Tag: Andy Lowitt
Metrodial to go live with trio of mobile apps
July 2, 2014Leif Kothe
HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—With several different mobile PERS models gaining traction in the monitoring space, it's not yet clear what type of device and what combination of features will be the winner in the marketplace.Metrodial Corp., a wholesale central station based here, is taking the no-hardware, app-based route. The company is slated to be the first central station to go live with some new services from Boca Raton, Fla.-based SmartTek Systems, an app and virtual services company founded in 2013....
Riders on the storm: Central stations take Sandy in stride
October 31, 2012Rich Miller
The snowy remnants of Hurricane Sandy are still blowing across the ridges of West Virginia, but the worst is over for the Eastern Seaboard. Now the recovery begins. And as is the case with any natural disaster, preparation holds the key to the extent of the difficulties ahead.
The lesson—one that's often learned the hard way—is that it pays to do your homework and have a backup plan in place. The monitoring industry prides itself on that, of course, a fact that was validated by a quick...
Sizing up the competition
August 7, 2012Rich Miller
“Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.”That pearl of wisdom from baseball legend Satchel Paige could very well be applied to the world of wholesale alarm monitoring. The competition is fierce and getting fiercer, raising the stakes for central stations of all sizes. Dissatisfaction over real or perceived problems can prompt a dealer to jump ship, costing a company a chunk of RMR and maybe even a bit of its reputation.Success hinges on a combination of price, service and...
Survey: Many in N.Y. unaware of new CO law
May 5, 2011Tess Nacelewicz
MEBANE, N.C.—About a year after a new carbon monoxide detector mandate in New York went into effect, a new survey has found that nearly half of New York families still don't know about the law, according to Kidde, a manufacturer of fire and CO safety products based here.
Amanda's Law, which requires working CO detectors in all one- and two-family homes that have appliances or heating sources that may emit CO or have attached garages, went into effect just over a year ago.
But a new survey conducted...