Question:
I have been paying monthly for a security system monitoring service for several years. An intruder set off the alarm last week but the monitoring system did not call police. It turns out that they have not been online for almost a year since we changed our phone service to Vonage. Since they have not been connected for the whole period, are we due a refund for the full 12 months or just a portion? Is it their responsibility to detect when we are not online?
Answers:
Sorry to hear about your break-in I hope they didn't make of with much or cause too much damage, I know how awful a B&E can make a person feel. Damn crackheads.
Regardless of how much I dislike Tyco and their business practices there may not be anything you can do as far as legal action is concerned. Read all the way through as there may be something you can do by talking to them
- Most monitoring contracts state you are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the phone line. Land lines can be compromised cellular back-up is available for a reason.
- Most VOIP companies tell you they may not be compatible with alarm systems.
- It is fairly public knowledge that the ability of VOIP to deal with frequency based transmissions (faxes and alarms)is limited.
- Your users manual as well as the keypad state "Test system weekly"
- Monitoring contracts have a tampering clause, the connection of VOIP tends to tamper with the phone line connection to the alarm.
That being said, they are a large company and they do not want this getting out in the media.
Honestly, they should have the system sending test signals to the monitoring station at least once a week if not daily. Personally, I go for the daily route with my residential accounts and arming and disarming signals on the commercial. If I notice a lack of signals I will call the client, it is amazing how many people cancel secondary phone lines without even a second thought.
Because of this fact, the test signal is becoming an industry standard. I thought Tyco, who claim to be an industry leader would at least have supervised test signals. I guess not.
Just something you can use when you talk to them. One thing that may also help, most modern alarm panels (At least the Newer DSC which ADT uses) have Telephone line monitor to indicate a phone line trouble. Did you notice a trouble light on your keypad? Maybe the system was mis-programmed and it is their fault, maybe the problem is with Vonage and the signal did not get through to the station.
I hope my rambling made sense, it's been a long day and the heat is getting to me. Here is a summary
1. Dialer Test signals should have indicated problem
2. TLM Telephone line monitor should have indicated problem if available on your panel.
3. Problem may have been with the ability of VOIP to carry the Data signal from the alarm - In which case many panels have a failure to communicate trouble indication.
4. You may want to contact Vonage if they did not indicate any potential problem, although I doubt they will care. They may have also screwed up the installation themselves.
Good Luck
you can defenetly try to get your money. First carefully check your contract -- on who's responsibility it is to make sure that the system is running. If it is their -- and they haven't notified you about the failure-- sue them, Your house might have been in danger - and they haven't provided you with the support promised, that's failure on their part.
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