Consumer Alert
Thinking about getting Simplisafe- Author recommends not displaying the Simplisafe yard sign
By now I am sure you have heard of Simplisafe, but if you haven’t, let me give you a little background. Simplisafe was founded in 2006 and specializes in DIY wireless security systems that are shipped directly to the consumer ready to plug in. The company has done very well and currently has over 200,000 subscribers. The system packages run from $200 for their basic foundation unit to $489 for their top of the line package. One of the big selling points to Simplisafe is there is no contractual obligation, the system is paid for upfront and the monitoring service is paid month to month. Each system comes with a minimum of a Base unit, a key pad, entry sensors and a motion sensor. At first glance, that sounds great but, IS YOUR HOME REALLY SAFE??? AND IS THERE REALLY NO CONTRACT?
All home security systems work on the same basic principle of securing entry points of the home which are monitored by the main control panel or “base unit” as is the case with Simplisafe. The base unit communicates with each installed component, sounds the alarm when a security zone is breached, and communicates with an alarm monitoring company. Simplisafe’s base unit needs to be placed in a central location of the monitored space (for example the living room). Simplisafe advertises that their keypad which communicates to the base station, is smash-safe (meaning if the keypad were destroyed in a break-in it would send an immediate alarm to the base unit which in turns sends the alarm to the monitoring station) … but what about the base- What would happen if the base unit were destroyed, smashed or just plain had the batteries removed? That’s right, the system would be rendered useless and unable to send out an alarm to dispatch authorities, or fire department. The easy accessibility to the base unit increases the likelihood for unit tampering, making Simplisafe’s system NOT smash-safe.
Another issue with SimpliSafe is that it broadcasts on a 433.92MHz frequency, this is the same frequency that many common household products use as well (Garage door openers, baby monitors, and headphones to name a few.) After researching reviews on the internet, it seems that many customers of Simplisafe are experiencing interference with their alarm system. If the frequency is being interrupted the SimpliSafe system cannot maintain communication with devices, and could potentially never send an alarm signal to dispatch in an emergency. Most Concerning is that this same frequency can easily be jammed or purposely interrupted making your security system fail. Just the other day a you tube video shows how easy it is to get around the Simplisafe system.
Click here to watch the video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlNkQJzw4oA#menu
By spending less than $3.00 on amazon, you can render a Simplisafe system useless. So, my advice to anyone who has the system is to take down your yard sign- do not advertise that your home is secured with a system that can be rendered useless by a $3.00 remote control unit, and if you are thinking about getting the system lets talk, we are always hear to answer any questions you may have!
With regards to the NO Contract – that’s not actually true either. You do have to sign a monitoring agreement and if you ever cancel your service, the system CANNOT be monitored by another company.
Sounds kind of like a contract if you ask me. The systems we install are not proprietary, meaning they CAN be monitored by many central stations.
By Helene Williams & Stuart Forchheimer
