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Competition is a fact of life, especially in this economy, and the alarm industry is no exception. There are over 13,000 alarm companies in the US alone: while most of them are small companies with fewer than ten employees, the top 100 US alarm companies still only account for about half of the roughly 20 million systems in use today. That means there are literally thousands of providers competing to protect you and your family or business – and a common way to compete is by advertising with the word “Free!”
We’ve been providing alarm systems for some time (in my case, over 20 years!), and one of the first lessons I learned is that there is no “free” alarm system – even today. For starters, the only good systems are monitored, so there is a monthly cost. And just about every company advertising a “free” system is charging you upfront for one or more of the following:
What’s it Cost – and What’s it Worth?

By:
Peter M. Rogers
|August 6, 2010
- Activation – usually $99
- Installation – varies, may depend on number of sensors
- “Set Up” – usually $99
- First month of monitoring – or up to three months in advance!
- Restocking for early return – $80 to $100
- Shipping (for FrontPoint’s rare DIY competitors) - $25 to $50, both ways if you return it