Does HKC Alarm only work with Eircom landline?

Balooba

Hi,

Would really appreciate any advice.

Got a HKC alarm installed in my house. Alarm guy told me that because we have a landline with vodafone, we could not get text service and so would need to sign up to their monitoring company. No problem doing this, and low cost, and accepted it as we had loads of problems with Vodafone broadband until they finally allowed us to cancel the service.

Now have a problem - the alarm shows up 'fault' all the time. Rang company and they are coming to have a look. But alarm guy says before he arrives he has a feeling he knows exactly what the problem is, and it's because we have a landline with Vodafone and not Eircom.

Incidentally, we have broadband with Magnet.

Should we try and cancel Vodafone landline and get Eircom landline?

We have had a few very negative incidents with tradespeople of late, and so am very cautious whether this is the truth. If it is I'm very happy to get out of my vodafone contract and change to Eircom.

Balooba.

KoolKid

What utter rubbish he is telling you.
Besides Eircom Vodafone is the only other providor you CAN use for text alerts!!
This is obviousally a ploy to try get you to sign up for monitoring.
My advice would be to cancel this monitoring straight away, if you can't trust them with this you sure as hell cant trust them with the security of your home.
Onto the alarm. What fault is showing?

Balooba

Thanks for your response.

I'm afraid that you might be right. This is the second alarm company I have dealt with in the last year, and thought I had done my homework having been stung the first time.

Anyway, it says line fault. The landline is working, although there is a very distant beeping sound on the line when on the phone. Only noticed this tonight.

This is the second company to tell me that we cannot have an sms alert to our mobiles too, because we have the landline with vodafone, the broadband with magnet, and basically need to have everything with eircom for it to text us. The first guy did not even try and sell us monitoring - just said it could not be done full stop.

Incidentally, both time I got an explanation of why vodafone does not work - and they said they use a server not compatible to HKC alarms.

B

altor

That is not true. Eircom and Vodafone support texting over the land line. The HKC text card will work. If you have got a line fault it is because the line going to the alarm is not working or not connected. I know you say the line is working which would mean it is something to do with the line to the alarm system. If it was connected to a monitoring station then there should be a cable from the phone to the alarm. It is very easy to set up the texting if you have the engineer code. The line fault can be cleared by turning off the line monitor if the line is not working.

Balooba

Thank you for your advice.

I will go through all this with alarm guy tomorrow. If he disagrees I'll get another company. Going to cancel monitoring too.

I'm new to boards - am I allowed to ask for Alarm company recommendations? Or could someone pm me if they highly recommend anyone who would service the alarm - Dublin 15 area.? Or would an alarm company be bothered coming in at this stage just to service the alarm and set us up for texting..?

B

Balooba

ps: is the engineer code the same as the 'default engineer code?'. This is written on the instruction book left with my by the first company who installed the alarm.

And is this code unique to my alarm panel; or would each alarm company use different codes?

Asking because the first company who installed the alarm left this number; but a second company have been out to service alarm, as first guy was only interested in the big job and then ignored my calls.

altor

Your welcome,

If the alarm is a 8/12 then texting using the text card is possible. If your looking for any alarm company off boards there is a list here. Any company will service and connect this up so it texts you. Very straight forward to do as it has a cable going to it if you are monitored.

KoolKid

There are some company details in the sticky here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055956748
Posters here are not allowed put themselves forward with offers but its ok if you initiate contact.
Its all covered in the Charter here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055954199.
Any problems give me a shout.
KK;)

altor

Balooba wrote: »

ps: is the engineer code the same as the 'default engineer code?'. This is written on the instruction book left with my by the first company who installed the alarm.

And is this code unique to my alarm panel; or would each alarm company use different codes?

Asking because the first company who installed the alarm left this number; but a second company have been out to service alarm, as first guy was only interested in the big job and then ignored my calls.

The default code for the HKC alarm is 04567. If you enter the code you have on the alarm and service menu appears on the screen then this is the correct engineer code. All alarm installers have different codes, if the second person you had out got this code he may of changed it. Only way to know is by testing it on the keypad. If it works then press quit, quit, exit engineering, yes. This brings you back out of engineering in case it works

Balooba

Thanks eveyone for all that.

B

Balooba

Thanks Altor - I had pretty much the same code minus the first zero. Tried both yours and mine there and nothing happens when I put it in. My actual alarm code number is 6 digits long.....so when I put in the engineers code, there are two dashes remaining on screen, waiting for me to key in all my alarm code...

Also, I don't know if I have an 8/12. The keypad is HKC...no-where states any codes or identity numbers that I can see.....How would I know? I went on hkc.ie but all the keypads look the same?

Appreciate your patience with all this...it's so frustrating. what I have not mentioned here is that besides the new alarm crowd saying i need to change to eircom before they can allow me to get texts; they never asked me to sign up to a service contract with them. They offered a monitoring service at 12 quid a month. I agreed and gave bank details so they could set it up. Next thing I'm being debited 28 per month. I call to enquire and it takes a few days for someone to send info in the post. Low and behold there is a monitoring fee and a service contract - that I never signed! That was 2 weeks ago. At first I was raging, and then I thought I'll not make a fuss because it'a handy to have them on call.

HOWEVER! I called them Wednesday last to come out and check the line fault. This apparent service contract of theirs says 48 hour max call out. No one appeared and I rang at 6pm Friday. Was guaranteed someone would be with me today. Had day off work. Waited all day. Rang at 5pm and was told the person dealing with me would call and has not.

I am seriously being shafted, arn't I?

B

KoolKid

Sound's like you are being fobbed off.
Perhaps they read this forum and are now afraid to face you.
It happens.

Jnealon

Sounds like your alarm co or the person you were talking to do not have a clue. Get another alarm co in that know what they are doing

altor

Balooba wrote: »

Thanks Altor - I had pretty much the same code minus the first zero. Tried both yours and mine there and nothing happens when I put it in. My actual alarm code number is 6 digits long.....so when I put in the engineers code, there are two dashes remaining on screen, waiting for me to key in all my alarm code...

Also, I don't know if I have an 8/12. The keypad is HKC...no-where states any codes or identity numbers that I can see.....How would I know? I went on hkc.ie but all the keypads look the same?

Appreciate your patience with all this...it's so frustrating. what I have not mentioned here is that besides the new alarm crowd saying i need to change to eircom before they can allow me to get texts; they never asked me to sign up to a service contract with them. They offered a monitoring service at 12 quid a month. I agreed and gave bank details so they could set it up. Next thing I'm being debited 28 per month. I call to enquire and it takes a few days for someone to send info in the post. Low and behold there is a monitoring fee and a service contract - that I never signed! That was 2 weeks ago. At first I was raging, and then I thought I'll not make a fuss because it'a handy to have them on call.

HOWEVER! I called them Wednesday last to come out and check the line fault. This apparent service contract of theirs says 48 hour max call out. No one appeared and I rang at 6pm Friday. Was guaranteed someone would be with me today. Had day off work. Waited all day. Rang at 5pm and was told the person dealing with me would call and has not.

I am seriously being shafted, arn't I?

B

It does sound like they dont know what they are talking about. The only way to know if it is a 8/12 is by looking at the board in the control panel, if you do this yourself make sure you turn off the mains going to the control panel before you open it. There is a sticker that says what the panel type is on the board.

Balooba

Just want to say a massive thanks everyone for their advice on this forum.

In particular, a massive thanks to Altor. I contacted him privately from this forum, and he came out to my house today and advised on sorting the problems. It would appear the previous two alarm companies work was less than favourable. I can now get text alerts too - you were all right about vodafone being ok for this.

Very professional, and very helpful, guy and I finally feel we have someone to assist with the alarm that we can trust.

Would highly recommend him.

Thanks.

altor

Balooba wrote: »

Just want to say a massive thanks everyone for their advice on this forum.

In particular, a massive thanks to Altor. I contacted him privately from this forum, and he came out to my house today and advised on sorting the problems. It would appear the previous two alarm companies work was less than favourable. I can now get text alerts too - you were all right about vodafone being ok for this.

Very professional, and very helpful, guy and I finally feel we have someone to assist with the alarm that we can trust.

Would highly recommend him.

Thanks.

Thanks Balooba,

Always happy to help sort out any problems if I can

Jnealon

KoolKid wrote: »

What utter rubbish he is telling you.
Besides Eircom Vodafone is the only other providor you CAN use for text alerts!!

This statement is not true.
UPC will work for texts if you have the right equipment.

KoolKid

You have posted this a few times , but never posted how.
Please share the info.
Thats what boards is all about after all

Jnealon

You need to understand sms servers and the format in which data is sent to them.
I am not about to teach other installers who couldn't be bothered to do the research themselves.

KoolKid

Boards is about sharing & helping each other. If thats your attitude then don't bother posting things your not going to back up & explain. I have discussed these issues at lenght with most manufacturers & all agree the only method is the use of independent message centres. Something that must be paid for. If you are not here to help & share information then whats your reasons for posting here at all.?

Jnealon

I am simply informing people that it can be done with the right equipment. It is up to them to find a company that are able to do this.
You have a short memory, I gave you a lesson before on capacitors and their uses, visonics compatibility with signet, even altor learned something new about HKC panels.
It's all one way information with me, I learn nothing from this forum.

KoolKid

I don't understand why you feel so bad about posting up & sharing a bit of information. 1000s of people are doing that here every day. Thats what internet forums are about. If you dont want to share the information then don't post about it at all. The attitude of I know something you don't is pointless really and just makes you look bad.

altor

Jnealon wrote: »

I am simply informing people that it can be done with the right equipment. It is up to them to find a company that are able to do this.
You have a short memory, I gave you a lesson before on capacitors and their uses, visonics compatibility with signet, even altor learned something new about HKC panels.
It's all one way information with me, I learn nothing from this forum.

Every day is a learning day. The good thing about this forum is all the advise that is available. Informing people of new ways to do things is also very welcome here. Saying it can be done, saying you will have to go off and find out yourself is not being helpful though. I am willing to learn new ways just like a lot of other people here and if pointed in the right direction will do the research required.

KoolKid

altor wrote: »

I am willing to learn new ways just like a lot of other people here and if pointed in the right direction will do the research required.

Likewise with me.. re the SIgNET / Visonic issue. As you didn't want to share the info I made the call & was happy to post up my findings here.
As it happened it was no use to OP as this is only facilitated by Europlex in certain instances. But I am sure posting up that info will help others in the future.