Industry News and Discussions Posts

Resideo, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the acronym REZI, saw its stock price increase by more than 40% during market trading on November 5, 2020. The substantial price boost occurred thanks to an excellent third quarter (Q3) that greatly exceeded expectations.

In the company's most recent earnings report, Resideo stated that it had achieved roughly $1.36 billion in revenue for Q3. This is much higher than the consensus estimate of $1.15 billion. Resideo has enjoyed a 10% increase in revenue year over year. The company says that it expects Q4 revenue to be between $1.36 billion and $1.41 billion.

Thanks to this positive news, REZI opened Thursday at $14.20 after closing at just $11.35 the day prior. REZI enjoyed further increases throughout most of Thursday trading, as the stock price soon rose above $15. The price stayed in the $15 range during most of the day, though it did exceed the $16 threshold at times.

Resideo President and CEO Jay Geldmacher said in a recent press release, "Our revenue performance and the progress with our ongoing transformation and cost reduction initiatives enabled us to strengthen our liquidity position, and in late October we made all outstanding reimbursement agreement payments to Honeywell... While we are closely monitoring our operations and supply chain for impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are encouraged by the strong demand trends we are seeing across our end markets as we close out 2020.”

The reimbursement agreement payments that Geldmacher is referring to come from an agreement between Honeywell and Resideo after Resideo was spun-off from Honeywell in late 2018. At the end of October 2020, Resideo paid Honeywell $35 million for a payment that was deferred on April 30, 2020, as well as an additional $35 million for a regularly scheduled payment.

Resideo also mentioned some highlights in its earnings report. Their ADI Global Distribution segment saw an 11% revenue increase to $790 million. Their Products & Solutions segment enjoyed a 12% revenue increse to $572 million. Their gross margin rate increased by 200 basis points (BPS) to 27.2%. Operating income for the company is up 122% year over year, with net income up 838% year over year, and diluted earnings per share (EPS) up 900% year over year. And their adjusted EBITDA increased by 65% to $188 million.

Alarm Grid supports many Resideo Security Systems for alarm monitoring service. If you want to learn how you can monitor your home or business, please contact our team via email at support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

A few months ago, we made a post stating how a recent batch of Encore FF345 Smoke and CO Detector Listening Modules were not compatible with Honeywell Alarm Systems. It now appears that this issue has been fixed, and new units should properly work with Honeywell Systems as intended.

Due to the original issue, FF345 units with a date code of 01/2020 are unable to enroll with Honeywell Alarm Systems. These units will work properly with 2GIG Alarm Panels, but they are incompatible with the Honeywell Systems that they are advertised to work with. These units may also be incompatible with the 345 MHz Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus, which should also support these units, but this has been neither tested nor confirmed. Additionally, FF345 units with date codes ranging from 02/2020 to 08/2020 are likely also affected, but we are unable to confirm this.

Starting with date code 09/2020, a fix was implemented to make these units once again compatible with Honeywell Alarm Systems. Any FF345 unit with a date code of 09/2020 or later should be able to enroll with compatible Honeywell Panels. We have tested units with the 09/2020 date code, and we found that they were able to enroll with Honeywell Lyric and Honeywell LYNX Touch Systems as intended. However, our testing revealed that using these sensors may result in an E380 Sensor Trouble Condition occurring. The trouble condition may appear after a Fire Alarm or CO Alarm has been cleared on the system. The alarm condition is cleared by disarming the system twice. Upon further investigation, we found that the trouble Condition may clear on its own after some time, or a user can get it to clear manually with a third system disarm. This shouldn't have a major impact on performance, but it is important to keep the issue in mind if you intend on using an FF345 device manufactured from 09/2020 onward with a Honeywell Security System.

Remember, FF345 units with a date code older than 01/2020 should have no issue working with Honeywell Security Systems. Units with a date code of 01/2020 are known to not work with Honeywell Systems, and any unit with a date code from 02/2020 to 08/2020 is believed to be impacted as well. Units with a date code of 09/2020 or newer should work with any compatible Honeywell System, but they may experience the E380 Sensor Trouble Condition after an associated Fire Alarm or CO Alarm has been cleared. To check the date code on an FF345 unit, please refer to this helpful FAQ. That guide will tell you everything you need to know about checking the manufacture date on your FF345 so that you can determine if the unit is affected by the aforementioned issue.

If you have any questions about the FF345, or if you are looking to set up monitoring service for fire and/or CO detection, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

Security, Sales, & Integration recently published an article outlining the 3G Sunset and the importance of upgrading to LTE. One question we are often asked is how long LTE networks will be kept in-service. Thanks to this informative article from SSI, we now have a pretty good estimate.

According to the information presented in the article, LTE networks are expected to have a lifespan that extends through at least the mid-2030s, if not longer. We have said many times before that LTE networks should be kept in service well into the very distant future, and now we have somewhat of a more precise timeline. It is also important to note that we understand this "mid-2030s" estimate to be on the conservative side. There is a good chance that the LTE networks might be supported even beyond that point in time. But given that we are in the year 2020, and have a "mid-2030s" estimate for the LTE lifespan, we can say that anyone who purchases an LTE communicator for their security system at this point in time should expect it to work for at least the next 15 years.

We need to stress here that this is nothing official. This is just information being published in an SSI article. This is not an official statement from a cellular service provider, and we advise taking it with a grain of salt. But given our understanding on the subject, this mid-2030s estimate strikes us as legitimate. The article also states that all 3G cellular networks will be shut down no later than December 31, 2022. This also lines up with what we have been hearing. At the time of this writing in late October 2020, we are slightly more than two (2) years away from the final end of 3G. We have said it many times before, and we will say it again. You need to upgrade to LTE as soon as possible to avoid a loss of monitoring service.

On that note, it's also fair for us to begin thinking about what lies beyond LTE. It's no secret that 5G networks are being rolled out across the country, and they will soon become the norm for cellular communication. At this time, we have not heard of any alarm manufacturer offering a 5G communicator, though we wouldn't be surprised for it to happen soon. But it's not a sure thing that a 5G communicator would be available before the end of 3G. That is why we are pushing so hard for users to make the upgrade to LTE. We don't want any of our monitored customers to be left behind in the transition. While the eventual promise of 5G might seem exciting and flashy, the important thing here is keeping your security system working and having your home or business stay protected. And from what we can tell, LTE will provide exactly that until at least the mid-2030s, possibly even beyond that.

If you are interested in getting starte with alarm monitoring service, or if you are needing to upgrade your existing system to LTE, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. Our team is here to check email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

2GIG has recently updated their logo to provide a more "modern" look. The change is very subtle, as it only includes thinner text, with virtually no other adjustments. This comes ahead of the release of the new 2GIG Security System, the 2GIG Edge, which should be available in February 2021.

Our main takeaway here is that 2GIG is really trying to invoke a "modern" and "clean" image, without making any major changes that may result in a loss of identity or brand recognition. The company most likely wants to refresh its branding ahead of their new panel release. We're sure 2GIG is hard at work on their new alarm panel, though it will take an incredible effort to overthrow the existing Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus as the top security system option for use with Alarm.com. It seems 2GIG is holding nothing back ahead of the anticipated release.

Unfortunately, we don't have any new details on the 2GIG Edge at this time. We promise to check-in with 2GIG soon to see if we can learn more. We also have no word on how the new Edge will affect the existing 2GIG GC2e and 2GIG GC3e Security Systems. It's fair to expect that the 2GIG Edge will have a completely revamped programming setup, so it may or may not replace their existing offerings. For now, we strongly recommend checking out our prior post with an in-depth discussion on the 2GIG Edge, which can be seen in its entirety here.

You may also recall that the parent company of 2GIG also performed its own rebranding, as Nortek Security & Control simply became Nortek Control. We're not entirely sure if that name change has anything to do with 2GIG revamping its logo, or with the upcoming release of the 2GIG Edge in February 2021, but we wouldn't rule out that possibility. You can learn more about the name change for Nortek Control in this prior blog post.

Remember to please email us at support@alarmgrid.com if you have any questions about the upcoming 2GIG Edge System, any of the other great systems we support, or about alarm monitoring services in general. We check email during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

We actually missed this about a month ago, but it appears Alarm.com has updated their website camera video feed viewer to use native browser streaming. This replaces the old Adobe Flash video viewer. This change does not come as a surprise, as Adobe Flash will soon reach its end of life.

Being able to live-stream the video feed for Alarm.com Security Cameras is one of the most important features of these devices. This can be done using the Alarm.com website or the mobile app. The change being discussed here affects streaming through a web browser and the Alarm.com website. Before, it was only possible to stream Alarm.com Cameras on the website by using the Adobe Flash video viewer. The update provides support for native browser streaming. This will make it easier for most viewers to access their camera feeds.

With Adobe Flash reaching its end of life by the end of the year, this update was basically a no-brainer for Alarm.com. Users will still have the ability to view their cameras using Adobe Flash until the end of the year. At that point, only native browser streaming will be supported for camera streaming through the Alarm.com website. Native browser streaming is easier to maintain, and it does not require users to install and update a Flash plug-in. Native browser streaming support was actually made available towards the end of September, but we never covered the news in our blog prior to now.

When you access your Alarm.com account through the website, the Video section will appear on the left if Video Surveillance has been added to your account. By clicking on this section then Live Video, you will be able to choose a camera for streaming. In the upper-right corner there will be a toggle bar for you to enable or disable the "New Viewer. When the bar is blue, the New Viewer is enabled, and native browser streaming will be used. This is the default option. You can click the toggle bar to turn off the New Viewer and use Adobe Flash streaming. This will only be available until the end of the year. After that, no Flash streaming will be available.

Please note that the New Viewer and native browser streaming only allows the live video stream to be maintained for a few minutes at a time. After that, you will get a message that the stream has "timed out". You will need to refresh the stream to resume viewing. This is normal, and it's just a limitation that comes with Alarm.com Camera streaming. Simply click the "Play" button that appears on the screen to refresh the stream and continue watching.

Also note that while the camera viewer now has native browser streaming available, the streaming video recorder (SVR) timeline page still uses Adobe Flash. Native browser streaming is not yet available for SVR functions on the Alarm.com website. We expect that to change in the near future, as Alarm.com continues to make their transition away from Flash. We do not have an ETA on when that will become available, but we will be sure to provide an update once we learn more.

If you have any questions about Alarm.com Camera streaming, or if you are interested in monitoring service to gain access to Alarm.com, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that Alarm Grid customers need either a Platinum Level Plan or a Video-Only Plan to gain access to Alarm.com for camera streaming. Our team is happy to address any questions or concerns you may have via email. We check our email during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

We have discussed many times before how a Certificate of Alarm (CoA) can save you money in homeowner's insurance. Today, I want to talk about my personal experience in this aspect and explain how my security system literally pays for itself. This is a huge benefit of owning an alarm system.

As I mentioned before, I became a first-time homeowner earlier this year. Like many homeowners with a mortgage, my loan requires me to maintain active homeowner's insurance. This meant that I had to obtain homeowner's insurance for the first time ever. Installing an alarm system and activating it for monitoring service is one way that I was able to reduce my homeowner's insurance premium. As someone with specific knowledge of the security industry, setting up an alarm system was one of my first priorities when moving into my home.

Prior to my home purchase, I had heard first-hand accounts of how an alarm system can fully pay for itself thanks to savings in homeowner's insurance. But to see it for myself in my own personal practice is really something incredible. I'm realistic, and I wouldn't call these savings anything life-changing. But I can say with complete honesty that there is absolutely no reason for anyone in a similar situation as me not to purchase an alarm system and get it monitored. Not only am I essentially operating an alarm system for free, I actually have a net gain in the overall equation.

In my personal experience operating a monitored security system in South Florida, my savings in homeowner's insurance is approximately $320 annually. This equates to a little bit less than 10% of my total homeowner's insurance premium. Since I have a Honeywell Lyric Security System on IP-only with a monitoring plan that includes central station service and access to Total Connect 2.0 (the Alarm Grid Silver Plan), my monitoring expenses equate to $25 per month, or $300 annually. This results in a net gain of $20 annually. This $20 net gain itself isn't anything to write home about, but the fact of the matter is that I am receiving top-of-the-line monitoring service and protection for my home at no cost to me. You could even argue that I'm being paid to have a security system in my home!

For reference, my homeowner's insurance provider is Citizens. The $320 in savings just represents what Citizens offered to me based on the cost of my home, its location, and the type of monitoring coverage listed in my CoA. I cannot promise that Citizens, or any other insurance provider for that matter, will offer similar savings on your personal policy. Your savings may absolutely vary, and you will need to check with your insurance provider to see what you can qualify for. We have heard of cases where an insurance provider may not offer any savings for maintaining a monitored alarm system, so keep that in mind.

To provide a bit more detail, my savings offered from Citizens come from having a system that is certified for burglary/intrusion monitoring and fire monitoring, with central station service. Citizens only requested proof that my system is actively monitored with central station service, and they did not ask which communication path my system was using (Phone Service, IP/WIFI, and/or Cellular). They also did not provide any indication to me that I would receive increased savings by upgrading to a cellular communicator. Upgrading to cellular is something that I plan to do in the near future, as I know the benefits. I know that making the upgrade will increase the cost of my monitoring service to $420 annually and put me at a net negative in terms of savings, But that is a personal choice that I will make in the interest of protecting my home.

Again, I need to stress that my savings are unique to me. A different insurance provider, or even the same insurance provider in Citizens, might offer you savings that are completely different from mine. That remains true even if you bought a home of identical value as mine in the same zip code. I am not trained in actuarial sciences, and I do not know the process Citizens used for determining my savings. Additionally, your insurance provider may require you to receive monitoring service through a cellular communication path. The only thing I can do is report on what Citizens offered for me personally. Your experience may be completely different. Really, you should be prepared to not receive any savings from your insurance provider. Just consider any offered savings to be a nice bonus to having a security system.

Just like anyone with a proper CoA, I am required to test my system annually. Alarm Grid must receive proof at least once per year that my system is capable of transmitting alarm signals to the central monitoring station. This is required by law, and I am not treated any differently as an Alarm Grid employee. But testing my system once per year to have it fully pay for itself is completely worth it, in my opinion. I would say that the biggest obstacle to any homeowner looking to get started with a CoA and homeowner's insurance savings would be the upfront cost of actually buying a security system and the associated hardware. You can absolutely shop around and possibly buy a used system elsewhere to minimize costs. Just remember that we cannot vouch for the quality or performance of any system not sold by Alarm Grid. Anyone who does decide to purchase a used security system and/or communicator should make sure that the equipment is capable of being used for alarm monitoring service.

Remember that obtaining a legitimate CoA and receiving a discount in your homeowner's insurance does not necessarily entail using your security system. All we need to see is proof that your security system is able to successfully transmit alarm signals for whatever types of alarms are to be listed in your CoA (Intrusion, Smoke/Fire, Carbon Monoxide, Water/Flood, and Temperature). While we certainly encourage you to use your system as intended, we aren't here to monitor or report on its usage. If you have no intention of using your system, and you are just getting it for the insurance discount, then you don't need to let us know that, but we won't be any wiser. Just make sure to keep up with your monthly payments and perform a CoA test annually so that the certification stays legitimate.

If you want to get started with a security system so that you can save money in homeowner's insurance, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We will be happy to work with you and help you determine the ideal monitoring plan for your needs. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. You may also want to reach out to your insurance provider to learn more about what savings are available to you. Remember, your savings may vary drastically, and only your insurance provider can give you an accurate estimate or quote. But we'll be here to work with you once you're ready to get started. We look forward to hearing from you!

Last week, I made a post outlining the alarm registration policy in Pompano Beach, FL. In the post, I referred to a welcome letter that mentions the most common causes of false security system alarms. Today, I want to discuss one listed reason, which is having others use your alarm system.

Anyone who uses a security system should know how to use it responsibly so that false alarms do not occur. This includes users who are not the primary operators of the system. When you have another party operate your system, you are depending on them to not make any mistakes that could lead to a false alarm. Remember, false alarms waste the resources and time of the local authorities, and they can result in fines and penalties that you are held responsible for.

If you ever hire a person who will need to access the premises while you are away and disarm the system, then it is crucial that you do your part and make sure that they know how to use the system properly for basic disarming. This practice can apply to virtually any type of hired hand or assistant, including a maid, a babysitter, a maintenance person, or even a friend who is simply checking on your house while you are on vacation. It may be a good idea to invite them over and show them how to arm and disarm the panel.

Many users will have reservations about leaving a system code with an individual who shouldn't have access to the home all the time. System manufacturers are aware of this concern, and they have implemented a solution. A guest code, which is also sometimes referred to as a babysitter code, is a code that only works when the system is armed with that code. You can give this code to the person who needs to access your home while you are away so that it works during that particular instance, but not on other occasions.

There are some things to keep in mind if you decide to use a guest code with your system. As we mentioned before, the code will only work if it is used to arm the system in the first place. You must remember to use that code to arm on any given day where you are planning to make your home accessible to the other individual. This can be easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of the morning when you are scrambling to get out the door. You might slip up and accidentally arm using your normal code. It can also be a problem if you quick-arm the system without using a code. When quick-arming or single-button arming is used, it is as if the arming was performed by the Master Code. One practice that we have found useful is to leave a sticky note on the panel with the phrase "GUEST CODE". That way, when you arm before leaving, you will know to use the guest code. Obviously, you shouldn't write the actual guest code on the sticky note. But just the message alone will remind you which code to arm with.

The fact that a guest code will only work when it was used to arm the system is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you find out in the middle of the day that you need the other person to access your home, perhaps due to an emergency, and you armed earlier using a different code, then the guest code will not be of any help. A decent work around in that situation is to just disarm using an interactive monitoring platform like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. But it can admittedly be a bit cumbersome to require the other person to contact you and wait for you to open the app on your phone and disarm the system. Still, this is a pretty decent option for a system without any other easy solution. You can also rely on an interactive platform entirely and skip out completely on using a guest code. But it can be a bit inconvenient to have to manually disarm every time you need to provide access. That is why many users often prefer using guest codes in these situations.

As a fail-safe, it may be a good idea to discuss a backup plan with the other individual, in case an alarm does occur on the system. You should instruct them not to panic and to call you immediately to let you know what happened. You may want to keep your phone off silent so that you can respond to an incoming call from either the person or the central station. When you get the alert from the person, you will know that the alarm on your system was a mistake, and you will know to respond accordingly. Then when the central station calls, you can give them your false alarm passcode to let them know that everything is okay. Do not give your false alarm passcode to the other individual, unless you completely trust them. But at that point, you may as well give them a fully functional user code instead of a guest code.

One of our main duties as an alarm company is to help our customers prevent false alarms. If you are an Alarm Grid customer, then please email us at support@alarmgrid.com if you want to learn more about false alarm prevention. We are happy to give you as much advice as we can for when others use your security system. Remember that we check email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!

As you may recall last week, the 2GIG STZ-1 Smart Thermostat became one of the first 700-Series Z-Wave devices available on the Alarm Grid website. We figured we would explore the Z-Wave 700-Series and see what it brings to the table, as it appears more products will be available soon.

We were a bit surprised with the release of the 2GIG STZ-1 Smart Thermostat, as there just aren't many controllers or hubs that take full advantage of 700-Series Z-Wave technology quite yet. Like prior generations of Z-Wave, the 700-Series devices should be compatible with older controllers and hubs. But you won't be able to take full advantage of these devices unless you use them with true Z-Wave 700-Series Controllers. And while we haven't seen many 700-Series Hubs available become available, we are sure they will be arriving soon.

It should come as no surprise that extended wireless range and longer battery life will become a mainstay with Z-Wave 700-Series. We have heard that the 700-Series devices will consume 64% less power for wireless communication, and the technology allows for resting when the device is not being used. Thanks to this more efficient performance, it's likely that you will see many 700-Series devices go up to ten (10) years between battery changes. Furthermore, the 700-Series is expected to allow for communication that is 250% further than the Z-Wave Plus 500-Series. This translates into roughly 200 feet between signal hops!

But perhaps the biggest surprise with the 700-Series is its improvements in security. While the 500-Series devices introduced optional S2 Security, SmartStart capabilities, 128-bit AES encryption, Elliptic-curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH) protocol technology, and Man-In-The-Middle (MITM) protection. These features will become mandatory in the 700-Series for any device to receive certification from the Z-Wave Alliance. In other words, a device will only be able to list itself as having 700-Series Certification if it uses some of the most advanced wireless protection capabilities ever seen in home automation.

While the 700-Series technically made its public debut in April of 2019, we still haven't seen its usage become widespread. We expect that the pandemic played a large part in slowing the rollout of this latest smart home technology. But the recent release from Nortek and 2GIG is certainly a good sign. Of course, we'll also need security manufacturers to step up and build systems with 700-Series support. With any luck, maybe we'll see 700-Series support from the Qolsys IQ Hub later this year!

If you have any questions about the 700-Series of Z-Wave or about home automation in general, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We will be happy to discuss automation possibilities for your home or business and provide you with as much detail as we know about the exciting up-coming technology. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

I don't usually get the opportunity to talk about my personal life very often in this blog. But today, I wanted to briefly share my personal experience registering an alarm system in Pompano Beach, FL. Specifically, I want to focus on the sensible alarm registration policy in the city.

Earlier this year, I had the fortune of purchasing my first home, located just half a mile from the Alarm Grid headquarters. Along with this purchase came a brand-new Honeywell Lyric Security System and monitoring service from Alarm Grid. Maybe someday I'll show the inner workings of my home security setup. But for now, I just want to talk about the positive experience I have had in registering my system with the city of Pompano Beach, FL. This is truly an example of a local alarm authority maintaining a very reasonable policy.

As the operator of a monitored security system in Pompano Beach, FL, I am required by the local jurisdiction to register my system annually with the city. The annual registration fee is a mere $25, and it covers me until December 31st of the same year. This struck me as very reasonable, and I do not believe that it would deter anyone in my community from protecting their home with a monitored system. But the aspect that left me quite impressed was the professional and sincere follow-up that I received after registering.

Upon receipt of my payment, the city of Pompano Beach, FL sent me a welcome letter to verify registration. It included a decal that I can display outside to verify that my system is registered with the city. The welcome letter itself was also very informative in its own right. This message specifically mentioned the importance of regularly testing a security system, complete with a reminder to place the system on test mode with the central station first. The letter went on to present a long list of common causes of false alarms. It even made specific mention of motion detection sensors, which, as a security professional, I am very well aware of how they can cause problems if not installed properly.

The letter ended on a rather serious note, as it mentioned that less than 2% of the alarms that the local police and fire departments respond to are actual emergencies. It urged users to do their part to reduce the false alarm rate by receiving proper training from the alarm provider. Luckily for me, my monitoring provider is also my employer, so I have received plenty of training in preventing false alarms. But I can easily see a typical homeowner who isn't experienced in using a system making a mistake and potentially causing a false alarm.

Taking a step back, I honestly think that my city has a very sensible methodology in handling security systems. There isn't an extreme "verified response" policy, and the local authorities will respond to any alarm event. I believe that this is important for members of the community to feel safe in their homes and to place trust in those who protect and serve. But at the same time, my city acknowledges that false alarms are a legitimate problem, and system users are urged to do their part to prevent them. I think that is very reasonable, as we must all do our part to not abuse the system and waste the time and resources of our local authorities.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the false alarm fining policies for Pompano Beach, FL. It turns out that the first three (3) false alarm events within one (1) calendar year, provided that the system is registered, will result in warnings. The fourth (4th) false alarm within a year will result in a $25 fine, the fifth (5th) will result in a $50 fine, and the sixth (6th) and all subsequent false alarms within the year will each result in a $100 fine. Again, I am fine with this policy, as causing more than three (3) false alarms with a year is pretty foolish, and by that point, a user probably should be fined if they have not corrected the problem.

I might take a closer look at the letter and its fine details another time. But I will end this post by saying that I am proud of my city for taking a very reasonable approach to what is a well- known issue. Alarm Grid does its part to stop false alarms by working to train its customers in operating their security systems responsibly. We strongly advise checking this guide to false alarm prevention, as it provides a plethora of tips to ensure that you're not the one increasing the false alarm rate.

You can also email us if you have any questions or concerns about using your system. We are always happy to talk about false alarm prevention so that you can feel confident your day-to-day security system interactions. Monitored Alarm Grid customers should email support@alarmgrid.com with any questions they might have. This email is also good if you are interested in starting new monitoring service to protect your home or business. We check our email from 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you prevent false alarms!

According to the September/October 2020 Security Market Index (SMI) released by the Security Industry Association (SIA), confidence is returning to the industry following the global health pandemic. Surveyed SIA members currently feel more positive about the industry than in recent months.

Selected SIA members were asked how they would rate current business conditions in the security industry. The options of "Excellent", "Good", "Average", "Fair", and "Poor" were available. The idea was to get a good gauge of the current industry outlook for security professionals. The table below outlines the submitted responses for this question.

According to these results, nearly two-thirds of surveyed security professionals view current industry conditions as "Excellent" or "Good". And perhaps equally as encouraging is the fact that none of the responding SIA members reported viewing the current industry conditions as "Poor". Needless to say, this paints a very positive current outlook for the security industry.

Back in April, we discussed how the DIY security industry was remaining strong in the face of the pandemic. We cited how well companies like ours were able to weather the storm and adapt to the changing times. At Alarm Grid, we provide all of our support online and over the phone. This makes our company best-suited for meeting the unique needs of our customers in an era of social distancing. Now it appears that the rest of the industry is catching up.

Alarm Grid is happy to see that many security professionals feel as confident in the industry as we do. We know that our company remains in a position to thrive, even as others face potential uncertainty in these unique times. Providing top-quality alarm monitoring service is as important as ever, and we will continue doing our part to meet the needs of all our clients. This includes our long-time customers, as well as those who are just now getting started.

If you are interested in joining the Alarm Grid family as a monitored customer, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We will be happy to work with you in determining the best security system and monitoring plan for your needs. Remember that we check email during our usual business hours of 9am to 8pm ET M-F. We look forward to hearing from you!