What Is My Alarm Center?

Who Is My Alarm Center?

My Alarm Center was founded in 2000 and it's currently based in Pennsylvania. It sells its security systems through local dealers, much like how ADT does business. However, My Alarm Center is not alone. My Alarm Center owns a family of home security brands, including Hawk Security Services and LivSecure. Although these brands operate on their own, their offers are similar. If you want an alarm company that sells its products direct to its customers instead of dealers, for example, you can choose LivSecure over My Alarm Center. It offers products and service similar to My Alarm Center but it sells it equipment directly to its customers.

Why They're Different

My Alarm Center partners with well-known equipment manufacturers, allowing them to offer high-quality equipment. They offer all the pieces of equipment needed to protect your home from intrusion, fire, carbon monoxide, and environmental hazards. Everything is professionally installed by a local technician sent by My Alarm Center.

Who's It For?

My Alarm Center is best for homeowners because it requires professional installation. It's also only ideal if you have long-term security needs. Although the exact contract length is unknown because it usually varies, there's an auto-renewal clause. Even if your contract ends, My Alarm Center can renew your contract if you don't cancel within their given time frame.

Key Features & Tech

• Professional Monitoring
• Mobile App Access
• Home Automation
• Video Monitoring

Professional Monitoring

My Alarm Center's primary service is professional monitoring. All of its plans include professional monitoring of security and life safety sensors. If something happens at home, your security system will send an alarm signal to My Alarm Center's monitoring station, where a trained agent will call to check on you. If there's a real emergency and help is needed, they will dispatch the cops, fire department, or medical responders to your address.

Mobile App Access

If you're subscribed to the mid-level or high-end monitoring plan, you'll gain access to My Alarm Center's mobile app. The app, which is available to Android and iOS users, can control your security system, monitor your sensors, and stream security camera footage. It even lets you do those things even if your miles away from home as long as your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Home Automation

Besides security features, My Alarm Center provides automation features for automated access and energy management. With automated access, you can lock/unlock your smart door locks from anywhere. With smart energy management, you can control and schedule your thermostats and lights.

Video Monitoring

My Alarm Center also offers video monitoring. If you're on the highest-tier monitoring plan, you'll be able to add security cameras to your system. You can monitor your cameras using My Alarm Center's mobile app by streaming live videos and playing back recorded events.

Monitoring Options

My Alarm Center offers a three-tiered monitoring plan that is very similar to LivSecure's monitoring plans. They are named MyEssential, MyHome, and MyHome Premier.

Here you will find more information about My Alarm Center's monitoring plan pricing and deals.

Equipment & Technology

Like most security companies, My Alarm Center builds its systems around a control panel. They don't share exactly what control panel they use and we couldn't get the pricing without requesting a quote (and home visit), but My Alarm Center does tell us the important features.

For one, its control panels use cellular technology for communication. This is called cellular monitoring, and it's the most reliable monitoring method. Older systems use landline, which lacks security because if a burglar cuts the phone line from outside, the system won't be able to send alert signals. Broadband monitoring is another option. It uses internet connection to communicate, but just like landline, internet connections can be cut. On top of that, if your internet service is unstable, your security system will also become unstable. Cellular monitoring uses cellular signal, which is wireless and way more reliable than internet connections. It also doesn't require a strong cellular signal. Even if you live in an area where cell service is poor, you might still be able to use cellular monitoring.

Smartphone control is another feature offered by My Alarm Center's security systems. With the right monitoring plan, you're in total control of your security system wherever you go. You can arm and disarm your system, make changes to your account settings, manage users, and more. You'll also be able to access smart home features using the app.

Add-On Devices

Aside from the control panel, My Alarm Center offers add-on devices for security, life safety, home automation, and video surveillance. Again, we couldn't get a full list of My Alarm Center's equipment offering without requesting a quote, but the list below shows an estimate of what other devices My Alarm Center offers:

• Extra Keypad
• Key Fob
• Panic Button
• Door/Window Sensor
• Motion Sensor
• Glass Break Sensor
• Smoke Sensor
• CO Detector
• Flood Sensor
• Smart Lock
• Smart Thermostat
• Smart Lighting Control
• Cameras

We've talked more about these equipment in our in-depth My Alarm Center review.

Customer Service

My Alarm Center is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Despite the rating, they have received complaints, especially when it comes to their customer service and contracts.

There are reports ranging from tricky contract agreements to contracts that renew automatically without notice. There are also reports of customers who find it a hassle to discontinue their agreement, even after moving out of the country. MyAlarm Center and LivSecure both require contracts for service. While the contract length for My Alarm Center is unknown, LivSecure asks for a 36-month agreement.