Security System and self monitoring

 Hi everyone,

Me and my wife are wanting to put an alarm system in our home, but we
live in a fairly good neighborhood, and though none of my neighbors
(some living there for 30+ years) know of any problems in the
neighborhood or surrounding streets, we'd feel more comfortable with
some sort of alarm system.

I know Brinks and ADT have remote monitoring, but I'd like something I
can monitor myself without monthly fee's.  Ideally I'd love to have
something with window and door scensors plus glass break alarms, but
the perks I'd love to get are something that'll connect to my computer
and either send a page to me or better yet just call 911 with an
automatic message asking for help.  All Brinks and ADT do is this,
isn't it??? Why pay them if a system can be setup to do this for me.

Thanks for any suggestions, but being a rookie in this field I'm not
sure what's available out there.  I guess for me simply having an alarm
that sets off an alarm when the circuit around the doors and windows
breaks would work, but the perks of notification would be nice :)

Thanks for any ideas or thoughts.

Sam Alex

  Sir, I won't comment on the idea of "self monitoring" other than to refer
you to a page that might or might not provide some useful thoughts on the
matter. If you require a system that is non monitored, you likely will have
to search out a local company that does this, or do it yourself.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/monitori.htm

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com

 RH,

What does this mean: "14.95 monthly plus GST ($16)" ?
Is GST a tax?

 Yeah, its a General Sales Tax of 7% that all Canadians are screwed with and
applies to pretty much everything we buy....on top of a myriad of other
taxes, which makes us one of the most heavily taxed countries in the
world....:((
So if we initially pay something for a product, then we pay a Provincial tax
of 8% on it, then the GST is applied to both the original item AND the PST,
so we are taxed on tax. Monitoring however, doesn't require PST.

RHC

 Almost as messy as here.

When I sell a system I have to charge State & City sales tax - state is
same, but each city is different.

When I sell monitoring I have to charge telecommunications tax, but only by
city.

Now...here's the kicker...I operate in 10+ cities and all have different
sales/telecommunications tax....pain in the butt...every 19th of the month
it's a mad scramble to calculate all this crap.

Oh yeah, and some cities (the smaller ones) have their tax collected by the
state (they all should it would simplify stuff for us).