Thats a great question. Here is a good theoretical question that I have always asked myself:
Why doesnt Alarm.Com simply come out with their own alarm panel?
or, Why doesnt 2GIG or whoever, come up with their own web interface?
Here are my answers:
As far as Alarm.Com coming out with their own panel, I think they could easily do it, but perhaps are scared of the initial loss of business from 2GIG, Interlogix, DSC, Qolsys customers.
As far as the alarm manufacturers not coming out with their own web interface. I think they understand that they cant match the power of alarm.com
In other words, I think 2GIG, Interlogix, DSC, Qolsys needs Alarm.Com more than Alarm.Com needs 2GIG, Interlogix, DSC, Qolsys
But then again, if 2GIG, Interlogix, DSC, Qolsys had their own web interface or cell app, and they could offer it free, that would reduce the need for the installer to pay that monthly fee to Alarm.Com.
We started carrying alarm gear this year after carrying video surveillance for several years so I come from a background of remoting in directly to the surveillance devices without the need for a paid web service. So I thought the alarm.com relationship was a wierd one. Why not just remote directly into the panel?