It’s never easy determining when to upgrade a piece of technology. Things like cellphones, TVs, computers and other tech gadgets seem to get outdated in a matter of years. Fortunately, security technology has a much slower attrition rate than many of the other tech device out on the market today. One of the key differentiators in security systems is that they have the ability to be steadily upgraded over time. It’s possible to keep a security system up-to-date year after year without ever having to replace the entire system at once.
So how do you know it’s time for an upgrade?
The basics of alarm systems have remained unchanged for the last 100+ years. A window or door opens and a contact point is broken or a smoke hits a sensor and an alarm is triggered, sirens go off and a monitoring station receives an alert and dispatches appropriate emergency responders. These basic functions have save countless lives over the last century. However, over the last few decades security technology has enveloped a variety of other amazing innovations that are well worth upgrading into an existing security system.
Look for 2G Wireless Communicators
There are a few key indicators that can tell you when it’s time to give your security system an upgrade, but the single most important thing to look for right now is a 2G wireless communicator. Wireless communicators contact the monitoring station using a cellphone connection. All across the country, cellphone companies are in the process of dismantling 2G towers. Upgrading a 2G wireless device to run off new 4G technology is a very easy transition and will ensure you don’t experience a gap in service over the year or two.
Does Your System Have Smart Home Technology?
One of the most amazing new technological advances brought to the home security industry in the last decade has been the introduction of smart home technology that gives users the ability to control various electronic features in their home from anywhere using a smartphone. A basic smartphone can now allow users can communicate with nearly any electronic device in a home through the home’s control panel, which operates much like a switchboard.
Doors can be locked/unlocked, the alarm system can be armed/disarmed, thermostats can be adjusted, alerts and video snippets can be uploaded or sent automatically and nearly any electronic appliance or device in the home can be controlled through this smart home technology. If you don’t already have this amazing technology, can you imagine how an integration of this magnitude would revolutionize the way you interact with your home?
Does Your System Have High Definition Video Capability?
Camera technology has improved drastically in the last 5 to 7 years, making HD video much more widely available and affordable. For those with low-resolution cameras already installed, it’s well worth an investment to upgrade those cameras to a high resolution platform. Whether security cameras are monitored by a monitoring station, simple recorders or are self-monitored through an online platform, high resolution provides much better footage and be stored much more efficiently.
What Do You Mean, When Was My Last Software Upgrade?
Can you remember the last time your control panel had an upgrade? If not, that’s not a good sign. Considerably older systems entirely lack the ability to receive software upgrades to a central control panel. These systems may function just fine, but this is a strong indicator that it’s time to upgrade that old control panel. Other systems are just so old that the manufacturer has basically stopped making upgrades for the system. Either way, imagine using an old green screen computer. It may still function, but there are so many amazing features that you’re missing.
If your alarm system has a 2G wireless communicator, lacks features like smart home technology and high resolution video or has an outdated control panel, it’s probably time to start thinking about some upgrades. Not having to replace an entire system is the one of the great things about modern security technology. It’s possible to upgrade just one piece of a system at a time, as your needs and budget allow. Contact us if think it might be time for an upgrade or would like a professional assessment of an existing residential or commercial security system.
I can’t believe that alarm systems have remained unchanged for the last 100+ years. We’ve been thinking about getting a new residential security system. There have been some break ins in my neighborhood. It sounds like it is a good investment if they never change. We will look into different security systems thanks.