Positive Feedback on Home Monitoring

[VTHokiez]

Building a new home and would like some real feedback on the Verizon Home Monitoring system. I've browsed online, but can only find negative reviews, as it's human nature to only voice negativie concerns. Seeking actual feedback from both satisfied and unsatisfied users of the system - however, I'd prefer postive feedback in this case. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[twkennedy]

vthokiez

I know it would be nice to hear some positive feedback.  I get  it and I do have some.  BUT let me get the "negative" out of the way.  I currently have 4 camera's, 3 outside 1 inside.  I can view them all. No Problem, but it seems since the inception of the Home Monitoring system the Server where the video records reside has been having from what I have been told by Tech Support, to much data thrown at it and it basically chokes and shuts down or slows down. This has been happening pretty consistently over the past several months and they promise they are working on it.  I was told Friday they will have it resovled, which I was told last month.

OK NOW ON TO THE POSITIVE... .I did have a few pleasant conversations with Tech Support who got on the line with myself and Billing who ended up giving me a 40 dollar credit.   10 Bucks a month is pretty reasonable for what you can do after you invest in the periferal equipment needed.  The system is pretty slick when it works.  I actually Have a recording of a guy trying to break in to my house. Off loaded and gave it to the police.  Never did catch the culprit.

Verizon says you should have no more than 4 camera's on the system but i know there are people on this forum that have 5 or more.   The devices for lights on and off  work fine and you can schedule them easily.   I would like to add to it but not till they have they have worked out some of the outstanding issues you see talked about on this forum.   

Also it would be nice to have a Fire option on it.. or  even a Carbon Monoxide.... detector... also as well some time in with the local authorities.. .

Hope this helps and good luck..

[twkennedy]

oh and its pretty easy to set up the periferals... Cams are all wireless... the furthest from my wireless router is about. 70 feet.. .and solid..

[VTHokiez]

Thank you very much for your response. This gives me some great insight as to what I could expect from Verizon!

[PMD3]

About the most positive statement anyone might offer is that you still have a choice whereas we are stuck with the system. Verizon has a nice idea and it is fairly priced but they apparently don't have the technical resources or help to get it right. I have had the system for about a year. When things work right it is great.

However the Energy Management has never worked right despite many promises that they would correct it. The latest was they were upgrading it this week so we'll see.

the cameras are sporadic in their operation. As you can see from the Forum this week it isn't operating properly again. It's any bodies guess as to how long it will take them to fix it as the problem comes up every month or two.

the gateway devices go offline frequently. They usually restart automatically but once in awhile it doesn't so your whole system is down.

If I were purchasing it now I would look for some money back guarantee longer than the 30 days they give you as it takes you a few weeks just to learn everything and set it up. Then when you discover the problems you are of the  trial period. There are several posts of people who returned the system on time that never got their refund.

I wish I could be more positive but I think my experiences are typical. I feel like I work for Verizon because I've been on the phone so much with them in the past year. Good luck. If you go with it I hope they get things straightened out so you will be happy.

[VTHokiez]

Thank you very much for your response to my inquiry. While I've tried to find the positive in Verizon's home monitoring suite, based on friends' issues, and widespread issues throughout the online community, I've decided to go another route. Thank you all for your feedback. 

[upsetinnewyork]

You can only find negative reviews online? Dude, what does that tell you?

[armond_in_nj1]

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@upsetinnewyork wrote:

You can only find negative reviews online? Dude, what does that tell you?

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I'm not a "dude," but it tells me that one is much more likely to find ccomplaints rather than praise online, here and anywhere else.  That old human nature thingie.

[chuckr1958]

I have three indoor cameras, three door sensors and two light modules.  The cameras are triggered for recording as soon as a door is opened.  I have set up different times in the early morning and evening hours to have the lights go on and off to show a lived in look while I am at work. I am going to be getting two more light modules in the near future.  You need to place the indoor cameras with a light source behind them or in a position where light is not directed right into the lens.  If so, the camera is basically blinded by the light.   The system does work as advertised when all is working on the Verizon side of the house.  The cameras stay connected all the time unless the gateway is down.  One thing you have to remember, it's not an alarm/security system.... there is no alert system to local police or fire.   

Some issues I did have is that one of the cameras did not come with the 10 foot power extension.  There was a bag but no cord.  Tech support was extremely rude to me  when I asked for a part number so I can order one.  They insisted that it was a packaging mistake and the cameras do not come with an extension.  I tried to explain that my other two cameras came with it.  I had one guy tell me that he couldn't find my account and that when I became a customer to call back, and he hung up on me. 

Their online website to view your services, the recordings, make changes, etc... is extremely slow and buggy.  It times out on me a lot, get proxy errors and the shopping cart crashes.  I tried calling them and all I get is to reboot my modem.

So that is my two cents.