Joshua Unseth Posts

There have been a lot of changes in the industry over the last few years. Alarm Grid has always tried to be at the forefront of the industry both in terms of our quality of support as well as our providing of resources to customers. One of the big changes the last year is the introduction of smart home systems that integrate with the security system. These include products like Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Samsung's Smart Things and lesser known, open source protocols like Home Assistant.

For a lot of alarm companies, this is scary. Disruption is amazingly difficult to respond to. For Alarm Grid, it's more of the same. We're here to help you take care of your security needs. These protocols are enhancements to our service of dispatching the police when you need us to do that.

In order to help customers better navigate this changing world, today we introduced the protocol compatibility pages. These pages will let customers navigate the simple question, "will this panel or sensor or device work with [insert awesome protocol or home automation device here]?"

You will see badges on each product page. These badges will give you an indication of which protocols each product is compatible with. So far, we are showing Alarm.com, Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home, Home Assistant, Total Connect, and Z-Wave and Z-Wave Plus compatibility icons.

If you have any questions about compatibilities, please feel free to email us at support@alarmgrid.com. But in the meantime, we hope this change is helpful. We try to give you the best, easiest to navigate site in the entire industry, and we think this goes a long way to helping achieve that goal. Happy shopping!

If you've ever wanted a glimpse into the world of Alarm Grid training, we have it! Alarm Grid's team occasionally takes an hour or two off and learns a little bit about the products that we recommend to you. These trainings are in-depth explanations of the functions of items attached to your system. If you wonder how it is that our wonderful staff know so much, well, I think you're going to be astounded by the quality of training they receive.

Below, Julia, an industry veteran and our most senior tech, steps the rest of the staff through a great tutorial on glass breaks and motions.

We are getting a lot of callers asking us whether we as a company support the NRA. It began a couple weeks ago after our competitor, Simplisafe, pulled their discount for NRA members. Whatever the motivation, we don't envy their position. This is a hot-button debate right now, and being accidentally caught up in the fray of a political discussion as a company is unenviable. We do not make guns, we have nothing to do with guns, and we as a company do not wish to alienate anyone on either side of the debate.

We are a diverse company with a lot of people who hold a lot of different opinions on the subject matter of guns. We have not probed or asked what people’s positions are. But discussions have happened around the office. We are sure that some at Alarm Grid are vehemently opposed to gun rights. Others may be members of the NRA. We haven't asked. What we have appreciated is that the conversation internally has always been very respectful.

As a company, our position is that we want to make sure your home is as secure as possible so that no matter what gun laws are, you have a layer of protection that will make it unnecessary to ever have to use them.

Alarm Grid attempts to remain above the fray when it comes to political topics. As a company, our expertise is in dispatching the police when someone is breaking into your home. We would be remiss, however, if we did not give due credit to the country we are founded in and due respect to the laws of that country for the success of our growth.

We hold in high regard the rights endowed to us. As to the administration of those rights, the debate about guns themselves, their lethality, background checks, mental illness issues, etc, we will leave up to the people of this great country and the courts.

Our only hope is that the debate, is respectful, open, and fact-based.

Our headquarters is just down the road from Marjory Stoneman Douglas. We are deeply connected to the area. Many of us know students who go or went there. Our connections to the tragedy are numerous and direct. Everyone at Alarm Grid harbors deep sadness at the events that unfolded there.

It’s our prayer that this never happens again.

As a company, we have encourage our staff to get involved however they see fit. This is literally something that happened in our community and strong emotions directed at solving the problem are to be expected. But we do our best to respect one another’s views.

We have never given NRA members any kind of discount. We don’t plan on doing it. But that’s not because we dislike the NRA. It’s because we do our best to offer great prices to every customer. And most discount programs require us to pay to be involved.

That’s not how we do business.

We’re not venture backed, we don’t have giant amounts of investment. We’re just a good ole American business started by some entrepreneurs in South Florida. We really do try to remove politics from our business because taking political positions would alienate many of our customers, and, more importantly, our employees. #respect

Takeover Monitoring

• UL Listed Central Station
• Cellular Monitoring
• Arm / Disarm via Phone & Web
• E-mail & Phone Alerts
• Remote Z-Wave Control

$35

per month

Move My Monitoring!

Remember the old days of alarms? 3 and 5 year contracts in exchange for large amounts off the monthly bill. Sometimes, companies would offer free equipment on signing.

In the last 5 years everything has changed. Alarm Grid pioneered the no-contract model. At the same time, other companies began pushing no-contracts. They also required homeowners purchase a proprietary system - made by them.

This should raise a consumer's hackles. Save for a couple companies, the alarm industry has always used open systems. Traditional alarm companies buy systems from Honeywell, DSC, GE, or another manufacturer.

The company will usually install these systems in the home of a consumer. The system is connected to a central station. If an intruder comes into the home, a signal is sent. The central station dispatches the police.

Alarm Grid's puzzle place in that old model is to remove the need for an installer. We do not go to a consumer's home to install the system. Instead, we make amazing content that helps you operate your security system. We help you install the security by using our resources, videos, and available tech support. Once you do, you sign up for monitoring, and we get you on your way. We never send anyone out. We don't have to gouge you on prices for "rolling a truck" because we don't have trucks.

In the end, you get a great, professional security system at an affordable price.

Additionally, Alarm Grid basically invented the month-to-month model in alarms. Before Alarm Grid, companies would require long-term contracts. Now, a lot of companies are moving to the month-to-month, no-contract model.

This is great for consumers! But only if they own an open system.

Companies that sell cheap, closed equipment are no different than companies that get you to sign a long-term contract. Your stuck on their system. No one else can "take it over" and monitor it.

Alarm Grid is perfect for people who want to leave their current company!

Getting a new system can be a big burden. We try our hardest to use what you have. If we can't, we try to get you the best system for your situation. WE DO NOT MUCH MAKE MONEY WHEN YOU BUY A SYSTEM.

Also, Alarm Grid doesn't sell proprietary systems. If you hate us, you can leave us. We do not lock you into a contract, and we do not lock you into a system that can't be taken over. Alarm Grid's incentive is to make your experience amazing every day all the time.

If we ever do anything to frustrate you, there are literally thousands of other companies that you can select to monitor your system instead. If Alarm Grid fails at serving you adequately, you can leave, no matter what, no questions asked.

Join the family...

If you're coming from a company that sold you proprietary equipment, we'd love to have you. Sign up for monitoring using the link at the top of this page. Then, give us a call (888-818-7728) or email (support@alarmgrid.com). Let us know which company you're coming from. Let us know about the equipment you have installed. We'll do what we can to help you use what you have or to replace all your equipment as frugally as possible.

For anyone switching companies, we'll give you your first month free. If you need new equipment (this month only), we'll give you 10% off whatever you buy here. Simply send us an email after you purchase, ro let us know which company you came from. We'll apply the 10% coupon after checkout.

Takeover Monitoring

• UL Listed Central Station
• Cellular Monitoring
• Arm / Disarm via Phone & Web
• E-mail & Phone Alerts
• Remote Z-Wave Control

$35

per month

Move My Monitoring!

Today is the final day of our super low Qolsys pricing. We want to get the Qolsys panel into the hands of as many of our new customers as we can. For that reason, we have lowered the price of the panels as low as we possibly can. Today is the last day. Tomorrow, Qolsys panels are going to go to their normal price.

If you're looking to get a great, cellular panel, with some amazing Z-Wave features, this is the panel for you. The Qolsys IQ Panel 2 is the latest in security technology. The big screen looks great on the walls, and the profile of the panel is thinner than any on the market. The sensors are encrypted like they are on the Lyric, and the panel has an easy-to-use Android interface. We LOVE this panel!

If you need an extra keypad, make sure to get the IQ Remote. This keypad will blow your mind. It looks great, it has a thin profile, and it does pretty much everything the bigger, main panel can do. It will be a welcome edition to anyone's home.

Adding peripherals is easy too. Need more door and window sensors than the number that are included int eh IQ Kit 2 Classic? Add some more door/window s-line sensors. These encrypted sensors will protect your system from being spoofed by clever thieves and their thin profile means that they will protect you discretely.

Unlike the other kits, the Qolsys doesn't come with a key fob. If you love the key fob, you can easily add one. Consider that with this system, you will be able to arm and disarm from your phone. Key fobs aren't absolutely necessary. But if you love it we have it.

No system is complete without a motion sensor. These encrypted motions will make give your home a redundant layer of protection. You can't go wrong with motions. And the encrypted motion by Qolsys will round out your security system for incredible peace of mind.

Finally, to complete your system, consider a glass break detector. Like the motion, this adds a redundant layer of protection in homes. If an intruder breaks glass to get in, they will be stopped short as your system blares and warns them that the police are on their way.

Alarm Grid has been working tirelessly to launch the full line of Qolsys's panels. These panels are state of the art, built on Google Android, and they look great. They are built to work on Alarm.com, and have already come out with a line of encrypted sensors. This distinguishes the line from the GC3, which has the capability of communicating with encrypted sensors, but 2GIG has not yet release the compatible encrypted sensors.

Just like the 2GIG GC3 or the Honeywell Lyric, the Qolsys is simple to use. We have tested it extensively and we are comfortable offering this line to our customers. Like our other panels, we will be putting together a full set of FAQs on the Qolsys panels so that our DIY folks can do most of their own installation and programming.

Qolsys has two panels, despite having only been around a little while. Their first one, the IQ Panel, made a big splash. Built on Android, the system function astoundingly well, standing up to the major players in the space. The IQ Panel 2, however, is on a different level. It's clean, thin, made of glass. The system joins the pantheon of modern systems as a great looking item to have on the wall of any home.

Armed with all the basic features of a security system, the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 comes with it some amazing little extra touches that neither Honeywell nor 2GIG have added to the Lyric or Go!Control lines as of yet. The ease of updating this system is unparalleled, and its got some great diagnostic features to help setup Z-Wave sensors. In-all, it is the perfect panel for the avid DIYer, and it won't disappoint anyone who is used to the Honeywell and 2GIG quality,

For those who don't like the look of the Qolsys's sensors, Alarm Grid is making available a new sensor. The Alarm Grid 319.5 MHz sensor which is reliable, cheap, and looks great. We are selling them as single units, in packs of 5, and in packs of 10.

We're proud to say that Puerto Rico is one of our biggest areas of service. That said, in recent weeks, as most of you know, Puerto Rico has been devastated by a hurricane. Our sympathies and empathy go out to those affected. As a South Florida company, Alarm Grid understands full well the gravity of hurricane force winds and the damage they can do.

We know that for those affected, their alarm monitoring bill isn't at the top of mind. And, honestly, we would rather that you devote your time, energy, and finances to re-building the island and your homes. To that end, we are going to give every one of our current Puerto Rico accounts free monitoring for the next 6 months.

We have seen a higher number of failing signals from our accounts in Puerto Rico than usual. If you are one of those accounts, and you are worried about the status of your account, don't worry. We will apply your free 6 months automatically starting today. If you happen to be one of the lucky individuals with a generator, your system should continue to function as normal and you will not see us on your bill for at least 6 months.

Alarm Grid is an American company. We are proud of the opportunity that we have been given here, and we want to make sure that we look out for our brothers and sisters to the south. We simply do not feel good about charging a group of people for service that they are almost certainly not using. And this way, once power is restored, all that you will have to do to be monitored again is plug the unit in. Once it powers up, you will be back online.

We wish you all well in Puerto Rico, and our prayers continue to be with you!

We would like to also thank Honeywell's AlarmNet who has given Alarm Grid a deep discount during this time.

Alarm Grid has just launched its store on Amazon.com. While a majority of our customers buy on Alarm Grid, we know that a lot of you have a strong desire to use your Amazon.com advantages to purchase from us. Since we can't offer the free shipping of Prime on Alarm Grid, or the vast selection available to you from other retailers, we are excited to be able to give you the ability to buy here or there.

There are significant advantages to purchasing from Alarm Grid's site. If you order on Alarmgrid.com, our system lets us marry all your orders together, and lets us process returns in a lot more orderly way should you need to return. Moreover, we will be charging the same amount on all products here as at Amazon.

Alarm Grid uses Amazon's fulfillment already, and has been for about 6 months. So if you have ordered from the site in recent days, you've already experienced Amazon's shipping process. There are also a lot of products that we have not made available on Amazon yet. Our wired door/window sensors, for example, are only able to be purchased on Alarm Grid - and that will be the case for at least the foreseeable future.

We hope that you are as excited about this development as we are!

Alarm Grid is making firmware pages available for upgradeable AUI security systems and touch screens that we sell. As a large number of them, including the older Tuxedo Touch, allow the software on them to be upgraded, an end user can extend the life of their system and get all the newest features simply by adding the latest and greatest software to the device. Moreover, any pesky security-critical problems can be easily solved without having to replace the panel.

For now, we've got the the following pages setup:

• Honeywell Tuxedo Touch Firmware Updates
• GC3 Firmware Updates
• GC2 Firmware Updates

If you have any questions about how you might install the firmware onto these systems, please email support@alarmgrid.com. We'll be glad to help any of our monitored customers.

Hey everyone! It's hurricane season, and this year, things are turning out to be a real doozie. Irma's heading right for our Florida office. And if it does hit, we're very likely going to have to shut down the bulk of our support team for a few days.

That will mean longer wait times on the phones, limited activations during that time, and longer wait times for tickets. We apologize, but ask you to bear with us while we prepare for the storm. There is a chance that we will lose power for a few days as well, which will further limit our support.

In the meantime, the best way you can help us get you faster support is by doing the following during the hurricane...

• Before getting in touch, check to see if we have a FAQ or YouTube video that answers your question.
• email us instead of calling us. support@alarmgrid.com
• If you call, please leave us a message. Those get converted to support tickets. We can see them and deal with them quickly that way.

Please do your best to keep our phones clear. We can work on support tickets as a team much more quickly than we can get to phone calls.

If you are in the path of the storm...

• Don't call us. Take cover. In case of an emergency, call your first responders.
• Consider putting your system on test for the remainder of the storm or completely powering it down by disconnecting the battery and unplugging the transformer from the wall.
• If you are in a flood zone, consider putting your system in a high enough place to avoid damage.

Apart from that, we appreciate your good thoughts and prayers as we prepare for what is looking like it's going to be a monstrous storm.