Anyone here have Brinks Home security and VoIP?

[murphy55d]

Last year when we had our Brinks security system installed, it was "recommended" not to have VoIP... so we ended up having to get a landline, and around here, for basic service, its like $30/month, and that doesn't include ANYTHING. Local calls even cost 6 cents each.

I would like to get the 14.99 Vonage plan. Brinks website has the "it is recommended to have a landline" stuff, but also says


"Brink?s Home Security® believes that it is in the best position possible to work with VoIP, but there will likely be a reduction in alarm communication reliability and performance. "


Does anyone have any actual experience with using these two together?

 

[g8wayrebel]

Not Brinks (that's only the monitoring company), but there are only a couple of system manufacturers out there.
Mine is labeled as a "Honeywell-R" system provided by a local service.
It doesn't work very well with any of the three VOIP's I've had... Sunrocket , Packet8 and currently ViaTalk.
I have the same issue meeting Direct TV connection requirements at times through VOIP.
A friend has the same issue with Vonage and his Direct TV , so I would assume the alarm results to be the same, BAD.

No company has better equipment available than another , the production market is very limited for the alarm systems themselves.
Number of response centers , priority given, policies and customer service are the things that differentiate one from another.

Be wary , most police departments charge for the second false alarm and beyond and eventually refuse to respond.
Obviously , lack of coverage is an even worse issue and give consideration to who's on the other end of that call as well.
Do they care if your system isn't sending a signal? Do they even know?

Check with your local police department for policy and also give serious consideration to having a wireless 2 way system installed instead of just a conventional land line system.
The 2 way wireless allows for verification of alarm and priority response.

Loss of power may be good for a short period , but cutting the phone line cuts the service without wireless.
With VOIP , loss of power or internet cuts the whole system as well due to dependence on 2 modems , router and internet as well as power.
For me , that's too many options for loss considering the purpose of the system.

 

[Baked]

Lock your doors and windows when you go to sleep or outta the house and you wouldn't need these home monitoring systems. Having a gun helps as well.

 

[ICRS]

Does your cable company provide digital phone? Since that isn't actually VOIP and should work better with the alarm system.

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: ICRS
Does your cable company provide digital phone? Since that isn't actually VOIP and should work better with the alarm system.

It's actually quite expensive from the cable company... especially if you don't have their other services. I think for phone service it starts at 44.95 a month for non-cable customers.

Vonage has a 14.99 plan which gives you like 500 minutes plus caller ID and all that garbage. I called the local place which we bought Brinks from but they aren't in today.

I've read mixed reviews, which in itself isn't a good sign. It should either work, or not.

And I'm not so much worried about someone breaking in, but it makes my wife feel better though. So thanks for the tip about locking my doors at night, but we already do that. :roll:

 

[funkymatt]

the point of having a land line or a cell phone backup is in case the power goes out the alarm company can still be notified.