Stick With Adt, Upgrade The System, Or Start Again?

[Dunkx]

Hello all,

 

I am sure you get a lot of first time posters launching in with a question, hopefully you’ll excuse me doing the same!

 

I have recently moved into a house in Manchester that has a previously installed ADT/Honeywell Domonial system with 4 PIRs, door contact and a couple of glass break sensors on non opening side windows. It has the wireless keypad controller but no fobs or tags (apparently ADT can order some new tags).

 

I have had an ADT rep out and they can reconnect the current system and move onto their standard £22 a month monitoring service.

However I am not convinced that the current setup, with the control unit mounted near the front door, and it connected to a vulnerable phone line that comes down the outside of the front of the house from an overhead line. It just seems a bit noddy to me and too easily compromised (and that is to a layperson).

 

I have been offered as an alternative the Le Sucre system, which they are doing on a 3 year/36 month contract for £99 up front plus the same £22 or so a month. They could re-use the existing sensors and just replace the control unit. I believe this then give GPRS signalling (which seems better to me) and it would allow the control unit to be mounted in a less vulnerable location that is covered by a PIR. I think this system also comes with a remote control as opposed to tags.

 

The alternative would be to ditch the ADT system in its entirety and go for a brand new system with mobile network signalling, professionally installed by a local installer, and connected to some third party monitoring service (or whatever the local installer has links with). I am planning on getting some local companies out shortly.

 

Interested in opinions as to whether the new ADT Le Sucre system would be an advisable option (or even if people think I am being paranoid re. the current Domonial), or whether starting again would be advisable. Any input on what the going rate for a system with a similar number of sensors would be and what the going rate is for monitoring/maintenance that isn’t subsidising the equipment cost is (as I assume the ADT monthly charge is).

 

D

[james.wilson]

Its mainly down to risk and the skill level of the perp.

while your comments on phone line vulnerability are valid. Gprs only can also have issues. The only way to be safe is to use a high grade ie grade 4 dual path signalling device. However such devices are rarely used in standard low risk domestic systems. If you go for the lesucre you will be tied to adt as noone else afaik can support it.

but to me 99 down and 22 a month seems a good deal, even without considering the cost of the gear.

[MrHappy]

It just seems a bit noddy to me and too easily compromised....

Its cheap, what do expect for such a low price ?

Le Sucre, whilst not using a PSTN comes with other issues like ADT not really classing its an alarm therefore not issuing a NSI certificate as its an ungraded product & its only ever going to be a keyholder only system.

It you what a cheap alarm & with monthly payments its ideal if your uninsured / have no insurance requirements

[PeterJames]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

The ADT deal either way doesnt sound that bad, but I would be interested in whats included ie callouts etc. Not sure about the kit but I think you may find a local installer that can take over the Honeywell system as it is and add to it.

 

The phone line is a little Noddy as you put it, but it would really depend on the risk ie what type of burglar you are likely to have, oppurtunists rarely cut phone lines

 

My advice would be to get two more qutes and go for whoever you feel most comfortable with and not necasarily the cheapest

[james.wilson]

To add to the above, good and cheap rarely go well together

[arfur mo]

as others say, depends on your 'attraction' level, to get the attention of competent criminals.

best alarm in the world don't stop anyone determined enough to crack the patio door, run in grab for what they can in 30 seconds and be out again. The siren usually dissuades the intruder from staying longer, reducing loss and damage.

GPRS signaling if using text alerts, can suffer propagation delays during high traffic periods such as Xmas and New Year. Service can go off line as recently happened with O2, signal strength consistency might be an issue at your location

cutting phone lines is rare, crim's know about the likelihood of line fault monitoring but not if you have Redcare or Dualcom.

you could perhaps cover your landline with a simple metal capping, have the cable re-routed internally or run in inside galvanized metal conduit, to make it that bit harder to get at.

having a few quotes will do no harm, but let whoever quotes suggest their own ideas to you, don't tell them what we say or the earlier reps suggest, that way you have a better gauge of ability and their knowledge..

[datadiffusion]

http://www.tycoemea.com/english/pdf/datasht/intruder/PSI334A.pdf

 

Not for me chef!

[norman]

Fantastic piece of kit that fits the market place it's aimed @ perfectly.

[james.wilson]

I thought adt had dumped the secre, in favour of a visonic unit?

[norman]

Visonic is being rolled out but we still support the le sucre