog you one!!!

james4

if your relative has had a monitired alarm fitted i cannot understand why she would need a gsm system , a gsm is a unit which dials pre-programmed mobile telephones and sends a text message it is possible to send the messages to several mobile numbers
and this unit would not interfere with the normal operation of the telephone

YoungFolks

just a pretty standard monitored alarm!no personal alarm,has key fob though..as far as i can gather-bear with me as shes somewhat confused..she is getting rid of landline and was told she needs this gsm to act as a "connection"between her system and the call centre-am i right in thinking this is like a sim?or a mobile?forgive me i am in no way familiar with the world of alarms!!have no idea what it looks like or does but quite interested in the fact it costs almost 300quid+she has no idea what it does!!

YoungFolks

what is the purpose of a gsm unit in a monitored house alarm??shes getting it installed next week-the whole thing i mean not the gsm

FusionNet

A monitored alarm system means the system is registered with a compnay and when the alarm systems dials out on the landline after something like a break in the alarm monitoring company then know to call you or a relative. Without the landline the alarm can not be monitored because it cant be contacted. So the GSM unit takes over the role of the landline.

These units are 300 and always have been, well more to be honest. Yes they are a mobile phone with a sim card but it also has technology to either take alarm inputs or has an analogue port attatched to it so it acts like a landline.

Does that make sense? Any more info needed just shout..

jamesbond

hi all

the gsm on the monitored alarm system is installed for a few reasons,
1.there may be no landline on the site
2.if there is NTL 3in 1 package,dialers dont work on these lines,need GSM Dialer
3.Broadband,
4.Accessible Landline which might be cut by a burgler

GSM dialer is normaly installed because of one of the reasons above,it can also be installed as a back up to the landline where if the landline whent faulty of was cut the gsm would kick in and dial the monitoring station when the alarm is triggered

hope this helps
PM me if u have any more questions

FusionNet

Isnt that what I said???!!! :P