Considering Phonewatch

Ronan H

As above, they have a half price deal on their system at present.

However, I see it's only a starter pack type thing which only includes two window/door sensors. Common sense tells me that you need sensors on all windows and doors, which means buying additional sensors, which are 85 euros each.

We have 14 windows that open, I'll let you do the maths. Seems extremely expensive.

Is there anyone here who has the system on a 3 bed semi D who has had the system installed and can share a bit about how the sensor issue was addressed?

The chat lady I spoke to said that the engineer would make it work as best he can and that they have discounts for buying a number of sensors.

I'm still a bit skeptical though.

Thanks for the thoughts.

_John C

Stay away from phone watch. Did they tell you that they charge a monthly fee on each extra sensor even after you pay the €85 for each one to be installed?

Would you be happy knowing that total strangers have access to the built in cameras in the pirs?

_John C

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101485486&postcount=51

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057593414&page=1

kub

OP, a Swedish company called Sector own that company having bought it from Eircom 3 years ago.

If you consider they paid over €20 million for it, consider what they pay on marketing and advertising.

Now work out who has to pay for all that.

Yes the customer.

Also consider the technical things for example.

Would you buy a car from a garage, that only that garage supplies, that only that garage can service and repair it and only that garage can fuel it.

Forget about your cousin's business down the road from it, he cannot repair that car as it had been made specifically for that other garage.
That other filling station that has cheaper fuel, nope that will not work on your car.

Which you are now paying more than 3 times more per year than those who did a bit of research.

Oh and of course the clanger is, you don't actually own the car that you got in that famous garage above.
Just happens that you payed the guy in the garage a few hundred quid to drive it out of the showroom, show you the controls and handed you over the keys.

Ronan H

I see a trend emerging here. I'm sold, or, unsold?!

Looks like I'll be looking elsewhere.

Thanks for the replies folks.

I'll have a trawl through here for some recommendations.

Merry New Year!

fred funk }{

There's a lot of threads here about PW that will enlighten you.

rolion

Hi lads,

And despite all these negative feedback and replies...how do the PhoneWatch is still in business today and these days ?
I seen a lots of PW external panels...

Must be people out there that loves the simplicity,trusts the name behind the system and not lasly, a pretty simple system ?!

fred funk }{

rolion wrote: »

Hi lads,

And despite all these negative feedback and replies...how do the PhoneWatch is still in business today and these days ?
I seen a lots of PW external panels...

Must be people out there that loves the simplicity,trusts the name behind the system and not lasly, a pretty simple system ?!

They spend big bucks on advertising. Most systems are easy to use these days. I genuinely believe that people don't know what makes a good system and what makes a terrible system so they just go with the well known brand.

Spend a few minutes in this forum looking through the Phonewatch threads and you'll be enlightened.

kub

rolion wrote: »

Hi lads,

And despite all these negative feedback and replies...how do the PhoneWatch is still in business today and these days ?
I seen a lots of PW external panels...

Must be people out there that loves the simplicity,trusts the name behind the system and not lasly, a pretty simple system ?!

Because people are too lazy or bothered to do some research. Of course the people who have their latest offering installed do not know they are stuck with them now. The repeat revenue which they are getting from their customers is keeping them ticking over nicely, easy for them sur they are the most expensive monitoring company in Ireland

Ronan H

So do people recommend other companies offering a alarm systems, or to source and install yourself, DIY style?

kub

Ronan H wrote: »

So do people recommend other companies offering a alarm systems, or to source and install yourself, DIY style?

We recommend that you get at least 3 quotations from PSA licensed installers.

The full list is here: https://www.psa.gov.ie/en/PSA/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf/Files/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf

Also there are dozens of monitoring stations up and down this Island that are in direct competition to PW but a lot more reasonable for monitoring. Your chosen installer will sort this for you.

Those quotations should be a result of a site survey and a risk assessment as per EN50131 standards.

You can, if you feel up to it, do a self install, we have been known to help people with whatever option they go with. But you cannot connect your self installed system to a monitoring station as you cannot certify it to the standard.

Ronan H

kub wrote: »

We recommend that you get at least 3 quotations from PSA licensed installers.

The full list is here: https://www.psa.gov.ie/en/PSA/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf/Files/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf

Also there are dozens of monitoring stations up and down this Island that are in direct competition to PW but a lot more reasonable for monitoring. Your chosen installer will sort this for you.

Those quotations should be a result of a site survey and a risk assessment as per EN50131 standards.

You can, if you feel up to it, do a self install, we have been known to help people with whatever option they go with. But you cannot connect your self installed system to a monitoring station as you cannot certify it to the standard.

That's brilliant kub, thanks a million. Much appreciated.

cuculainn

kub wrote: »

We recommend that you get at least 3 quotations from PSA licensed installers.

The full list is here: https://www.psa.gov.ie/en/PSA/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf/Files/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf

Also there are dozens of monitoring stations up and down this Island that are in direct competition to PW but a lot more reasonable for monitoring. Your chosen installer will sort this for you.

Those quotations should be a result of a site survey and a risk assessment as per EN50131 standards.

You can, if you feel up to it, do a self install, we have been known to help people with whatever option they go with. But you cannot connect your self installed system to a monitoring station as you cannot certify it to the standard.

Do you know why I think people go with PhoneWatch?

Because it's the easy option.
They will actually install a system

I must have tried to get quotes from about 6-8 companies (Galway area) on that PSA list and have never got anyone to actually get back to me.

So I am going to go the route of self install.

Ronan H

cuculainn wrote: »

Do you know why I think people go with PhoneWatch?

Because it's the easy option.

Agreed, and I was nearly one of those people. Convenience wins sometimes. I'm glad I asked a few questions though. I thought my system was goosed (and was told same by someone who gave me a quote) but I've gone from that to finding the manual, code and someone who specialises in repairing the system that I have, so PW is not even on the cards now.

Ro

KoolKid

Amazing that one single question can lead you to so much valuable information.

Ronan H

KoolKid wrote:

Amazing that one single question can lead you to so much valuable information.

Indeed! That's what the community is all about.

caycro

I was speaking with Phonewatch last week about a new installation which I had a price quoted for from last year. They never mentioned the extra monitoring costs with extra window sensors until I asked (thanks to boards for knowing to ask!) When I questioned the additional cost they said 'well we are Phonewatch' !!  
Has anyone used Action24? Similar price installation to Phonewatch but they have the contract for a couple of the major bookies so I'm thinking thats a great recommendation? Their monitoring fees are slightly less (30pm vs 42.50pm) and their app seems pretty simple to use. Would love to hear feedback from a user before I bite the bullet.

KoolKid

I'd beware of their new alarm.com system. You could be similarly tying yourself into a system no one else can touch.
My recommendation would be stick to the generic brands like UTC Aritech, Siemens Vanderbilt, GSD, HKC.
These will ensure you always have the bargaining power to shop around for better offers etc.

kub

Agreed,would you buy a car from a garage that is the only place that can fix it, service it and fuel it?

caycro

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it as I've never done an alarm installation before. Do you have any company in the Dublin region that you'd recommend? Needs to be a garda monitored not self monitored option.

Parchment

Spin off from this thread - i went for a walk at lunchtime today through a residential area and by far the most prevalent alarm box on houses was.....Phone Watch!

KoolKid

caycro wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it as I've never done an alarm installation before. Do you have any company in the Dublin region that you'd recommend? Needs to be a garda monitored not self monitored option.

Most licenced companies can provide you with central station monitoring. Plenty of of us here in Dublin to choose from.
Best advice, as always, is to shop around.

KoolKid

Parchment wrote: »

Spin off from this thread - i went for a walk at lunchtime today through a residential area and by far the most prevalent alarm box on houses was.....Phone Watch!

As the saying goes.....
Fools and their money are easily parted.

kub

Parchment wrote:

Spin off from this thread - i went for a walk at lunchtime today through a residential area and by far the most prevalent alarm box on houses was.....Phone Watch!

While we will all wonder after the next election how did FF get back in Government after what they did to the country.
People in general are taken by rubbish they hear from advertisements.
I wonder what percentage of those Systems you saw are still being monitored after the misfortunate householders realised what they signed up for and what it costs.
For example just today I spoke with a lady, I will be calling to her soon, I will be moving her monitoring from Phonewatch/ Sector to another professional monitoring station and saving her at least 50% in monitoring fees per year.
So as KoolKid said fools and their money are easily parted.

Gmol

Used to be with Phonewatch then switched to phonelink same monitoring service for 1/2 the price(not linked to that company!!)

kub

Gmol wrote: »

Used to be with Phonewatch then switched to phonelink same monitoring service for 1/2 the price(not linked to that company!!)

That is the average saving.

kub

caycro wrote: »

I was speaking with Phonewatch last week about a new installation which I had a price quoted for from last year. They never mentioned the extra monitoring costs with extra window sensors until I asked (thanks to boards for knowing to ask!) When I questioned the additional cost they said 'well we are Phonewatch' !!
Has anyone used Action24? Similar price installation to Phonewatch but they have the contract for a couple of the major bookies so I'm thinking thats a great recommendation? Their monitoring fees are slightly less (30pm vs 42.50pm) and their app seems pretty simple to use. Would love to hear feedback from a user before I bite the bullet.

And people will still blindly flock to them without doing some research. I have to wonder does their advertising spend prohibit the media discussing them.

listermint

caycro wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it as I've never done an alarm installation before. Do you have any company in the Dublin region that you'd recommend? Needs to be a garda monitored not self monitored option.

Whats a garda monitored system ? i thought phonewatch just ring the guards. Just like you would do if you got an SMS message.

Surely best system is an independent system installed with replaceable parts and in addition some IP CCTV on it you can view on a mobile device.

These are all easily accesible things in todays market.

fred funk }{

Parchment wrote: »

Spin off from this thread - i went for a walk at lunchtime today through a residential area and by far the most prevalent alarm box on houses was.....Phone Watch!

There's loads of them and each time I see them I'm amazed at the power of advertising. I truly didn't know that a few million spent on some ads with some quaint music would sucker in so many people.

I have to say though, any jobs I'm quoting for against PW I tent to get as once the customer is made aware of how basic and expensive their systems/monitoring is they come around.

kub

listermint wrote: »

Whats a garda monitored system ? i thought phonewatch just ring the guards. Just like you would do if you got an SMS message.

Surely best system is an independent system installed with replaceable parts and in addition some IP CCTV on it you can view on a mobile device.

These are all easily accesible things in todays market.

Gardai do not monitor systems, this was discontinued back in around 1987, back in those days alarm systems used to auto dial 999 and ask for Gardai, then repeat the 'alarm activated at..........' 3 times.
This used to clog up phone lines in the mornings and evenings when business premises especially were being opened and closed.

We are a long way from that now thankfully.

It might not be any harm either to let people know that PW were actually late arrivals to the monitoring scene in Ireland, most of the bigger monitoring stations were a long time in operation before they came along and most of those monitoring stations also had Security Guarding business's, Cash in Transit services and Alarm Response crews so from a security perspective they ticked all the boxes.

But as above the ' WE ARE PHONEWATCH' arrogance is seen as more popular, when marketing companies do their thing.

You would be doing very well to get Gardai to respond to your alarm if you rang them to tell them you got a text or whatever, perhaps if they are quite but with the limitations and pressure they are under you could be waiting a while.
Monitoring stations, alarm installers and Gardai have to abide by various standards, paper work and form filling before Gardai will respond to an alarm system that is being professionally monitored.

caycro

listermint wrote: »

Whats a garda monitored system ? i thought phonewatch just ring the guards. Just like you would do if you got an SMS message.

My apologies, I meant a monitored system who links you to the gardai ... as the other poster said, I can't imagine the local gardai responding as promptly to my urgent phonecall as they would to an independent monitoring station who has reported a break in at my house or a personal alarm alert.

On another point, my house insurance has a discount for a monitored alarm ... does anybody know does that include self monitored? I can't imagine it does and could lead to headaches if making a claim.

Parchment

kub wrote: »

While we will all wonder after the next election how did FF get back in Government after what they did to the country.
People in general are taken by rubbish they hear from advertisements.
I wonder what percentage of those Systems you saw are still being monitored after the misfortunate householders realised what they signed up for and what it costs.
For example just today I spoke with a lady, I will be calling to her soon, I will be moving her monitoring from Phonewatch/ Sector to another professional monitoring station and saving her at least 50% in monitoring fees per year.
So as KoolKid said fools and their money are easily parted.

Many of the boxes were the new black boxes they have at PW - their campaign obviously still works well and people go for a "well known" brand. Im glad i found this forum - lots of helpful info and i can see PW for the money black-hole it is!

kub

Well if an Insurance company says monitored Alarm, it means professionally monitored.

Their reasoning is quite simple and while I have little patience for the way insurance companies are, I respect the logic here.
The logic being is that while it is all well and good having free notifications or whatever to people's mobile phones, it is never a guarantee that the alarm activation will be noticed by the person or people to which the system notifies and secondly an appropriate response by Gardai will not be assured.

kub

Parchment wrote:

Many of the boxes were the new black boxes they have at PW - their campaign obviously still works well and people go for a "well known" brand. Im glad i found this forum - lots of helpful info and i can see PW for the money black-hole it is!

I wonder is that why their boxes are black 😆

listermint

caycro wrote: »

My apologies, I meant a monitored system who links you to the gardai ... as the other poster said, I can't imagine the local gardai responding as promptly to my urgent phonecall as they would to an independent monitoring station who has reported a break in at my house or a personal alarm alert.

On another point, my house insurance has a discount for a monitored alarm ... does anybody know does that include self monitored? I can't imagine it does and could lead to headaches if making a claim.

so as stated would you not get a better more comprehensive system including CCTV to IP for the money youd get on one of these nonsense monitored system, And personally i dont see how a phone call from phonewatch versus you calling the guards with a visual confirmation of an intruder would be any different.

my 2 cents either way, personally id go for best bang for my buck.

KoolKid

You phoning the local Garda station saying your alarm has sent you a notification will not get the same response as a licenced monitoring station directly communicating with the Garda control Centre reporting a verified alarm, PA etc quoting the urn issued by the guards.

listermint

KoolKid wrote: »

You phoning the local Garda station saying your alarm has sent you a notification will not get the same response as a licenced monitoring station directly communicating with the Garda control Centre reporting a verified alarm, PA etc quoting the urn issued by the guards.

So you phoning your local. Station saying your house is alarmed and you are looking at cctv of intruders on your property won't get the same response as a lad in a call centre.


Right so. Looks like. You've wrapped that up so.


......
...

kub

listermint wrote:

so as stated would you not get a better more comprehensive system including CCTV to IP for the money youd get on one of these nonsense monitored system, And personally i dont see how a phone call from phonewatch versus you calling the guards with a visual confirmation of an intruder would be any different.

Nonsense monitored Systems.....what a laugh.
You carry on there, this is comedy gold

stuartkee

The reason that there are so many black bell boxes installed is because Phonewatch hired a northern Ireland contract company to install bell boxes not the alarm just the bell box in as many locations as possible even asking none phonewatch customers can they install a box on there house . Here's the problem if you don't have an alarm that makes noise outside and has Doors and window sensors installed it's not an alarm .
The two basics of an alarm should be keep them out and make lots of noise if you're not doing that it's NOT an alarm . Also phonewatch must be the only company in ireland who PLUG there alarm into a socket it's a joke of a system and by all reports not that well made either lots of faulty equipment and lots of false alarms from spiders on the motion detectors. It's like shopping in Brown Thomas's your paying for the bag/bellbox

Parchment

stuartkee wrote: »

The reason that there are so many black bell boxes installed is because Phonewatch hired a northern Ireland contract company to install bell boxes not the alarm just the bell box in as many locations as possible even asking none phonewatch customers can they install a box on there house . Here's the problem if you don't have an alarm that makes noise outside and has Doors and window sensors installed it's not an alarm .
The two basics of an alarm should be keep them out and make lots of noise if you're not doing that it's NOT an alarm . Also phonewatch must be the only company in ireland who PLUG there alarm into a socket it's a joke of a system and by all reports not that well made either lots of faulty equipment and lots of false alarms from spiders on the motion detectors. It's like shopping in Brown Thomas's your paying for the bag/bellbox

I just noted they were the black ones as they are the newer ones. I still saw some of the older Eircom Phonewatch white boxes. My point was that many are signing up still - as they newer boxes were common.

kub

Common practice as well is if they are back to customers doing routine inspections they remove the old white box and replace it with the Black one.

Why any householder accepts such an eye sore of a colour up on their house is beyond me.

listermint

kub wrote: »

Nonsense monitored Systems.....what a laugh.
You carry on there, this is comedy gold

Not really, I presume this place is swarmed with installers for the likes of phonewatch. Of which what it offers is a direct line to someone in a call centre who reacts to alarms that come in.

Acting like its some nouveau 'Nasa'esque monitored solution is gas.

Is it your assertion that People need Phonewatch to properly monitor their property then the jokes on you.

But as i said id imagine its swarmed with installers here so hard to bad mouth the bread and butter i suppose.

Ronan H

Well, that escalated quickly.

Meanwhile, I have been saving myself a fortune by getting my old alarm fixed, for a very reasonable sum, despite the fact that it was written off as goosed by a guy who gave us a quote. Hmm...

Went with Cuala Security in the end. Highly recommended.

Much thanks to kub and KoolKid for their advice and assistance.

Props to you both.

Ro

kub

listermint wrote:

Not really, I presume this place is swarmed with installers for the likes of phonewatch. Of which what it offers is a direct line to someone in a call centre who reacts to alarms that come in.
Acting like its some nouveau 'Nasa'esque monitored solution is gas.
Is it your assertion that People need Phonewatch to properly monitor their property then the jokes on you.
But as i said id imagine its swarmed with installers here so hard to bad mouth the bread and butter i suppose.

First off, in case you have missed the blatant obvious in this particular forum, we all here criticise Phonewatch.

All of us here who give advice on Home Security Systems, know a hell of a lot more about it than what you do and a few of us have been in this business a long long time.
It is experience gathered over these years and having close working relationships with monitoring stations, security consultants and Gardai we know what we are talking about.
We are all also Licensed by The Private Security Authority.

So let us give the advice here, your notions of ringing your local Garda station because you can see some guy through your phone screen in the process of breaking into your home might seem like a great cost saving exercise to you and this whole monitoring thing some kind of a joke.

Well I will let you in on a little secret, if a monitored Alarm system transmits a verified Alarm signal ( I bet you are lost here ) to a monitoring station, it will receive a more rapid Garda response than your call to the local station, assuming the line is not engaged of course or that the station is open or the lads in the patrol car are on their break.

The Gardai have specific Alarm response criteria and I am afraid your solution just does not comply with it.

BlinkingLights

We switched from PhoneWatch to a HKC alarm.
Local installer (quite large though) and we're using a separate monitoring company.

It's like night and day. The company's customer service is phenomenally better. For example we were changing windows and had the installer up to swap sensors that day.

Also the alarm uses the HKC app and also texts us. So you can access the alarm from anywhere and even in bad data coverage e.g. Roaming you'll still get instant SMS notifications.

You can also build out the alarm over time, adding more sensors e.g. Smokes and heat etc as you feel like it.

You can also add outputs for home automation - lights etc even heating afaik.

The installation quality was better than PW and the system is as intuitive to use and provides voice feedback much like PW.

I interact with it almost totally through the app.

You own the alarm and you can decide what you want to do : monitor with any number of centers, self monitor, add to it, move it etc ... total flexibility

Also HKC is an Irish electronics company. So you've great local tech support and it's built for Irish style houses and you're supporting an indigenous industry!

kub

BlinkingLights wrote: »

We switched from PhoneWatch to a HKC alarm.
Local installer (quite large though) and we're using a separate monitoring company.

It's like night and day. The company's customer service is phenomenally better. For example we were changing windows and had the installer up to swap sensors that day.

Also the alarm uses the HKC app and also texts us. So you can access the alarm from anywhere and even in bad data coverage e.g. Roaming you'll still get instant SMS notifications.

You can also build out the alarm over time, adding more sensors e.g. Smokes and heat etc as you feel like it.

You can also add outputs for home automation - lights etc even heating afaik.

The installation quality was better than PW and the system is as intuitive to use and provides voice feedback much like PW.

I interact with it almost totally through the app.

You own the alarm and you can decide what you want to do : monitor with any number of centers, self monitor, add to it, move it etc ... total flexibility

Also HKC is an Irish electronics company. So you've great local tech support and it's built for Irish style houses and you're supporting an indigenous industry!

Thank you and the huge thing here is, if you had a falling out with your installer or whatever, any other installer can take over the servicing of the system. That is one box that a new PW customer cannot tick either.

cuculainn

BlinkingLights wrote: »

We switched from PhoneWatch to a HKC alarm.
Local installer (quite large though) and we're using a separate monitoring company.

It's like night and day. The company's customer service is phenomenally better. For example we were changing windows and had the installer up to swap sensors that day.

Also the alarm uses the HKC app and also texts us. So you can access the alarm from anywhere and even in bad data coverage e.g. Roaming you'll still get instant SMS notifications.

You can also build out the alarm over time, adding more sensors e.g. Smokes and heat etc as you feel like it.

You can also add outputs for home automation - lights etc even heating afaik.

The installation quality was better than PW and the system is as intuitive to use and provides voice feedback much like PW.

I interact with it almost totally through the app.

You own the alarm and you can decide what you want to do : monitor with any number of centers, self monitor, add to it, move it etc ... total flexibility

Also HKC is an Irish electronics company. So you've great local tech support and it's built for Irish style houses and you're supporting an indigenous industry!

Hi BL
what part of the country are you? Would you PM me your installer? Thanks

Cameraman

kub wrote: »

Common practice as well is if they are back to customers doing routine inspections they remove the old white box and replace it with the Black one.

Why any householder accepts such an eye sore of a colour up on their house is beyond me.

I have an older Phonewatch system - which I intend to replace in due course.
Because of this, I am not on a fixed-term contract (apparently). However, they phoned me recently offering to replace my old white box with a brand new black one. On inquiring further, it turned out that this would tie me in to an 18-month contract (and incidentally provide more advertising for them).

I politely declined.

jimmycrackcorm

kub wrote: »

So let us give the advice here, your notions of ringing your local Garda station because you can see some guy through your phone screen in the process of breaking into your home might seem like a great cost saving exercise to you and this whole monitoring thing some kind of a joke.

Well I will let you in on a little secret, if a monitored Alarm system transmits a verified Alarm signal ( I bet you are lost here ) to a monitoring station, it will receive a more rapid Garda response than your call to the local station, assuming the line is not engaged of course or that the station is open or the lads in the patrol car are on their break.

The Gardai have specific Alarm response criteria and I am afraid your solution just does not comply with it.

This sounds like scare-mongering to me to justify an un-necessary cost..
When I looked up verified signal it sheds some light...

What is a verified alarm?
A verified alarm is an alarm system that has sent in a second signal to confirm the first activation. Many primary signals are accidental as a result of weather or not switching off an alarm in good time. The second, or 'verifying', signal will narrow the probability of an activation being false.

The Gardai will not accept a call from a Monitoring Centre until a Keyholder has been notified and given an estimated time of arrival at the premises.

The purpose of the new policy is to reduce false alarms thereby enabling the Gardai to respond to real activations more promptly.

What is a false alarm?
If the Gardai arrive at a premises and the Keyholder is not there the activation will be treated as a false alarm. Garda response will be withdrawn when the limit of three false alarms in three months is reached. If Garda response is withdrawn, the alarm system must have verification technology installed before it can be reinstated.

So basically the monitoring centre have to call the keyholder first. I think I'd prefer to ring the Guards and say I can see the intruder via my remote cctv.

A while back I rang up the Guards when I saw some people sneaking round the back garden of one of my neighbours. They were pretty prompt in coming around.

CramCycle

PhoneWatch were the most expensive option for my parents in law. I gave them a quote from a competitor and they said that was impossible. Competitor included the install in their annual bill, which is 1/3 of the phone watch one. It is fully monitored, and it has been tested (by accident admittedly). Eircom disconnected them when they came out to install broadband but they sent their guy out free of charge to sort it all out. He also came out to adjust one sensor and disconnect an internal one we did not want (due to a pet in the room), all free of charge.

PM if you would like the company name.

KoolKid

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

This sounds like scare-mongering to me to justify an un-necessary cost..
When I looked up verified signal it sheds some light...

You really think the Guards are going to respond to every lad who sees something on their CCTV or hears an alarm activation.
If that was the case PW, Netwatch and all the others ARCs would be closed years ago.

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

So basically the monitoring centre have to call the keyholder first. I think I'd prefer to ring the Guards and say I can see the intruder via my remote cctv.

A while back I rang up the Guards when I saw some people sneaking round the back garden of one of my neighbours. They were pretty prompt in coming around.

The fact that you had to Google Verified alarm says it all.
Maybe now go off and search Garda Policy on Monitored Intruder Alarms.
Maybe on the next monitored system I set up Ill tell the Guards I don't need to fill out an RC1a form & see how that goes down.
In fact maybe we should tell all the ARCs to stop wasting their money conforming to IS 228.All installers can just use their mobiles as an ARC.
Happy days.:rolleyes::D