Oct. 5, 2007 -- Protection One is now offering its customers the option of web-enabled access to their security system. The company is marketing the service as e-Secure, and is offering it to both its residential and its commercial security systems customers.
The service is designed to target today's more mobile population, where being tied to an alarm panel near an exit door isn't always an option. The system uses SMS messaging (text messaging) and Internet-based web access to give its customer complete remote control over their security system. It seems to tie in well with today's focus in online services like online banking, where the user does their own account monitoring at some level. While some sensor-events (intrusion, for example) can go to the central station, others are simply directed to the alarm user.
The chief feature, of course, is that the e-Secure system allows for users to arm and disarm their system from either a cell phone or a web-enabled PDA or computer. And because the alarm system can be armed/disarmed from afar, the remote access functionality can be used to grant temporary access, such as to a service worker.
Additionally, users can predefine those non-alarm events that don't have to be monitored by the central station, but which can automatically send an email or message. The company suggests that such messages might be to notify parent when a child arrives home and disarms a system to enter, or if a water sensor in the basement of hot water heater closet detects moisture.
The online interface, which can use Honeywell's new system that actually shows a virtual alarm panel on the screen that matches the Honeywell unit in their home or business, provides an option for reviewing an event log, so that system owners/managers can review events like arm/disarm/stay, sensor detections and more.
More information: www.protectionone.com/esecure
