More and more of our long-time customers are moving away from traditional phone line (POTS) based communication to our alarm monitoring central station to cellular based signalling. Is it difficult to do myself, and is it expensive? Read on as I explain the basics and how to tackle this inexpensively and relatively easily.
What Is Cellular Based Alarm Monitoring
The majority of existing alarm systems out there are hardwired based systems which have a built-in POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) alarm communicator. A hardwired alarm system means there is a control panel, which is housed in a metal enclosure hidden out of sight, usually in a closet, basement, or garage. The keypad on the wall which you interactive with the system to arm and disarm is just that, merely a keypad. The door, window, motion detectors, smoke detectors, etc. all run back to this control panel via wire cabling.
Land lines in homes are rapidly disappearing because of the high cost to maintain a phone line when frankly everyone in the home has a cell phone in their pocket. For many alarm owners they have kept this obsolete communication medium in their home just for their alarm system. Eliminating the POTS line and switching to celluar monitoring is actually a monthly savings, and increases security.
Phone lines are always at risk of being cut by an intruder before they attempt to break-in to your home. Phone lines also have the added risk of being disabled by weather events such as a down tree taking down the line to your home during a storm or snow blizzard.
Cellular of course has no wires to be cut and is generally powered by your alarm panel which has a backup battery in case of power failure. The increased monthly cost for cellular alarm monitoring compared to POTS is relatively small depending on alarm company. Brinks and ADT will charge probably the most but online monitoring companies such as SafeHomeCentral only charge $16.95 per month with true UL central station dispatch, not a self-monitoring plan that requires the homeowner to call the police. Pretty sure your land line costs at least 3X that amount per month. Most users save roughly $400 annually just switching to cellular alarm monitoring and ditching their land line. And homeowner insurance carriers love cellular alarm monitoring. Be sure to check what annual premium discount they offer. Most grant a 10%-20% savings. At our pricing your alarm monitoring may be fully covered by your insurance premium discount!
Check out our detailed post on Home Security System Alarm Monitoring Basics too!
What Is Needed To Switch To Cellular Alarm Monitoring
In order for your alarm system to communicate with a central station via cellular it must have a cellular communicator either built-in, or added on as an external hardware option.
Most professional-grade “wireless” systems on the market today have optional plugin modules for cellular service. You just pick what carrier (generally either AT&T or Verizon) and slide the card in. 
For hardwired systems (the traditional hidden control panel) you simply connect a small add-on cellular communicator to your existing system which replaces the phone line. In fact, your alarm system will still think it has a phone line connected. The new communicator will provide the alarm panel with a dial tone so it can still “dial” the central station. In reality the communicator is reading the alarm signals to be sent (what type of alarm and zone) and transmitting this data to a third party interactive services provider that accepts both cellular and Internet based alarm communications which relays this information almost instantaneously to the central station for alarm dispatch as appropriate.
The add-on cellular communicator is made to work with a particular interactive service provider such as Honeywell AlarmNet, Alula, or Alarm.com. What’s nice is not only can you send alarm signals to your central station wirelessly there is usually the option to be able to remote control your alarm system with a mobile app from anywhere you have WIFI or cellular service on your smartphone. What an upgrade!
Installing is pretty simple as long as you have basic hands-on skills meaning you can attach four to six wires to your alarm panel and mount the unit on the wall next to the control panel. SafeHomeCentral.com can assist you when tackling this as a DIY project. We have tech support 7 days a week and at no charge when signing up for alarm monitoring.
What Cellular Communicators Are Best For My Alarm System
One of the most popular cellular alarm communicators today is the Alula BAT-Connect because of its flexibility to work with almost all hardwired panels on the market. However your panel must be able to support ContactID format which most panel’s made after 2001 will support. If unsure just give us a call (800-840-6150).
Alula’s new BAT-Connect is the ultimate system takeover device, easily upgrading legacy security platforms to a modern, mobile experience. Much more than a basic communicator, this intuitive device smartly bridges intrusion security, video and automation with the Alula iOS or Android Apps. Fueled by the encrypted, lightning-fast Alula network, system control is delivered instantly to the smart devices your customers already use and love.
The easy-to-install communicator is broadly compatible with common panels, giving DIY homeowners a game changer upgrade for the 15-Million security systems online today.
- Instantly modernize most legacy security systems with mobile control
- New service upgrades beyond basic intrusion security
- Video ready, enabled through the Alula mobile app
- Home automation ready, link to any z-wave device such as lights, locks, thermostats
- Sunset-proof communicator, with Ethernet and WIFI on board
- Triple-path connectivity gives install flexibility and auto-switching to always maintain alarm reporting
- CAT-M1 IOT optimized: 5G ready keeps you ahead of tech changes, 4G LTE links to current cell standard
- Near universal panel compatibility keyswitch arming for remote interactive controls
- Auto-bus connection saves setup time, instantly joining existing panels
- Remote control capability for Honeywell Vista-15P, Vista-20P, Vista-21iP, ADT SafeWatch Pro 3000, DSC PC580, PC1555, PC1555MX, PC5010, PC5020, PC1616, PC1832, PC1864, GE/Interlogix Concord 4. NOTE: Will not remote control DSC NEO panels.
- Can be used in IP Only mode or Cellular and IP Internet Mode.
Alula Alarm Monitoring Pricing
* Pricing shown includes a 15% annual pre-pay discount. A one-time $15 activation fee applies to all new central station accounts.
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