New phonewatch offer

Myrddin

Hi all

I'm just looking to pick the brains of the experts here about this new offer I've been presented with. I rang to sort out having my existing (older) eircom phonewatch alarm serviced, I need a few new batteries & a sensor or two etc. The rep then offered me a price of €300 or so, for a brand new alarm system, on the proviso that I enter into a years contract of monitoring (another €300 over the course of a year). Knowing nothing of home security/alarms, it sounds tempting. But obviously, there will be more to it than that.

The alarm is here - http://www.phonewatch.ie/get-quote/

Any thoughts on it? Is it a cheap, inferior alarm to my own (standard phonewatch system from about 12 years ago)? What's the catch?

KoolKid

Don't do it.
You will be tied with PW monitoring as no one else can monitor that system.
<snip>
You have very little protection with that system also. With only PiRs for protection your alarm is never going to activate untill after an intruder has broken in. By then the damage is done and it's a matter of what they will do or take on their way out.
Finally do you really want cameras inside your home that are viewable remotely in a control room.??? I would also have concerns around how and where those images are stored.
Shop around and get a few quotes on a system that will give you all the protection you need but still give you the ability to switch providers to avail of better offers in the future.

Myrddin

KoolKid wrote: »

Don't do it.
You will be tied with PW monitoring as no one else can monitor that system.
No doubt the monitoring price will revert after year one.
You have very little protection with that system also. With only PiRs for protection your alarm is never going to activate untill after an intruder has broken in. By then the damage is done and it's a matter of what they will do or take on their way out.
Finally do you really want cameras inside your home that are viewable remotely in a control room.??? I would also have concerns around how and where those images are stored.
Shop around and get a few quotes on a system that will give you all the protection you need but still give you the ability to switch providers to avail of better offers in the future.

Fantastic advice & info, many thanks. The more I thought about it as the day went on, it dawned on me that I'd be sacrificing contact sensors for motion sensors, & that didn't seem to make much sense at all! I know no system is 100% secure, but I think at least having contact or impact sensors on the entry points around the house offers better security.

They're looking for €350 to come out & service the existing alarm in the house, new main battery, new battery in the bell housing outside (its one of the eircom phonewatch ones that has a pulse light), and change all the batteries in the existing sensors. I'll prob just go with that, as monitoring doesn't really appeal to me the more I think of it (good point about the cameras too!).

KoolKid

If its the Simon system you have, shop around. You will get plenty of companies happy to do that work for less. They are pricing it that high to make their offer more attractive.

altor

Myrddin wrote: »

Fantastic advice & info, many thanks. The more I thought about it as the day went on, it dawned on me that I'd be sacrificing contact sensors for motion sensors, & that didn't seem to make much sense at all! I know no system is 100% secure, but I think at least having contact or impact sensors on the entry points around the house offers better security.

They're looking for €350 to come out & service the existing alarm in the house, new main battery, new battery in the bell housing outside (its one of the eircom phonewatch ones that has a pulse light), and change all the batteries in the existing sensors. I'll prob just go with that, as monitoring doesn't really appeal to me the more I think of it (good point about the cameras too!).

€350, how many sensors have you that needs batteries?
What type system have you installed?
Is the system you have in place monitored by them?

The newer system has a delay so pictures are not sent straight away.
I can see the push they have replacing older systems as pointed out it is putting customers into new contracts with them, ones with a system not many people know about or monitoring stations will be able to view the cameras. Not saying it will always be like that but as it stands it is.

2011

I agree with the comments above.

Just to add; this system can not be set when the occupants are at home. Descent alarms can have the perimeter armed and the motion detection switched off when at home which is when most burglarys occur (according to the statistics).

Myrddin

altor wrote: »

€350, how many sensors have you that needs batteries?
What type system have you installed?
Is the system you have in place monitored by them?

It's €200 alone, just for the call out! I've sensors on all doors & windows, not all need batteries, some do...but I wanted them all checked over anyway. The system is the old eircom branded one, not sure what mnodel but it's the same model as this one

2011 wrote: »

I agree with the comments above.

Just to add; this system can not be set when the occupants are at home. Descent alarms can have the perimeter armed and the motion detection switched off when at home which is when most burglarys occur (according to the statistics).

Excellent point, not being able to set it while at home is a total deal breaker. Will a third party company fit a battery to my outside alarm box, or will they want to replace it with their own branded one? It's not an option for me to remove the existing phonewatch alarm box, so if another company won't touch that, I'll just have to go with the phonewatch service price

cmssjone

Sorry to hijack this thread a little.

We are looking to get an alarm system installed from scratch and were looking for a ballpark figure for this. We also want to be able to set it when we are in the home so that if intruders do break in we will be woken up. We also have a dog if that complicates matters. I don't think it needs to be monitored as I expect that will ramp up the price on a monthly basis. Does anyone have any recommendations of a reputable alarm company that will be able to achieve the above?

Cheers

KoolKid

This really needs to be in a separate thread. I'll see if I can get the thread split.
You don't say if your property is wired or not.
The first thing to consider is the type /make of system you want.
As you say you don't want ongoing monitoring charges I would recommend you look at the following systems.
Siemens
GSD
Risco
All of these systems will allow you use IP giving you free apps with free alerts and free remote control of your alarm.
After that shop around and get at least 3 quotes. Ensure you are comparing like with like. When getting quotes get a written quotation and insist on a proper survey of the property. This eliminates the risk of surprise extras later on.

Stoner

cmssjone wrote: »

Sorry to hijack this thread a little.

We are looking to get an alarm system installed from scratch and were looking for a ballpark figure for this. We also want to be able to set it when we are in the home so that if intruders do break in we will be woken up. We also have a dog if that complicates matters. I don't think it needs to be monitored as I expect that will ramp up the price on a monthly basis. Does anyone have any recommendations of a reputable alarm company that will be able to achieve the above?

Cheers

Hi there is a list of suppliers on the main HSS page.

If you want to develop this further please open your own thread as the op did here and it will be addressed.

Thank you.

altor

Myrddin wrote: »

It's €200 alone, just for the call out! I've sensors on all doors & windows, not all need batteries, some do...but I wanted them all checked over anyway. The system is the old eircom branded one, not sure what mnodel but it's the same model as this one

Excellent point, not being able to set it while at home is a total deal breaker. Will a third party company fit a battery to my outside alarm box, or will they want to replace it with their own branded one? It's not an option for me to remove the existing phonewatch alarm box, so if another company won't touch that, I'll just have to go with the phonewatch service price

This system is serviceable if you decide to do this yourself. From the prices quoted it would be cheaper to replace all the batteries yourself and still have enough for a night out. It can also be set up easily to ring your mobile. When you say the outside bell needs a battery I am assuming you have a live bell that would be charged off the control panel. Most have dummy bell boxes installed.

Any company will also do the above for you at a cheaper rate. If your request your lid is not replaced it wont be either. I would shop around and bet you can get this done for half the price they are quoting.

Myrddin

altor wrote: »

This system is serviceable if you decide to do this yourself. From the prices quoted it would be cheaper to replace all the batteries yourself and still have enough for a night out. It can also be set up easily to ring your mobile. When you say the outside bell needs a battery I am assuming you have a live bell that would be charged off the control panel. Most have dummy bell boxes installed.

Mines not a live bell, it's just a dummy box I think. However, the light on the underside of it doesn't pulse like other similar ones. I figured that might be just a battery inside, no?

Can it be set to ring a mobile?? Didn't know that. I'd be a UPC customer, if that makes any difference & don't have a regular phone line.

Any company will also do the above for you at a cheaper rate. If your request your lid is not replaced it wont be either. I would shop around and bet you can get this done for half the price they are quoting.

Cheers for that, I'll definitely do that

altor

Myrddin wrote: »

Mines not a live bell, it's just a dummy box I think. However, the light on the underside of it doesn't pulse like other similar ones. I figured that might be just a battery inside, no?

Can it be set to ring a mobile?? Didn't know that. I'd be a UPC customer, if that makes any difference & don't have a regular phone line.



Cheers for that, I'll definitely do that

It is just a battery powering the LEDs then.
Replacing batteries in this system is simple. Just press the status button to identify the low battery. Then drop the front lid on the control panel and enter your user or engineer code so you can open the lids on the sensors to change them. When done close up control panel lid and check the status again.

This system has a voice dialer that will work with UPC, P.W. will say it wont but it does.