FrontPoint Security Solutions review: beware of frontpoint's fine print 73

NWATX – This is an official response from FrontPoint Security. Please accept our apology for any confusion related to your monitoring agreement. We would be happy to work with you to resolve the matter and encourage you to contact a Customer Service Manager at [protected] so we can address your concerns.

In addition, we would like to emphasize the following points:

We offer up to a 2-year suspension for customers who deploy overseas with the U.S. Military, State Department, or other government services. We are proud to serve those who serve our country and believe we’re a leader in the industry in this area. Our policy towards those who move abroad with private companies is based on our experience that these customers typically receive compensation from their employers to assist them in terminating long term agreements.

All of our customers receive our equipment at a significant discount. We are able to do this because of our customers’ commitment to honor a 1, 2, or 3-year monitoring agreement.

We make every effort to be clear about the length of our agreements. The length, the monthly price, and the early termination fees are disclosed in our monitoring agreement (which we provide electronically and in written form). Additionally, we discuss these on the phone at the time of sale and again when you call to activate service.

Unlike most alarm companies, we allow and encourages customers who move anywhere in the U.S. or Canada to move the system and continue to receive service at the new location at no additional charge. Customers can also transfer the account to the future residents of the home or to anyone else anywhere in the entire United States or Canada.

Again, we would be happy to work with you to resolve your concerns and look forward to speaking with you.

I am not the originator of the complaint. I am retired from the Army and know the requirement to deploy overseas when directed; it in unavoidable during a military career. I can appreciate the fact that FrontPoint acknowledges and makes special considerations for military and government deployments. (Note that military deployments with family members are typically three-year assignments, not just two years.) Kudos to FrontPoint for this consideration.

That being said, I now work for an international company and it is quite possible I could be offered a career enhancing move overseas. Does FrontPoint similarly work with non-governmental companies when you make a job change for an overseas assignment?

Great question, FirstFreedom76, and thank you for your service! We do try to make special considerations for military and government personnel in these situations, but we currently do not offer a suspension to individuals who move abroad for private companies.

We do attempt to provide flexibility by offering 1-year monitoring agreements, which some customers select because they know they may be transferred abroad. However, most customers opt for the 3-year option so they can receive the significant upfront discount. This large discount is why FrontPoint depends so much on the customer’s completion of the 3-year agreement.

We also provide flexibility by allowing customers to move their system anywhere in the entire U.S. and Canada at no charge, an offer which no other alarm company we are aware of can match! Finally, if none of these options work, our system could even be transferred to a family member or friend.

Hope that answers your question.

This is crazy. I think I have a very good comparison with this situation and we all are familiar with. I would like to compare such security companies with Wireless Service providers. Even the cell phone companies which gives the smart phones for free which are typically in $400-$500 range has the early termination fees of typically $175 with 2 years commitment. The cell phone plans are also in the range of $40.

Based on the Frontpoint Security website, the "significant" discount is only $300 for the commitment of 3 years (not 2 years). So charging for 80% of remaining contract of $750 seems way high and kind of cheating. It is way higher than they should charge. What they can ask maximum is the discount given to the customer. Also, most of the companies are the authorized dealer of the security equipment makers such as GE or Honeywell. So their dealer cost of the equipments is generally much lower than what they charge to customers. So they already made profit or in worst case break even when they sell the service with equipments to customers.

I think they generally get away with saying it's a "norm" in security industry.

But I beg to differ with this. If it's a sort of legal cheating (with contract), they should not continue doing because everyone is doing.

If Frontpoint really wants to be a leader in security industry, they have to "win" customers hearts. I know sometimes the "business" model won't allow to do this but I am sure it will really make a lot of difference and set them apart way up in customer loyalty and retention.

I think it's an ideal situation and let's see when these companies really think for customers and indirectly increase their bottom line by winning customer by trust then "acquire" them using wrong tactics. The federal government and consumer protection agencies should have laws against such tactics.

There are some companies started doing this such as SimpliSafe, Inc and I truly believe the trend will continue.

Note: I honestly declare that I am in no way related to SimpliSafe or FrontPoint and do not have any kind of relation with any of them. I started looking at security for my home but still searching for the right company that also look for consumer interest.

Thanks for your thoughts, ConsumerMarketing101. There is much food for thought and discussion here, and we’d like to share our perspective -

The comparison of wireless service to monitored home alarm services, or even one alarm company to another, requires a hard look. First, wireless companies are generating a service, where incremental traffic costs very little. Alarm companies, on the other hand, either pay a third party a monthly fee to monitor each customer account (or have their own monitoring center, but there is still a significant cost). In addition, there are monthly wireless costs for the safer cellular systems that we sell – and FrontPoint offers service across the entire US and Canada on the GSM digital network. It costs us more to do it this way, but we think it’s the right way. So, we are paying our monitoring partner (who we think is the best in the industry, as one of a handful that is even allowed to monitor commercial fire systems in New York City), plus our cellular partner, Alarm.com – and it was Alarm.com who actually developed the safer and smarter approach to home security that FrontPoint provides, including the patented “Crash & Smash” protection that is unique to Alarm.com. So, it’s really an apples-to-oranges comparison.

As for the equipment, FrontPoint sells GE’s full line of wireless home security products – but at a minimal markup (we challenge anyone to find the same products for less). The products are UL-listed and CP-01 compliant (an industry standard for false alarm reduction) – and are also attractive because they are non-proprietary. That means that if you don’t like FrontPoint and want another alarm company to take over the service, you are free to do so at the end of your contract term. You are not “stuck” with FrontPoint, since you own the equipment. As for the discount on the equipment, FrontPoint is the only full service alarm company in the US (and this includes nationwide alarm company licensing, which I suggest you look into with any of our competitors) that is 100% wireless, and includes the GSM radio with every system. All the other “real” alarm companies charge extra for this device, and charge a higher monthly fee for the safer cellular monitoring. In other words, FrontPoint is not making money on the equipment: just the opposite, FrontPoint’s loss on the initial order is actually more than the $300 you mention. In fact, it’s easy to find traditional alarm companies advertising a lesser system as an “$850 value” – which we think is a stretch. FrontPoint also offers contract flexibility (1, 2, and 3-year terms) for those customers who want a shorter term – and is unique among the “real” alarm companies in doing so.

When it comes to customer reviews and loyalty, we are proud of the overwhelmingly positive reviews that we have earned, and even more so for the very high customer retention. FrontPoint is viewed as a breath of fresh air by an increasing number of customers – and we would certainly invite you to take advantage of our 30-day risk-free trial, and see what you think. We hope you’ll give us a try.

I am as well a consumer. But people get so involved with wanting a quick set up they do not read their contracts. You have to ask questions when setting up service anywhere these days.

Ask about the details of each contract term, eraly termination and so on. They said it is transferable. Try and sell the term to someone. I am sure someone will be willing to accept the contract and get the equipment for free afterwards. How about the people moving in the residence after you move out.

Look at all of the options and details before you sign.

One other comment... At least Front Point is responding and offering solutions. Get Protect America to do that!

I have just signed onto a 3-year agreement for my late father's unoccupied house. While I do not know if I will keep the house, I was fully aware of early termination fees and shorter contracts. This is not fine print: most of the security companies I looked at offer those choices, and are up-front about early termination fees. FrontPoint's Ed King was pretty clear about this.

However, I also think it will be a good selling point to offer the remainder of the FrontPoint security system contract to a potential buyer, and we can haggle over the price of a contract buy-out or I won't mind paying the less-than-$500/yr. for the remainder if that's the only issue on a several hundred thousand dollar home sale. Additionally, a buyer may get some comfort in knowing that the house has been protected for a number of years.

I never heard of FrontPoint before today, but their standard cellular technology costs less than what ADT charges for a land-line system, and the same ADT hardware plus installation would cost $275 more. Video security monitoring systems on the near horizon rely on cellular technology, so I hope to be able to expand this system in the future.

As an aside, I have cancelled my ADT appointment for next week. Maybe FrontPoint will annoy me down the line and I'll add another comment here, but in this matter I think FrontPoint has been shooting straight.

Well, as promised, I am weighing in again because FrontPoint has annoyed me--within 1 week!

I understood that I was to receive the keychain controller as part of the set-up, but when none arrived I was told that it would be an additional $29.95. There was a song-and-dance that went with it, kind of like FP_Kevin's comments, above, but the keychain controller is pretty important to me because of the time constraints of entering and exiting the house. I feel cheated and will continue to be reminded that I was cheated every time I set the alarm.

I think that part of the "fine print" issue referenced in the original complaint is that the buyer has to provide an electronic signature to the purchase agreement while the sales rep is on the phone, so it is difficult to both read and think about the contract while somebody is waiting. I certainly would have noticed that the keychain controller was not listed if I had given the contract my usual scrutiny, since I used to write this kind of contract all the time. (For example, when refinancing my mortgage last week, I made the banker change the agreement at least 6 times because of sometimes minor discrepancies because I knew I only had that 1 chance for the deal to be right.)

FYI: I installed the equipment without a hitch and received good telephone instructions on using it. However, I guess I'd better read the fine print about cancelling the contract within 30 days.

"I'd" is not profanity in previous comment--"'d" somehow got inserted between the "I" and the "d" instead of an apostrophe.

The fact that FrontPoint is actively responding to these complaints is a breath of fresh air. They also seem to make reasonable points that make me think that customer service is really a priority with them. I am leaning towards ordering based on how well reviewed this company is.

Thanks for your comments, Jazz01. We appreciate the opportunity to speak to your concerns -we take all customer concerns seriously when they do occur, and do our best to keep them as infrequent as possible.

First off, we are glad to hear that the installation went well, and that your interaction with the Support Team was good - those are important facts to us, since we put a lot of time into the "easy install" aspect of the system design, and also into hiring and training the right people here at FrontPoint!

As for the keychain, my apologies that you did not receive the keychain you expected. There may have been a misunderstanding in the placement of your order. We’d love the opportunity to correct this if possible. If you call the Support number [protected] and ask for a Support Manager, we will take of your request, at no charge to you. From a system design standpoint, many other alarm companies take a "one-size-fits-some" approach: we're different, since every system we sell is customized for your home, and how you will use the system. The only device that comes with every FrontPoint alarm system is the control panel. While just about every system does include at least one keychain remote, each sensor or device has to be added to the order, and nothing (except the control panel) is "assumed" in the order. Not sure what happened here, and we certainly apologize for the misunderstanding: we would happily explore this further, so please contact us. We would rather you be a happy and satisfied FrontPoint customer!

On the matter of the contract, sounds as if you did a great job on your home refinancing - well done. We actually do not require our customers to sign the agreement while on the phone with us: you may review the agreement at your leisure, and sign when you like. At some point the order will cancel automatically if the contract is not signed, but that takes a week or more to happen. One of the benefits of buying from FrontPoint is that we offer a 30-day risk-free trial, and the system may be returned for a full refund, for any reason. And that's for ANY reason. We even pay shipping both ways. Some customers use this period as the opportunity to review the agreement, and if there is some clause they cannot live with, then they just return the system. While I cannot recall a time when this has happened do not remember this happening (since we use a standard alarm agreement that combines the best features of many others), it is always available to you within 30 days from when your receive your system.

Thanks again for this opportunity, and we will do our best to keep earning your business.

I have Frontpoint Security, and as an attorney, I'd say think before you enter into any agreement. I have no problem with their cancellation policy. After all, it wasn't like it was hiding the fact that there will be penalty with early terminatoin. The only complaints that I would have is that it does not have 24-hour customer support and Frontpoint is a bit slow in responding to problems from customers. When there is a problem other than someone breaking into your house, you will have to wait until the next business day. My unit was having a problem and could not be set that night but no one could help me at the call center because that wasn't their job. So I had to wait without a functioning alarm system until the next day. It turned out my unit was defective and it had to ship me a new unit (it took 3 nights and 2 calls to customer support to figure this out). The whole process from the date we identified the problem to me getting a new unit took a week. Which isn't bad, but not good either considering that it didn't offer me credit for the week without a working unit and Frontpoint could have shipped the unit overnight. But it did not. Which is disappointing. Overall, I grade it a B-. Now, if I had a break in during that week without the unit and my family was hurt... Frontpoint should think about eating the $10 to ship the unit overnight in the future, that is the right thing to do.

Thanks for your comment. First, we want to make it clear that FrontPoint takes customer service very seriously. We not only recognize that security is of utmost importance to our customers, but we also recognize that as a next-generation company making our mark in an established industry, we depend on the satisfaction of our customers and their word-of-mouth referrals. We believe this is evidenced by our responsiveness to our customer’s inquiries, and even to the comments our customers post online—happily these reviews are almost all excellent.

Currently, FrontPoint Support does not cover the full 24 hour span (although our monitoring is of course 24/7), but we believe that the combination of the quality and professionalism of our Support Team and the responsiveness our customers receive during our operating hours represents, overall, an exceedingly satisfactory customer experience. We believe that our customer satisfaction surveys and online reviews posted by our customers substantiate our efforts.

However, we also understand we can always improve. In your case, our Support staff made a rare decision to replace the control panel, likely because they were unable to fully identify the cause of your issue. It is likely that as part of our standard supervisory process, a manager reviewed your situation and offered you a credit for the time you were without service. Finally, expanded Support and Sales hours form an integral part of our plan to continue to provide world class service as we grow.

What was your experience exactly Wassle? Thanks.

So, back to my experience. After getting my new control box, things still didn't work right -- the box still told me doors and windows were open when they were not. So, back I go calling customer service. Unfortunately, it was after hours and on a holiday weekend which meant I had to wait two days before I spoke to anyone. Then once again they had to ship me something as a fix. And once again, it took a week before it arrived. The new fix seemed to cure the problem but my issue with them is why it took so long to get it fixed? Two weeks is an eternity if you live in a bad neighborhood -- which I don't -- but what if I did? I had no problem with the actual customer service department. All the individuals who I have ever come in contact with were very polite and helpful. It's the work process that is flawed and needs to be looked at.

Thanks to you both for your comments. As we have said in response to previous posts, every opportunity we have to learn and improve is appreciated. No alarm company is perfect, and it appears (from the general review status of the nationwide companies) that sub-par performance is a common occurrence from some of the more recognized names in this industry. Happily, FrontPoint continues to experience overwhelmingly great reviews, because there are so many customers who have positive experiences - and so few who have had anything less. Bat as we have also said, no company is perfect.

Wassle: We take every customer concern seriously, as both an opportunity to make a customer happy, and also to improve our own services. We sincerely make every effort to ensure that our sales and Support teams are providing consistent and honest information about our product and services. Can you please elaborate on your experience? We would like to know more so that we can look into your particular situation. Thank you.

Speedsamurai: Thanks for your follow up. We are glad that you have found our Support team to be polite and helpful. We expect the team to be both at all times! We realize, though, that polite and helpful may not necessarily solve the problem. It also comes down to making specific decisions for each situation. In your case, a decision to ship via Express Air likely should have been made based on your geographic location. Our Support team does have guidelines related to when such expedited shipping should be used, and we will certainly follow up internally to review this process. We apologize for this mistake and thank you for your feedback.

Having read these complaints and the responses from Frontline, I still made the decision to go with this company. I will be checking everything thoroughly so I will see if there are any problems early on. I bought a large older home and while the immediate neighborhood appears to be quiet, and has been reported by neighbors to be a decent community, I do know that crime can happen anywhere. I have experienced two burglaries while living in Atlanta and I do not want to ever go through that again. I did do a lot of research during the past year, and I am hopeful that my experiences with this particular company will be a positive one. I did go over the contract with the agent while on the phone and online, making sure that his statements to me were reflected in the contract. As we all know, contracts can be quite wordy and come clauses are often not as clear as we would like them to be, so I made every effort to make sure that what was promised is indeed what I contracted for. I paid extra for the keyfob, and glass break sensors, as they were not on the itemized quote that was given me, but I made sure to ask about them rather than assume they would be included. Buyers always need to thoroghly check all of the details before signing that bottom line.

OOPS..made two typos in the above that I missed...Frontpoint is what I should have said...sorry dogs' Frontline came immediately to mind, and I didn't even notice.
Alos I mean to say 'some' clauses, that than 'come' clauses..

Heck, I still hit 'Submit' while reading and had more typos...more coffee is needed, as it is still early for this nightowl. Again let me make a correction...Also, I meant to say some clauses, rather than come clauses...whew, hope this has clarified things. Don't want the spelling/typo cops after me.

Thanks for your post, for placing your order with FrontPoint – and most important, for placing your trust in us. We want all of our customers to experience real peace of mind: not just about protecting your home and family, but about FrontPoint as a service provider. After the two break-ins in Atlanta, no wonder you want an alarm system. And, we’re confident you’ll love the interactive monitoring features like the free app for your mobile phone- now you’re not just protected, but connected.

You are also smart to do your homework on alarm companies before you buy, and check every detail – there are plenty of systems being sold today that rely on older (less reliable) technology, and not all the companies provide the same level of customer satisfaction. Please let us know the things you like (and the things that you are not thrilled about) as your FrontPoint system comes on line. We try to be completely transparent in everything we do, and think we do it better than any other alarm company. Welcome to FrontPoint!

Wow, I wasn't expecting a reply from FrontPoint, but I do appreciate it. I am waiting for the system to be delivered today, and I expect to be satisfied. Hopefully, the setup will go well, and I am happy to know that support is available. Thanks again.

I know how much the GE equipment you mail people off with actually costs, and trust me sticky door sensors, a motion detector that is velcroed to a table and a Simon XT Cellular panel is not worth 300 - 400$. The cell chip is the most expensive thing there and that's like 125$. Not to mention your only overhead is shipping and handling, the small 7 or 8$ cost a month to actually monitor it, and customer service. Your not paying salesmen to go sell it or techs to go Instal it. Its purely designed for high margin low overhead profit. I have to clap my hands to the business set up for the "DIY" ignorant people out there. It's an 1800$ contract people, that should at least pay for an install. Not to mention fire protection is out of the question in Texas, because I doubt very few homeowners have the required fire marshals license that the Texas DPS requires.
All in all when I saw one of these things installed in someones home and the hassle it required to get an electrician out there to wire power, it was laughable... The door sensors fell off one door. I mean this is supposed to protect there home from a break-in. I'd like to see the look on a robbers face when he kicks open a door with no door contact because it fell off and went and turned the motion around to face the wall while he robbed the place... I mean how could you not just be sued like crazy by now. And btw GE's "top of the line panel" is not a Simon XT, first of all they have an award winning touch screen, that actually blows---I know i used to sell them--- and second of all they have a fully automated touch screen that is far better. It's just not available for the low cost you want it for. People, do some actual research. And for equipment the best I've seen out their for the price is called 2-Gig and there are companies willing to
Give you a whole lot more and Instal it for a 3 year contract, and only a 99$ upfront cost.
Thanks Front Point, and I wouldn't really bother responding to that one

As a FrontPoint employee, I thank you for your opinions – which are worth responding to. Transparency benefits the people shopping for protection: our stance (unlike many of our competitors) is that the more people know, the better.

(A) Equipment cost. FrontPoint works with homeowners to customize every system, based on how the system will be used and how the home is laid out. In fact, our customers pay less for more robust home security than any other nationwide alarm company. That’s because we don’t try to create a “one-size-fits-all” kit that most companies offer. As you add sensors to a FrontPoint system, it costs you less than our competitors charge. Unlike most others, we don’t mark up those “extra” sensors that many homes require. Additionally, we lose money up front on every system we sell, with systems starting at $99.95. This is a great price, as we know from shopping online, and as our customers (who are great shoppers) tell us all the time. You are right about one thing – the cellular radio alone costs us more than we charge for a basic system. And when it comes to equipment quality, we’ll put the GE Security name (and the Simon XT) up against any brand for reliability, longevity, and user satisfaction.

(B) DIY and related issues. Here are a few things you should know about FrontPoint. First, we are the only alarm company in the US that has used safer cellular monitoring on every system we have ever sold. Second, we specialize in advanced interactive services that many companies (including ADT) are only beginning to offer. Our reviews say it all – starting with an “A” from the BBB, and only a total of 5 complaints across the US over the past three years. Compare that to 1, 500 complaints and ratings from “C-“ to “F” for our competitors (at least one of which is the nation’s leading seller of equipment manufactured by 2GIG). That’s because we have highly trained sales consultants to explain every aspect rather than apply pressure – and we communicate by the phone and email, instead of knocking on doors. Our back-end support is world class. We invest in all this – gladly: and it makes sense, since we have the best reputation and highest customer retention in the alarm industry to show for our efforts.

(C) Equipment set up. The days of needing a technician to set up a wireless system with built-in cellular monitoring are coming to an end. People just don’t want the mess, inconvenience, and security risk of a stranger in their home – not just for the “installation, ” but for the ongoing service that will probably be required, since most “technicians” selling the 2GIG panel you reference are college students who receive minimal training. Customers want simpler, and we have it: add sensors at will, even move the system with you. And we know (and our customers agree) the systems work. By the way, the 2GIG sensors also mount with double sided adhesive.

You are also mistaken on the issue of smoke detector licensing in Texas: homeowners adding monitored fire detection to their security system do not require any license whatsoever. You are confusing standalone smoke detectors that meet code requirements with fire sensors being added to a monitored system – totally separate issues.

To summarize, we always appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight. Just one more reason why so many people choose FrontPoint.

I have had FrontPoint for two years now. It is disappointing to see some of the comments made about them. For those that are upset about the early termination fee, I suggest you pay attention to ALL long term contracts you sign in any industry as ALL have early termination fees attached. If you feel it is too much maybe you should try a sub-par company like ADT and when they screw you over far worse you can come and enjoy the general customer satisfaction that comes with being a FrontPoint customer. I have had to contact customer service on multiple occasions over the past two years for one reason or another. Upgrading my system, general questions about its use, and equipment failures. EVERYTIME the customer service has been phenomenal and more than I expected! In a business world that has lost the true meaning of customer service, it is refreshing to see a company that gets it. That being said, there is no way to please everyone, which is why we have some of the poor comments here. To those considering FrontPoint - there is no need to worry, you will not find a better alarm company out there. NO CHANCE. Trust me, I did tons of research before going with FrontPoint and it is my conclusion that the alarm industry is one of the most deceptive industries out there. Shame on those companies selling false security. A sincere WELL DONE and thank you to FrontPoint for striving and achieving to be the best! #1 hands down!

I've been a Frontpoint customer since Jan. 2008, and couldn't be happier. I agree with GermFreak... good luck finding an overall better value in price, true security (as opposed to perceived security), technology, and customer serivce.

As for the early termination fee, this is STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY, and they are about the most flexible about this. You are signing a contract, for god's sake, read it! It's like we're dealing with a bunch of 5th graders or something. You are getting something in the trade-off, by going with the 3 year and gettting a huge discount, yet don't want to be held to your side of the deal. So "stuff" happens in life and you lose the bet once in awhile. Why should Frontpoint have to eat it.

Yeah, it would be nice if they had longer support hours, but honesly, I think in this whole time, it would never have been necessary for me, and only convenient a handful of times. I can see how they don't think it would offer enough benefit for the higher operating costs... which would need to be passed onto their customers, most likely, if not immediately, eventually. And they do have extended regular support hours + 24/7 alarm monitoring phone support too. So this is by no means a big deal to me. As they get even bigger, this will eventually come (economies of scale will allow / they will get enough calls at night).

And, their constant thoughtful responses to all these complaints speaks volumes. WHAT OTHER LARGE NATIONAL PROIVDER DOES THAT?! Absolutely NONE. And they do it pretty consistently on ANY online comments they find.

So if you're going to slam Frontpoint, name one other U.S. nationwide (even Canada!) company that even comes remotely close in overall technology, value, and customer service. Good luck with that!

I'm a working mother of two small children and i ordered Front Point Security so that my husband and i can take advantage of the in-home security camera. We liked the fact that we could see the kids anytime during the day. I was very happy with the customer service; i would agree that they were polite and friendly. Unfortunately, i had to call customer service three times to troubleshoot my security readers (which never worked). I was told that i would have to pay an additional fee to get another reader shipped to me. We no longer have a nanny, therefore we are no longer using the in-home camera. I cannot put into words the frustration that i feel paying Front Point Security $40.00 a month for no security. I never had an option for a 30-day trial period and i'm wasting money every month on a service that is not being provided. I have one more year to suck up this payment, then I NEVER want to hear of Front Point Security again. #disgusted

I want to sign up for front point but the equipment provided is far cheaper on eBay...sensors, motion detectors, panel etc. Can I use eBay purchased add-on gear without contractual or technical issues?

The problem I had with FrontPoint security is that they are not completely honest about their service. I had specific questions about a specific security feature called 'Hostage Code' meaning if someone threatens you and asks you to enter a code to disarm the home monitoring system you can enter a number that will stop the sounds of the alarm but in the background FrontPoint will be notified to call the Police because you entered a 'Hostage Code' When you ask FrontPoint this question they respond with 'We'll call you' Then you say what do you mean you will call me? The real answer they have no hostage code functionality in their alarm system but they won't give you a direct answer. From a pricing perspective your much better with ADT it's the same equipment and unless you get the video recording to your alarm system ADT has a lower price.

I agree! These people are idiots. I sold my house and was transferring the service to the new owner. The new owner called in to get the service transferred and they told her that they had to call me. They called me and left a messages on the wrong number. I never got the message and assumed the transfer went through fine. Meanwhile they never got back with the new owner. The new owner got frustated since she did not hear back from them and got ADT. Months later they email me stating that I owe 4 months. Additionally I needed to pay the 6 more months left on the contract. WAIT! So you want me to pay for a sevice that I didn't get because of a transfer that you botched. Not in this lifetime! And they refused to work something out with me. Instead they want me to pay the full cancellation amount instead of working something out. There's blame on both sides. They tried to blame me for not following up. I blame them for calling Susie's # and not mine. Why would you leave a message on Susie voicemail when my name is Rod. They would take no compromise. So now they are going to end up with no money, a pissed up off customer and internet record warning everyone else to stay away from them.

I will be referring to the first response of this this thread, "the official response" from frontpoint, I called frontpoint because I am being deployed overseas with the army and I have no need for the system; it has been in a box for 4 months now, and a very rude representative named Ben advised me that the only option is to pay the 80 percent of my contract. I had to reiterate I was in the military numerous times for him to acknowledge that, to where his response was "well the only option you have I'd to get a reduced rate for 3 months" I kept asking if those were my only options, he said unfortunately yes. So no, Frontpoint did not offer to suspend my service for two years while I serve a more important term in protecting our country, instead they insisted that I was ### out of luck and I have to deal with it. If this Frontpoint security is posting on this this thread I suggest you stop posting false information. Thank you. PS this is the first I have ever written, for anything, online or on paper. I'm 23 years old.

I'm still trying to decide whether or not to go with Front Point. One thing I WILL point out is that I checked, and the BBB rating is indeed an A. The BBB listed a total of 16 complaints in the last 3 years (12 total complaints closed/resolved in the last 12 months).

I also looked up Protect America, and their BBB rating is B- with a total of 589 complaints in the last 3 years (121 total complaints closed/resolved in the last 12 months). Pretty significant.

ADT wasn't even listed.

Diane

My only issue with frontpoint is that they won't suspend your service. I am having a house built and staying with a friend who already has a security system. Why should I pay for mine while it's not being used? Why wouldn't this company offer sort- term service suspensions of six months or less? I won't cancel over this, but it seems like something nice they could do to make me want to keep them after my contact us up...

Frontpoint talks a good game but you better not need to talk with customer service on Sunday. 16 hours, eleven calls later ( nine on 11/4/12 alone) and two weeks later I still haven't had a call from a supervisor. The single most frustrating customer service experience ever. Frontpoint how can you possibly respond to that? Terrible.

I bought my FrontPoint system over a year ago... then had a major home situation change, never even opened the unit out of the box or activated it. I tried to get FrontPoint to let me return it until my home situation changed (since it hadnt been 30 days yet)... They TALKED ME INTO KEEPING THE SYSTEM until I was able to activate it whenever I could get a home. So I did keep it.. but as soon as 30 days passed they started charging me a monthly contract & GUESS WHAT!.. they wont let me return it now because they say I'm under contract. So basically I'm playing every month for this unit that I cant get any use out of & FrontPoint wont help. I do not call that good customer service. I'll gladly give my name too because I hope they change their mind when they see this post!... If they do me right & fix this, I will gladly post a rebuttal! ANTHONY SIMS Tennessee.

I am pleased to say that after extensive researching and fine print disecting, I have made my choice of Frontpoint alarm system. I have received this system today and can't wait to get it up and running. I'm sure that all will go well. I read some very good reviews and see many happy people enjoing their peace of mind. My wired home alarm from Radio Shack will remain, while this system protects my home and family by alerting us and the emergency services. I will definetely keep all informed. P.S. Thank You! 5356Belar

For all military receiving orders overseas or even to another unit in the united states you do have rights and you are covered under the soldiers and sailors civil relief act. Dont let companies tell you otherwise. When it comes down to it go see a Jag Officer.

they still have not added captioning to any of videos since we purchased alarm system. They kept on saying they are working working on getting captioning to all videos.. They have not yet for last two years since we owned the alarm system. We need to know what is said on video. FCC requires captioning on all videos.

I am a potential customer currently seeking security system for my computer labs. After reviewing about 6 complains, I I have 3 things to say:
1) the one who just called Front point the worst, but without any statement to elaborate and support the claim, this tells me that this person most likely just a sales guy from a competitive firm...
2) some are due to the lack of understanding the difficulty of running a business. For some reason, many people expects a lot but without paying for it.. For the amount they are charging and type of services that can provide is definitely far more desirable than the major ones I have talked to. .One complain is about waiting until after the weekend before he can find someone to ship him new parts. My goodness, if you expect 7x24 services, I think you should expect you must pay more bucks to it. Nothing comes for free.
3) another one complains about the cost of cancellation. Be real! This is not just returning an appliance to a store. There are a lot of administrative cost going into this.Besides, it needs to be profitable enough to sustain a strong company; unless they receive a lot of funding from the government!

If these are the only complains I can see, and they apparently trying to answer all of them, for the low cost and only 3-yr transferable contract, I most likely will go with this firm.