All about Alarm.com - Services Overview Part 1

What is Alarm.com Interactive Services?
Alarm.com Interactive Services give homeowners integrated access to their alarm system, energy management, access control, and video monitoring that was previously unheard of. Alarm.com has different service plans to meet the needs of every customer at a great price. The service plans for Alarm.com are: Wireless Signal Forwarding, Basic Interactive, Advanced Interactive, and Interactive Gold. Each service plan gives additional features and services.

In addition to the service plans, Alarm.com has various features that are available as add-ons to the plans. These add-ons usually require equipment that is capable of certain functions to take advantage of the feature. For instance the video monitoring services that Alarm.com offers is a service plan add-on for every service plan level. Since most people do not have IP video cameras, it is good that customers do not need to pay for video services even though they are most likely not able to use that feature.

What are the advantages of Alarm.com?
There are many advantages to using Alarm.com Interactive services. All Alarm.com communication is through wireless cellular communicators. This allows users to be protected and connected even if phone or internet lines are compromised. And even in power outages, the system will continue to function and communicate until the backup battery is dead; about 24 hours in most cases.

Alarm.com offers its special Crash & Smash protection for every service plan. Alarm systems feature an entry delay that is critical for allowing homeowners and authorized users to enter and disarm the system; reducing false alarms greatly. However, criminals can take advantage of this feature by breaking in through the entry door, locating the alarm panel, and smashing it. They think that the system is disabled since it can no longer send out an alarm signal. With Crash & Smash protection you are still protected though! The panel sends out an entry delay signal to the central station letting the monitoring station know that they should be receiving a disarm signal shortly. If they do not, they will then treat it as an alarm since the system seems to have been disabled.

Alarm.com supports both central station monitoring and self monitoring. Many people enjoy the added features and peace of mind that central station monitoring affords them, with the automatic notifications to the proper authorities in the case of an emergency situation. Other people want to be able to take advantage of the many features of Alarm.com, such as home automation and energy management or remote video monitoring, but do not feel the need to pay for the extra monitoring fees of a central station. Alarm.com has the most robust features for those wanting to self monitor, including: mobile access through their app, notifications directly to cell phones, and remote video and image viewing.

Alarm.com features industry first wireless two-way voice to compatible panels. This allows the added benefit of alarm verification through two-way voice without requiring any landlines. Alarm.com customers can reduce costs of having a landline without needing to sacrifice security.

Alarm.com offers a feature called Geo Services. This is another great feature that will aid you in the use of your alarm system. You can set up a “geo fence” that will automatically trigger certain notifications depending on if you are entering the area of leaving the area. It does this by using the location service on your smartphone. For instance if you are leaving your home in a rush, late for work, and forget to set your alarm; once you leave the “geo fence” your alarm can automatically notify that it is not armed.

Last, but definitely not least, Alarm.com offers among the best remote service through any internet-enabled device or computer. Alarm.com customers can remotely control their alarm and connected devices without losing any capability of the system. This includes features such as adding or removing user codes, arming and disarming, and controlling home automation devices to name a few. Many of these capabilities are not offered by any other company. In addition to being able to remotely control the system, you can receive real-time notifications about the events that you deem important such as alarms (of course) or a door or window being left open. And, finally, you can have a live view of your property remotely through video cameras or image capturing devices. Not only can you have a live view through your cameras, but you can access recorded video as well.

What is Wireless Signal Forwarding?
Alarm.com offers what is currently the best deal we offer for cellular communication to a central station with wireless signal forwarding. If you do not have a landline or you want the added security of a cellular communicator for your alarm system, but you do not want to pay for the extra features that Alarm.com interactive services offer; wireless signal forwarding is for you. With wireless signal forwarding, Alarm.com will send out your panels alarm signals using their reliable wireless signal transported via Verizon or AT&T depending on your chosen equipment. Not only do you get a great deal on cellular communication for your alarm panel, but you will also be protected by Crash & Smash for no additional cost. This gives you even greater security than you would otherwise have.

What are the differences between the interactive service plans?
In addition to wireless signal forwarding, Alarm.com offers 3 interactive service plans. These service plans are: Basic Interactive, Advanced Interactive, and Interactive Gold. These service plans offer increasing capabilities for your system. All plans include wireless signal forwarding using a cellular radio as well as complete remote access to the alarm system, alarm notifications, and geo services. In addition to the options that the 3 interactive service plans give, you can take advantage of as many add-on services as you would like. This allows each customer to customize their services and features so that they are only paying for the features that they want to use and can take advantage of.

What equipment is compatible with Alarm.com?
Alarm.com has partnered with some of the most prominent and advanced alarm panel manufacturers to offer support for all of the features that they offer. Currently Alarm.com is compatible with the following panels and versions:
• 2GIG Go!Control
• DSC Impassa - version 1.30 and higher
• DSC Touch/Qolsys IQ Panel
• DSC PowerSeries Neo - version 1.11 and higher
• Interlogix Concord - versions 4.0 and higher
• Interlogix NetworX (NX) - versions 4 (v2), 6 (v2), 8 (v2), 8E
• Interlogix Simon XTi
• Interlogix Simon XT – all versions

All you need is one of those panels, an Alarm.com GSM module, and to sign up for service with Alarm.com to have access to the most advanced and integrated alarm panel, home automation, and video service features on the market today.

Check out Part 2 to learn more details about the Interactive Service plans and add-ons!