I'm not impressed with the security systems available locally.  Any thoughts on the SimpliSafe system?  I like the install yourself, very customizable, not dependent on phone lines but still monitored aspect.  Looking for some thoughts on downsides or if there's some big weakness to these kind of systems that I'm missing.

Simplisafe is no different than any other cell based wireless alarm panel except for the programming. It uses proprietary communications and can only be monitored by Simplisafe. So yes the easy out contract is fine as long as you want to buy a new system if you dislike their service. You can buy alarm kits such as the Honeywell Lynx with built in cell unit for about the same price from Simplisafe. I'm sure that a local alarm company would program it for you for free as long as you sign up with them for at least a year or so.



ETA: POTS line communication with alarms is nearly a thing of the past. With the telephone companies going more and more to VOIP everyone is shifting towards cellular due to the communications issues. Cell used to be viewed as a backup to pots, but now is more and more primary comms.

-> simplisafe owner here

I am happy with simplisafe.  I have used them for almost 4 months and have no complaints.  Customer service was good and helped me register in the city alarm database.  I get notifications on my cell when the system is armed/disarmed or when the power goes out.

Another simply safe fan here.

I've had mine for about a year.  Works great.

I bought one for my parents last year and it's been great and US based customer service is awesome, had a faulty control tower and they sent a new one immediately

Have had it for 9 months out on the farm.  No complaints at all.  I know anyone who breaks in will be long gone before the cops show up but at least Ill know someone got in well before I return..

Hopefully the extra sirens will scare them away.

Have it and really like it.  If you do it check out their refurb kits.

Do you have to pay the $25/month monitoring fee to be able to control the alarm with a smart phone?

Yes, the monthly charges are as follows:

$25 gets you everything
$15 gets you central monitoring and phone call to you from monitoring group when the system goes off
$20 gets you central monitoring, email/ txt msg and a phone call to you from monitoring group.
$0 localized alerting in the house - no monitoring, no email/ txt, no phone call.

I"m interested in SimpliSafe for the localized alerting.

I am currently testing out 2 Belkin Netcams.  One is set up on the back and the other in front of the house covering entrances.  When motion is detected the camera will upload a pretty clear video to the "cloud", then will send you an email, a  "push" notification to your cell phone or both.  

Right now I have a concern with the IR ... it attracts fireflies.  Dozens and dozens of fireflies which set off the motion sensor with their azz flashing.  Changing sensitivity to a lower setting doesn't help.

Had my system for 6 months now and love it.  I like being able to set up the sensors to do what I want them to do.  I can put a motion or door sensor in the gun safe and it sends an email or text to my phone when my teenage son opens it.  Does not have to set off the alarm.

I also installed a motion detector in my storage building and set it for both home and away detection. Keeps my tools safe when I'm home.  All the sensors can be set to immediately alarm or delay.  I can control everything from either my laptop or my Ipad.  Even have a temperature sensor that tells me the temp in the house.  I have a water stove so I know if I am away and the fire has died down just by checking that with my phone.

Installed 2 external sirens on the front and backside of the house and one external on the inside of the house.  Suckers are LOUD....

Have COPS monitoring service.  Very happy with them so far...!

I don't have a SimpliSafe, but my alarm company (Alarm Relay) called me last night after midnight to say that the "dining room motion" was triggered. I was not home, and asked them to dispatch. I have never had any zone trigger in 10 years, except when I did it during entrance or exit.

I then called the police myself, and asked them to dispatch directly. Alarm Relay had not called them yet, but evidently soon did.

I then drove to the house. Since I was 14 minutes away, I did not bother to put on a handgun, as I knew the police would beat me there - and I didn't want to confuse them with me having a gun and them not knowing who I was.

When I got to the house, it was all dark. I figured the police had checked it out, and left already. I walked up to the dining-room window to see if the screen was broken. It was not. I then realized that maybe the police never came? Maybe they were still coming? I felt exposed without having a pistol. I went to the street and waited.

Six minutes later, a lone police car shows up. No lights or anything.

20 minute response time!!!

I was dumb to not bring a gun. I was dumb to assume the police felt the same sense of urgency as I did.

He said they were "short handed."

I explained that I was the home-owner, and that I have never had a false alarm. The officer responded "Didn't you have a false alarm last week?" I replied that last week I set off the alarm myself, my cell phone was dead and so I could not call off the alarm company, and I used the land line and called the police station to notify them that they didn't need to respond. Sounds like my courtesy call to them the week prior made them less interested in responding to this real alarm. My mistake for trying to help them out I guess. In 10 years - this was the first and only time that they have ever been dispatched to my house for an alarm, but they felt no need to rush.

We walked the house. Again, I felt dumb for not having a pistol. The cop had one, but I was leading him, and I didn't want to jump behind him if we spotted someone. No evidence of a break in. No explanation for why the PIR tripped. No heat source. Maybe a bat in the house? I will replace the PIR just to be sure it is not malfunctioning.

From now on, I am my own first responder, and will bring a gun. Anyone who wants to depend on the police to respond to their alarm in leu of having their own first response with a firearm and flashlight is nuts.

They are short handed, he was probably not lying. Hire yourself a security guard, or maybe a semi mean dog. You are absolutely responsible for at least two things in life;

Your personal safety
Taking care of your belongings

You will never be able to find someone who can do those two things better than you.

No one lives in this house so a dog would not work.

They are pretty decent for the most part. If you live somewhere that doesn't have very good cell coverage you may run into issues. Sensors could use a little more range. Other than that I am a happy customer. Though I will probably switch at some point to a more advanced DIY setup.

Thinking of going this route with one of our offices within a few min of my home.... Some have said you can customize the alerts so they come to your phone instead of the monitoring company....

So I can set the motion detector/ glass break detector/ door monitor/ or whatever to notify my cellphone, but not the monitoring center?

Just looked at my control panel on the computer and you have options for each sensor.

Alarm - Home and Away
Alarm - Away Only
No Alarm - sms/email alert only
Disabled - no alert / no alarm

So the answer to your question is yes, you can pick what each sensor will do.

Thanks for the information guys.  I have a house and shop in MS that I'm trying to sell and have had a   break in and trying to get some protection.   No network so cell is only method. Anyone use one in a metal building?

Alarms go off all day. They don't hurry to get there. Its rarely a real break in.