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McGinn Smith Alarm Trading accounts sold for $2m

The criminal trial of alarm industry investors Timothy McGinn and David L. Smith also is about to begin, on June 18
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/25/2012
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Residential

ALBANY, N.Y.—More than 5,000 alarm accounts managed by McGinn Smith Alarm Trading LLC have been auctioned to Security Systems Inc. of Cromwell, Conn. for more than $2 million, legal documents show.

Aloha Alarm flourishing in Hawaii

The small new company is adding customers and employees and says quality service distinguishes it from big summer-model rivals
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/25/2012
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Residential

AIEA, Hawaii—Aloha Alarm just launched in January, but already has about 200 customers and is gaining more at the rate of about 50 a month, according to Aloha president Mark Plischke. He said he also plans to add six more employees to his current staff of 14 before year’s end.

Comcast adds more markets across the country

In March, the telecom introduced its home automation/home security product in locations that included San Francisco, Connecticut and Utah, home of the summer-sales security companies
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/23/2012
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Residential

PHILADELPHIA—March was an active month for Comcast as it launched its new home automation/home security service in a number of additional major markets across the country. Xfinity Home is now being offered in Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay area and parts of Connecticut and Vermont—and Utah.

Defender has new CEO; predicts strong growth in 2012

The nation’s No. 1 ADT dealer says this year will be best ever
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/18/2012
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Residential

INDIANAPOLIS—Defender Direct, the country’s leading ADT dealer, announced this month that it has restructured its executive team and has a new CEO.

Safeguard makes acquisition

Super-regional completes tuck-in in Santa Fe
 by: 
Martha Entwistle
  - 
04/18/2012
  | 
Residential

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Super-regional Safeguard Security has acquired New Mexico Security Services, headquartered in Santa Fe, N.M., Safeguard CEO John Jennings told Security Systems News.

Devcon moves to ‘streamline,’ ‘trim’ after rapid growth

After recently expanding to 50 branches nationwide, Devcon now plans more strategic growth, according to new CEO
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/11/2012
  | 
Residential

HOLLYWOOD, Fla.—After a rapid expansion during the past 18 months, Devcon Security is streamlining its business but is still planning to grow nationwide, according to the company’s new CEO, Steve Hafen.

Monitoring contract provision can stand in way of sale

If your third-party monitoring center has a right of first refusal on your alarm company, that can impede selling it to anyone else
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/04/2012
  | 
Residential

LAS VEGAS—Read the fine print on your contract with your third-party monitoring center. You may find there’s a clause buried in it that says the monitoring center has the right to buy your alarm company before you can sell it to somebody else.

More problems for Platinum: It’s now charged with defaulting on $700,000 loan

CPI Security contends Platinum is in breach of a loan from CPI and is mismanaging 350 accounts that are collateral
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/04/2012
  | 
Residential

AMERICAN FORK, Utah—CPI Security Systems, a Charlotte, N.C.-based monitoring company, is suing Platinum Protection, claiming Platinum has defaulted on a $700,000 loan CPI made to the company in January.

Alarm.com: New Smart Schedule smart for dealers

New feature matches home activity to thermostat schedules and makes customers ‘stickier’
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
04/02/2012
  | 
Residential

VIENNA, Va.—Alarm.com has added a new feature to its emPower home automation and energy management platform, one that it says makes homeowners even more invested in their security systems because it allows them to use data the security systems collect to better program their thermostats to save energy and money.

Tremendous growth forecast for home energy management

Analyst: Security companies can use their close relationships with customers to drive the market
 by: 
Tess Nacelewicz
  - 
03/26/2012
  | 
Residential

DALLAS—A recent Parks Associates study predicts home energy management will become a huge market during the next 10 years, and security companies are in a unique position to take advantage of that through their close customer relationships, according to an analyst with t

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Poll

SSN News Poll July 2013

Retailing home security has become a trend. Comcast is selling its Xfinity Home security/home automation product in stores nationwide. AT&T's Digital Life product is available in its stores, and Lowe's is selling its Iris product in its retail stores and Verizon Wireless stores. Security companies, including SecureWatch 24, The Alarm Company and Security Options, also have retail stores. Is this the wave of the future or just a fad? What do you think?

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