Self Monitored System w/cell text messages?

himey97

himey97

n3wb
Nov 4, 2015
16
8
Yorktown, VA
Not sure if this is my personal holy grail.....
DIY security system, self monitored, that sends a cellular SMS text message notification.
Example: Alarm -Front Door Open
The only fee I want is the monthly charge for the SIM card use.
Does it exist?
 
Most alarms are designed to talk to machines not humans...

Self monitoring over the internet is easier with something like the EVL-4. You can get professional cellular monitoring for as low as $15/mo.
 
I know of a device that is currently being manufactured that does what you are looking for. You can arm/disarm through the app, receive text notifications on alarm. The caveat is that it has two alarm inputs and two outputs.
 
What's it called?
My goal is to get cellular notification by text message when the internet goes down (for whatever reason).
I think there are systems that will make a voice call over cellular, which I could probably live with, but that is not my first choice.
Thanks.
 
how much do you expect to be paying per month for the cell service for this diy monitoring?
 
tangent said:
Well you can get real alarm monitoring for $15/mo Cellular Interactive Alarm Monitoring Services | GEOARM Security
and probably get a discount on your insurance.
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I've heard the response time on monitored security isn't that great, by the time they think they have verified, notified police, etc. I plan to add cell backup to my system, then various systems can send their own alerts, BI, domoticz, etc. buy a gsm hotspot and throw a ting sim card in it, for 100mb a month it's $9, for 500 it's $16 a month, assuming you restrict this connection to only alert messages you shouldn't use much at all, it's my cell phone service. Ting | Rates - See how Ting stacks up against your plan.
 
hmjgriffon said:
I've heard the response time on monitored security isn't that great, by the time they think they have verified, notified police, etc. I plan to add cell backup to my system, then various systems can send their own alerts, BI, domoticz, etc. buy a gsm hotspot and throw a ting sim card in it, for 100mb a month it's $9, for 500 it's $16 a month, assuming you restrict this connection to only alert messages you shouldn't use much at all, it's my cell phone service. Ting | Rates - See how Ting stacks up against your plan.
Click to expand...
Ting uses Sprint's shitty network.

Generally a monitored alarm is better because you can't reliably self-monitor 24-7, 365.
 
I would recommend atleast something designed for DIY like Alarm.com. You can opt not to have Monitored service and just use them for your alerts. You just have to purchase the service thru and authorized dealer.
 
hmjgriffon said:
I've heard the response time on monitored security isn't that great, by the time they think they have verified, notified police, etc.
Click to expand...

It really depends how you have you system monitor set it up. Alarms can be set to "panic" and just immediately send the police.

A few times I have worked on alarms and they were not put in test mode properly, we would set them off and 3 seconds later the phone would ring it was the motioning company, asking for a secret question so they didn't have to dispatch the police. Now with many 3rd party apps that can be configured with your monitoring you will get cell notifications immediately along with the monitoring company.

I have seen DIY cell/text reporting set ups but the ones I saw are still crude and experimental.
 
pixel said:
It really depends how you have you system monitor set it up. Alarms can be set to "panic" and just immediately send the police.

A few times I have worked on alarms and they were not put in test mode properly, we would set them off and 3 seconds later the phone would ring it was the motioning company, asking for a secret question so they didn't have to dispatch the police. Now with many 3rd party apps that can be configured with your monitoring you will get cell notifications immediately along with the monitoring company.

I have seen DIY cell/text reporting set ups but the ones I saw are still crude and experimental.
Click to expand...

police will not respond to anything automated, they would be spending their days on false alarms, they will only respond after an alarm company notifies them.
 
when blue iris triggers I get a push notification immediately, I don't see why any other system that does push notifications would be any different, and everything uses the same internet so lol.
 
hmjgriffon said:
police will not respond to anything automated, they would be spending their days on false alarms, they will only respond after an alarm company notifies them.
Click to expand...

Here in Denver CO, when an alarm is set to "panic", it will go thru the alarm company first but it is an instant dispatch. I am pretty sure it is not a personal call from the alarm company just a panic relay.

It is an issue with the police after 2-3 of these calls they charge the business for them. We would get lots of service calls because the company "could not have anymore of these.."

All of the "hold up" buttons under bank, mental health and jewelry store counters are set to panic.
 
pixel said:
Here in Denver CO, when an alarm is set to "panic", it will go thru the alarm company first but it is an instant dispatch. I am pretty sure it is not a personal call from the alarm company just a panic relay.

It is an issue with the police after 2-3 of these calls they charge the business for them. We would get lots of service calls because the company "could not have anymore of these.."

All of the "hold up" buttons under bank, mental health and jewelry store counters are set to panic.
Click to expand...

eh, up to you, I mean, monitored alarm isn't any better than self monitored really unless you don't pay attention to the alerts, they have no magic voodoo, their system uses the internet like anything else. but I'm not gonna tell anyone what to do, just being a tech guy and on the inside of a lot of companies, you'd be horrified knowing you are relying on their stuff. At least when you control and set it up you know how well it works, is maintained, isn't out dated garbage, these companies are in business to make money and these systems are going to be watched by people being paid crap to sit there and drool on themselves, to each their own.
 
himey97 said:
Not sure if this is my personal holy grail.....
DIY security system, self monitored, that sends a cellular SMS text message notification.
Example: Alarm -Front Door Open
The only fee I want is the monthly charge for the SIM card use.
Does it exist?
Click to expand...
You've described exactly what I'm looking for.

I want all self-monitoring of my alarm system with calls, text, and email notifications to my cellphone.
  • No Monitoring fees
  • No Central Monitoring
  • Push notifications
  • App enabled keypad and operation
  • Ditch my landline
As it turns out, I'm already self-monitoring my video cameras, so why can't I self-monitor my alarm system in the same way? Right now I'm stuck with paying a monthly fee to a company providing monitoring service for my alarm system.

IMO, there's no reason why alarm manufacturers can't build systems for self-monitoring like my NVR. What I've heard is that alarm service providers (like ADT) know they would soon go out of business if they lose the revenue they get from central monitoring. Thus, manufacturers are siding with the providers.

P.S., Wireless alarm systems are not acceptable. It must be a hard-wired system.
 
Keyboard said:
You've described exactly what I'm looking for.

I want all self-monitoring of my alarm system with calls, text, and email notifications to my cellphone.
  • No Monitoring fees
  • No Central Monitoring
  • Push notifications
  • App enabled keypad and operation
  • Ditch my landline
As it turns out, I'm already self-monitoring my video cameras, so why can't I self-monitor my alarm system in the same way? Right now I'm stuck with paying a monthly fee to a company providing monitoring service for my alarm system.

IMO, there's no reason why alarm manufacturers can't build systems for self-monitoring like my NVR. What I've heard is that alarm service providers (like ADT) know they would soon go out of business if they lose the revenue they get from central monitoring. Thus, manufacturers are siding with the providers.

P.S., Wireless alarm systems are not acceptable. It must be a hard-wired system.
Click to expand...

what's wrong with zwave? it's been around a long time and very reliable. also of course they want to sell you monitoring, it's totally unnecessary, any tech you use will probably be better than whatever crap they use. If you are paranoid have certain alerts sent to more than one device like you, your wife, a good friend perhaps. I do a buddy system with a friend that lives close to me, when I am out of town he watches my cameras and stops by my house a few times, I do the same for him. A lot of people put way too much faith in a paid monitoring company, you think that mcdonalds reject running the console cares about you? Some claim police will come running for automated alarms, maybe, but regardless you may or may not get great response times. I'd rather have more control over my stuff than that. If I get the alert I will call police, call my buddy close by, call whoever, and if I am close enough, I will drop what I am doing and start heading for the house myself.
 
hmjgriffon said:
eh, up to you, I mean, monitored alarm isn't any better than self monitored really unless you don't pay attention to the alerts, they have no magic voodoo, their system uses the internet like anything else.
Click to expand...

Actually most of their systems use hardwired phone lines with back up cell.

hmjgriffon said:
but I'm not gonna tell anyone what to do, just being a tech guy and on the inside of a lot of companies, you'd be horrified knowing you are relying on their stuff. At least when you control and set it up you know how well it works, is maintained, isn't out dated garbage, these companies are in business to make money and these systems are going to be watched by people being paid crap to sit there and drool on themselves, to each their own.
Click to expand...

I do not pay for monitoring on my own stuff. I have a cam with alerts, BUT.. it is not that dependable.. Not near as dependable as hardwired alarm with cel backup. Like the OP I am interested in personal monitoring with DIY cel alert, I just haven't seen the technology that is dependable yet.

Keyboard said:
IMO, there's no reason why alarm manufacturers can't build systems for self-monitoring like my NVR. What I've heard is that alarm service providers (like ADT) know they would soon go out of business if they lose the revenue they get from central monitoring. Thus, manufacturers are siding with the providers.
Click to expand...

That's it right there, their is no money in that for them, so they haven't developed it.
 
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