Hello OKC Talks! I live in Moore and am looking for recommendations for security/fire alarm services, or at the very least, some tips on which ones to avoid :) Thanks in advance for the help.

I use ADT. They installed the system for free and the quarterly invoice is reasonable. It has gone off twice (forgot and left the cat inside) and both times we received calls from ADT just fine. As with any big company, they have their critics.

We recently upgraded to remote panic alarms and a wireless calling incase the phone lines are cut/down.

Matt Petering's Wiring Solutions (http://www.wiringsolutions.com/)

Matt Petering's Wiring Solutions (http://www.wiringsolutions.com/)

Is this one you recommend or one to avoid?

I recommend them. I've used them on several projects. Very good company - small enough for personal service and big enough for about anything you need.

We have Protection One. I really like them.

We have Protection One. I really like them.

What do you like about Protection One?

I use Guardian. I love that they call me before the cops or fire dept. Some of them won't. It's an automatic dispatch when your alarm goes off. In cases of a false alarm, you could get up to a $100 fine!

They are efficient and friendly. I had my entire house installed for less than $100 and pay only $29 a month for full service. I have moved twice since I started with them and both times they moved my system for free.

Guardian Security | Guardian Security Systems, Inc. (http://www.csg-guardian.com/)

We use HESI who installed the alarm when we had it built...They cut us a great deal for $18 for 3 years (which is almost up darnit)...Always call when the wifey trips the alarm and we haven't had any real issues with the alarm system

Definitely recommend them

I also use Guardian. The package I bought runs $27 a month. (I pay quarterly.) Their response time is way less than a minute, and their tech support is good.

What do you like about Protection One?

We got it installed for a pretty reasonable price. I can't remember the amount. I think it was a little over $100. We pay $31.95 a month, but that includes an extra $5 we pay for a cell phone backup service. If the phone line is cut, the device will call a cell tower. They call us before they dispatch, and are really quick.

Count us in on Guardian fans, too. They are GREAT and reasonable prices.

Count us in as Guardian (GSS) fans, too. They are GREAT and have reasonable prices.

Thanks so much for the helpful information :)

We use to have ADT at 4 of our retail locations, but have since canceled due to their rate increases. We switched to a company called Alcom and have had nothing but great service. When we signed up it was only 14.95 a month with a 2 yr contract.

Which is best...

Protection One
Alcom
Guardian

?

We use HESI who installed the alarm when we had it built...They cut us a great deal for $18 for 3 years (which is almost up darnit)...Always call when the wifey trips the alarm and we haven't had any real issues with the alarm system

Definitely recommend them

I've had nothing but problems with HESI. Been through a few of their systems, and now that it's out of warranty, it's borked up again. It will go off at random times and will not let you shut off the alarm. Last time it was doing that and it was under warranty, they replaced the whole system. And I'm not paying for them to install another crappy setup...Heck, I've got the whole thing shut off right now, and went and bought battery powered smoke alarms.

FYI - I take back my comment on Guardian. Seems all of things are true - until you want to discontinue service or have problems with your system. I recently had some big issues with them and realized just how unprofessional they are. It's now I hear the same thing from prior customers. Everything is wonderful until it's not.

And some of these complaints are EXACTLY why you should think twice before considering your alarm company for other security related services for your home or business. A good portion of them have spread themselves way too thin by offering just about every "security" related product out there. As a result, many of their employees are not really qualified to do all that they offer to consumers, or they are grossly understaffed.

While searching for security related services for your home or business, ask the company what all they do. It's been my experience that if a company offers everything under the sun when it comes to security, many do not do the services very well that they claim to provide, or may be "experts" in just a single field. In fact, some of them will gladly take your money and then act as "brokers" and farm the job out to another company...resulting in you paying more than you really should for the service you requested.

If you have a need for security related services installed for your home or business (such as an alarm system, access control system, and especially a closed circuit video system), I suggest that you strongly consider a licensed company that offers a limited number of security products, or specializes in that particular field. While some of their services may be higher in cost compared to the other guys, you'll usually end up with higher quality products, better service, and the expertise that you won't get from the "jack of all trades / master of none" security companies who bite off more than they can chew on a daily basis.