Alarm.com Business Market Expansion

By Sean Patton, Published Apr 13, 2018, 09:41am EDT

Alarm.com has millions of subscribers, but the company has traditionally been mostly a residential/home focused offering.  ADC's new Smart Business Solutions service plan adds some major pieces to the platform and could be a major competition increase for SMB. Inside this note, we examine:

  • Why this may be a major competition increase in SMB
  • New access control
  • Business reports including sensor and employee activity
  • Expanded video surveillance
  • Open To existing dealers
  • Multiple system/site Control
  • Upcharge For business features

We evaluated the platform in Alarm.com Tested and compared the residential features in Alarm.com Vs. Honeywell Total Connect Shootout, but will these new features appeal to business customers? 

Using information gathered on the floor at ISC West 2018 speaking to the company, we examine the offering inside.

Major *********** ******** ** *** ******** ******

*** ** *** ******* potential *********** ****** ** ADC ******** ** **** all ******** *** ******* are **** ** ***** it.

**** ***** ********* *********** for ********** *********** ***** increase ************, ** **** formerly ***********-******* *** ******* expand **** *** *********. 

******* *** ******** ** pass ** ****** ********* **** ****** ******* a ******** ******* **** includes ****** ******* *******. If **** **** *** test, ***** ** ******** training ****** **** *** before **** *** ****** authorized ** **** ** Access ******* *******.

** ********, **** ********** access ******* ******* *********** factory ******** ******* ********* and ***** ********* ********** technician ************* ****** ******** to ***** **** *******. 

New ****** *******

*** *** *** ******* adds ******** ****** ******* hardware *** **********. *** is ******** ** ******** based ** ********** *** power ****** ** * metal ********* **** '****' compatibility ** **** *******, locks, *** ******** **** accessories **** *** *** position ********. 

** *** *****, *** company *** * **** door ****** **** *** new ****** **** ***, showing ** *** ***** HID ******* *** *** RTE:

Mercury ******** ********** *****

*** ********** ** * (3rd *****) ******* **-****, * ****** **** IP ********** ********** ** multi-door ******* *** **-** *** **-** *****/****** *******. *** ***** demo **** ******* ****** the '********* *******' *****, and *** *** ****** in *** ***** ****** discussed ****:

******* ** ************-*****/**************** *********, *****.*** *** built ***** ********** ******** to ********* **** *******'* standard ********. ** ******, Alarm.com ***** ** **** the ****** **** ****** will ** *********, *** additional ***** *** ** added **** */* ****** rather **** ********** '******' controllers **** **-****/****.

**** ******* *** *** single **** *** ********* the ********** *** ***** supply ** $***, **** 1 ** * **** I/O ***-** ******* ******* for $*** *** $***. Other ******* ********** **** locks, *******, *****, *** sensors *** *** ********.

Business ******** *******

******* *** ******* ***** *** the ******** ******** *** "********" reports,  ********* *** **** a ******* **** ********-********** reports *** ***********. ******* include:

****** ********

**** ****** ***** *** number ** ****** ********** by ******** ***** ****** or ****.  ******* **** on **** *** ** useful ** ********* '********' of ******** ** * showroom ** ****** ********** high *********** ********, ** otherwise ****** ** ********* event *** ******** ****** closed *****, ** ** a ******** **** **** there ****** ** ****.

********/******** *******

******* ****** ****** ** the ****/***** ****** **** combines ***** ***/****** ******** and ****** ******* ****** to ******** **** * site *** ***********.  ******** user ******* ******* ******** codes / ***** **** and **** ***** ****** are ****** *** ******** or ****** ** ******* drill-down ** *** ****** through *** ******* ** multiple *******.

Central ******* ********** *****

*******, ******* ******** ******** management ********, *** *** Business **** *** ******* the **** *** ******* station ***** **********.

********** ******** **** **** to ** ****** **** ADC ******** ** ***** to ******* ***** ****** status *** ** ******** first **********. ** ******* the *********** ** *** dealer, *** ******, **** to *** ** ******* alarms **** * ******* station.

** **** *****, *****.*** plans *** ********* ************ monitoring ** ******** ****** self-monitoring, *** *** ********, plans, *** ******** ** not ******* **** ******** ******** ********** ******** ** *******.

Expanded ***** ************

******* ****** **** ** different **** ***'* *********** offerings ** ******** ***** surveillance. ***** *********** ***** are ******* ** '*** camera ** * ****' viewing, ******** ***** ***** for ******** ****** ***** at *** **** **** in * ******/*****-****** *******.

*** *** ***** ******* more ****** ******, *** offering ***** *****, *******, 180 **********, *** ****-***** bullets ** ******** ** the ***** **** ***** and ****-******* ********** *********. ADC **** ****** * four ** ****** ******* analog *******.

*******, ************* ****, ****** resolution ** ******* ** 720P ** ***** *** focal ****** *** *****, ************* limiting **** ** ***** ************ with *********** ****** ** even ****** '*** ***' commercial *******.

*** ******** **** ***** with ******* ******* **** cameras *** ********.  *** test ******** ******** *** *** *** ** *** WiFi *****, ******** ** being ************ ** *******. ** ************ ** *** has **** **** ** *** wired ******, *** *** physical *********** ** ***** to ********* ** ******* models.

ADC ***** *************

*****.*** ******** **** ***** lines ** ********* ******. ***** ****** *******:

** ***** ** ******, each ** ***** ****** produce ***** *********** ********* and ******* ********** ********* panels, *** **** ********** with *****.*** ** ******* the '******' *** '***** controlled' ******* ** ***** systems. *** **** ***** of ************* *** ******* of *-**** *******, ** any ***** ********* ********** devices, ***** ******* ** this '******' ****** **********.

ADC ******** *******

*** ****** ******* *** plugins *** ******** ** 'SEM *******', ********* *** Honeywell ****** ***** *** legacy *** ******, ******* expanding *** ***** ** compatible *** ***** ******.

*** ~$*** *** ****** also ** * *-**** hub, ****** ********** ** otherwise ********* ** ***-********** intrusion *******.

App ** ****** *******

*** ***** ******** ******** shares *** ***** **** solution ******** *******, ******* features (*****, ********, ******/*********), and **** *** **** Alarm.com *** ** ********* for **** **********. **** are ********* *** ***** OS ******** ** *********** and *******, *** ***** web ******** *** *********.

***** ***** ******** ******* new ******** *** ******* on ****** *******:

******** ****** *** **** to *** ******** *** systems ****** *******, ******* that '****' *** '******' accounts *** ******* ********** from *** **** *****. 

Business ******** ****** ******

*****.*** ***** ** ******** services **** ***** ~**% higher **** *********** ********, putting ** ***** $** - $** *** ***** for **** *****. **** monitoring, *** ***** ******* service **** *** ******** will *** ~$** - $125 *** *****.

Versus ********* ***** *******

*** ******** *********, *** *** has * ******** ********* over ********* ***** ******* 2.0 ** ******** ******** access, *** *** ********* integration ** *** ****** to ******* **** **** one ***** ** *****. From * ***** ******** point ** ****, *** can ******* **** *** potentially **** **** * huge ****** ** ******* compared ** ***** *******. 

** ********, ***** ******* ranges **** $** - $35 *** ***** *** most *****, *** **** another $** - $** per ***** ** ********* monitoring, ******** *** ***** amount ** ~$** - $85 *** *********.

ISC **** **** ****** - ********** ***** ********

** *** **** **** (**** **** ******), *****.*** ****** * new "********** ***" ** channel *** ********* ******** 2, * *** **** of ***** *******. **** is $***, $*** *** $790 ************. *** ****** will ******* **** ********* to *** ***** *** alarm ******. **** **** said **** *** ******** their"**" ***** ********* (**** Test)*** *** ********** *******. There **** ** * new ********** ***** ******* pricing ****, *** **** were *** ********** ******* at *** ****.

************, **** **** **** are ********** ********* ** 2019 *** *****-******, ********/*********, and **** ******* *********, and **** **** **** not ********* **** **** in ***** *******.

Comments (16)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

04/17/18 11:36am

The access control portion has a long way to go. It is nice that it integrates with the app but we found several issues. No way to import users, and there is no real-time status of whether the door is actually closed or open from the home page despite having a sensor connected.

Not sure if your pricing for the panel is list, because that is what we pay for it from ADC and it is not being distributed through distribution.

 

 

Ryan O'Daniel

IPVMU Certified | 04/17/18 01:23pm

The platform works with private labeled WiFi cameras and encoders, which a MAC OUI check show as being manufactured by Vivotek.

 

Unless I missed the text somewhere in the article...most of those shown in the picture are Hikvision cameras.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ryan O'Daniel | 04/17/18 01:48pm

As noted, Vivotek is making the wifi cameras, although this could be changing. Our test confirms this.

For new wired cameras, they do look like Hik cameras.  However, we have not tested them.  I'll further clarify the note to make the wired/wireless point clearer.

Avatar

Sean Nelson

Nelly's Security
In reply to Brian Rhodes | 04/17/18 06:55pm

they are definetely Hik cameras but the web interface is not accessible and will not pull up in SADP.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

04/17/18 04:31pm

We have an older camera and used the MAC tool listed above and it does come up as Vivotek. We just received 2 of the new cameras, 1 bullet, and 1 dome. They are installed on our bldg for testing. The same tool shows them as alarm.com cameras.

 

Ryan O'Daniel

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 04/17/18 05:45pm

What are the model numbers of your new cameras?

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Ryan O'Daniel | 04/17/18 05:50pm

VC726 and VC826

 

These are their newest cameras. We just put them up yesterday and I need to see how they work at night. We are excited about them since we wanted a 2MP PoE camera.

 

 

Ryan O'Daniel

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 04/17/18 06:57pm

Yep, those are manufactured by Hikvision as well.

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | 04/17/18 04:34pm

Additional feedback from an ADC dealer:

"We just learned that the access control will not be sold thru distribution. Will only be sold direct from ADC to Integrator per ADC’s OEM agreement with Mercury."

This makes that online test that ADC requires before selling access more important, because the access piece is only available direct from ADC.

Jay Hobdy

IPVMU Certified | 04/17/18 04:38pm

We were part of the beta and can confirm that. Access Control is only available from ADC.

Avatar

John Bazyk

Command Corporation
IPVMU Certified | 04/24/18 01:17pm

I'm not a big fan of ADC, mostly due to wide-scale marketing to consumers. However, they have proven themselves to build in incredibly robust and capable cloud platform. Their feature set is impressive and will only get better as time goes on. This is the advantage of being in the software business. I wish more alarm companies would push software development harder.

Jay Hobdy

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Bazyk | 04/24/18 01:22pm

I'm not a big fan of ADC, mostly due to wide-scale marketing to consumers.

 

Can you expand on this? What is the issue with a manufacturer marketing to end users? As far as I know, they do not sell direct.

 

 

Avatar

John Bazyk

Command Corporation
IPVMU Certified | In reply to Jay Hobdy | 04/24/18 01:33pm

They may not sell to end users right now. However, they could tomorrow. It wouldn't take much. They have the capital to change their ads just enough to say, "Buy direct from ADC today!" I would rather support a company that is less likely to market to end users and be involved in building their platform even if it is slightly inferior in features. Plus the ADC contract is not appealing to me. When we were deciding between ADC and DMP a few years ago I took the gamble and went with DMP and it's paid off. 

Avatar

Sean Patton

IPVM | 04/15/19 04:41pm

Report updated with details from ISC West 2019:

ISC West 2019 Update - Commercial Video Recorder

At ISC West 2019 (IPVM Full Report), Alarm.com showed a new "Commercial SVR" 16 channel NVR appliance offering 2, 6 and 12TB of local storage. MSRP is $330, $475 and $790 respectively. The system will support clip recording to the cloud for alarm events. They also said they are offering their "AI" video analytics (IPVM Test) for all commercial cameras. There will be a new commercial video service pricing plan, but they were not disclosing pricing at the show.

Additionally, they said they are increasing marketing in 2019 for multi-family, wellness/heathcare, and home builder verticals, and said they have not typically sold well in those markets.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Sean Patton | 04/15/19 05:24pm

Unless they open the platform up to other cameras, I do not see them doing well in multi-family. We do a lot there, and we install alarms on the ADC platform in leasing offices but there is no way we would use their cameras in a community

Ryan O'Daniel

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Sean Patton | 04/16/19 01:31pm

That looks like a rebranded Hikvision recorder. 

 

Seeing as how they're rebranding Hikvision cameras, I'm guessing it is.

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