I got some answers from your other “newbie” posts, but I am still not clear on few things:
What happens if I do not get Surety or any other monitoring plan? Would I still get notifications on my phone over Wifi?
What are my option for dual path if cell phone reception is almost non-existent in the house (Verizon and AT&T). There is some reception perhaps 20-30 ft away.
Do I need to order a line service from my cellular carrier for security system?
What happens to monitoring if suretyhome.com is acquired or goes out of business?
What happens if I do not get Surety or any other monitoring plan? Would I still get notifications on my phone over Wifi?
No, systems sold through Surety are professional grade and use Alarm.com for communication. An account is required for monitoring and notifications. Notifications are handled through your Alarm.com account.
What are my option for dual path if cell phone reception is almost non-existent in the house (Verizon and AT&T). There is some reception perhaps 20-30 ft away.
All panels use cellular for primary communication. The IQ Panel 4 we sell has built in wifi for dual path.
Do I need to order a line service from my cellular carrier for security system?
No. The cellular data is included in the plan. It is not managed separately.
What happens to monitoring if suretyhome.com is acquired or goes out of business?
Nothing would change unless you are otherwise notified. Alarm.com is the developer of the back end software and there are thousands of Alarm.com dealers nationwide. The systems we support are not proprietary and can be monitored by any Alarm.com dealer.
When asking about dual-path my question was about getting cellular connectivity in the area where the coverage is very poor. Are there any extenders or antennas that I can install to make sure panel can communicate via cellular?
If I purchase a plan through your site, is this plan a subscription to alarm.com?
What is the self-monitor option under plan? Are these just alarms that go to my cell phone or app?
Are there any extenders or antennas that I can install to make sure panel can communicate via cellular?
No. It is not possible to add an extended antenna or cell booster kit to Qolsys panels. To improve signal strength, place the panel in an area that receives the best signal at the location. 2/6 signal strength is the minimum for for cellular communication.
A successful cellular test needs to be run in order to connect the alarm panel to service.
If I purchase a plan through your site, is this plan a subscription to alarm.com?
…Is Surety Cam also through alarm.com?
Surety is a DIY Alarm.com service provider, all plans sold through Surety are for Alarm.com. The Surety Cam service plan is for video only through Alarm.com and does not include security monitoring.
What is the self-monitor option under plan? Are these just alarms that go to my cell phone or app?
When self monitoring, you can still set up notifications to be sent via SMS, Email, Push, to be notified when the panel goes into alarm. However, signals will not be sent to the monitoring station nor would operators contact you or dispatch during an alarm event. When self monitoring, the end user would call local authorities if deemed necessary.
If failing the cell test is a concern, it is recommended that you not physically mount the panel. The panel can be plugged into an outlet via the included 7V power supply and a cell test run without being attached to the wall.
I don’t recall anyone ever trying or reporting on using a booster like the one linked with an LTE alarm panel.
Cell extenders from the carriers have been tried, with mixed results. Verizon historically has worked, with modules needing to be whitelisted in the extender management software.
AT&T extenders do not work with anything other than mobile phones. M2M signaling has historically not been supported.
Now fundamentally the booster you are referencing is different as the extenders connect to your internet and generate a signal in your home, and this looks to just pick up the network signal and repeat it via another indoor antenna, but I can’t say whether or not there might be registration issues going through that third party booster device to reach the cell network.
If you try one would you mind following up to let us know how it works for you?