Alarm.Com Supports 4 Intrusion Lines. Why?

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Brian Rhodes
Feb 13, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Who has experience being an Alarm.com dealer?

I find it interesting those dealers support 4 different intrusion brands, unlike many alarm companies that exclusively install/service one line:

To you current/former Alarm.com dealers, how/why did you decide to support the lines you do?

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Kurt Denninghoff
Feb 13, 2017

I've been an alarm.com dealer for 4 years and we install about around 600 residential alarm.com accounts per year.  Happy to answer any questions

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Brian Rhodes
Feb 13, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Hello Kurt:  Thanks.  Which panels do you install?  Why those?

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Kurt Denninghoff
Feb 13, 2017

Hi Brian, We install 2gig and have started to use the Alarm.com SEM Module which allows you to utilize an existing Honeywell vista system and then connect it to alarm.com interactive services.  The SEM is an excellent option for commercial alarm installations as it allows full use of alarm.com commercial services which are impressive.  

As far as 2GIG, The alarm industry has gone more and more online and because of that transition the panel has become irrelevant compared to the mobile and remote access performance.  I've stuck with 2gig because my company knows how to use it, all of our sales materials are built around it and I haven't been presented with any information showing an edge that makes switching a reasonable expense.  

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Brian Rhodes
Feb 13, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Interesting.  With the SEM Module, do you also install Vista panels to convert to Alarm.com commercial, or do you typically use them to take over those systems?

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Kurt Denninghoff
Feb 14, 2017

Usually only on takeovers.  It also adds Z-wave functionality so it really is a convenient unit for $149 list 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Feb 14, 2017

I am confused by your opening post.

Alarm.com is the mobile and online interface to these panels.

I am dealer of alarm.com and to DSC but not to 2gig. I install DSC only - Touch panel and NEO panel. 

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Brian Rhodes
Feb 14, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Why did you/do you pick DSC and not 2Gig, Interlogix, or Qolsys?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Feb 14, 2017

We have been installing DSC exclusively for like 20 years. We didn't start using it because of alarm.com. We use alarm.com because it works with what we already used. 

 

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Brian Rhodes
Feb 14, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Got it.  As a percentage of your installs, how many use alarm.com?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Feb 14, 2017

We only recently started pushing it with all of our installs. I don't have the stats, but I would say about 60% have installed it over the last 6 months. 

Keep in mind that Alarm.com also offers signal forwarding and doesn't necessarily have to go hand in hand with interactive services. 

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Armando Perez
Feb 14, 2017
Hoosier Security and Security Owners Group • IPVMU Certified

ADC is a third party, where the majority of the other interactive service providers are the manufacturer themselves. It fits into the ADC business model to support as varied a list of hardware as possible. They did a better job than most other third parties so they have added more support over time. Originally they only supported one or two hardware options. 

 

As for choosing hardware, we let the site tell us what it needs.

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John Bazyk
Feb 14, 2017
Command Corporation • IPVMU Certified

Many of alarm.com dealers are D2D sales, it's not about selling new systems, it's about taking over existing systems. They could come across any number of different manufacturers while out selling. Plug in a new cell card connect it to alarm.com and boom they have a new account. 

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Armando Perez
Feb 14, 2017
Hoosier Security and Security Owners Group • IPVMU Certified

The same can be said of pretty much any radio manufacturer. My experienced hasnt shown ADC to be any more geared towards the pavement pounder summer sales model than any other radio provider. Their commercial services are actually pretty strong as well.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Feb 14, 2017
IPVMU Certified

We chose 2Gig because it is feature rich, easy interface for our customers and programming for field techs is easy as well.

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Sean Nelson
Feb 14, 2017
Nelly's Security

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?

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John Bazyk
Feb 14, 2017
Command Corporation • IPVMU Certified

Sean, I think you're on to something. IMO alarm.com doesn't want the overhead cost of manufacturing and shipping hardware when so many are eager to get on-board with them, I would rather collect RMR than try and ship product! Hardware manufacturers don't have the money and resources to build a good app. DMP does both, which is one of many reasons we work with them, they've put a lot of money into their software to make sure it's secure and works great with their hardware. It's defiantly not free tho! The software is less expensive than alarm.com.

We use paid cloud services from DMP because we know our customers are getting a secure connection (256AES VPN and 2048 RSA key exchange). No port forwarding, no worrying about IP addresses changing, no DDNS servers...I assume many use alarm.com for the same reason. It's super easy to register a new panel and cell card and walk away.

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KL
Keefe Lovgren
Feb 14, 2017
IPVMU Certified

John,

Can you take over other manufacturers panels and use the DMP platform by adding a cell card?  Or would the take over require a new panel (and possibly devices) as well? 

By the way nice interview on the DMP website.

 

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John Bazyk
Feb 14, 2017
Command Corporation • IPVMU Certified

You're too kind, I'm a good public speaker but a terrible interviewer. DMP has two devices, ICOM and Cellcom that allow for takeovers. UL Commercial fire rated versions of both, as well as Z-wave versions for adding home automation to old panels. We use these often to takeover Honeywell, GE, dsc...etc. With Honeywell, we can wire into the keypad bus and have full app control including changing passcodes. We can remote arm/disarm almost any system. Some older Bosch panels are tuff, but it can be done. Most of the time we end up upgrading people to a whole new DMP system because they want a more reliable system (usually our takeovers are pretty old). 

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KL
Keefe Lovgren
Feb 14, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Sean,

In time I am sure you will find that those manufacturers will begin to provide a similar offering themselves.  Now, since many panels have or are coming out with WiFi connectivity it makes this possible.  Prior to that the manufacturers would need to have an agreement with a cellular provider in the same way Alarm.com does with Verizon, AT&T, Rogers etc. 

Regarding Alarm.com making/OEM control panels I am sure that will be on its way as well.  Already they sell surveillance cameras, video doorbells, TStats and other items so the next step seems to be control panels. 

It may be a case of the manufacturers and alarm.com waiting to see who makes the first move and steps on the throat of their partners first, then the other will make the move as well.

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Sean Nelson
Feb 14, 2017
Nelly's Security

Totally agree, then it will be all out war

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Jun 15, 2017

 

 

Rumor has it ADC is working with a panel ODM in Taiwan...  Meanwhile ALRM hits all time high.

 

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