Can a Simon XTi or XTi-5 Do Home Automation without Monitoring?

In this video, Joe explains how the Simon XTi and Simon XTi-5 Alarm Systems cannot be used for smart home automation if they do not have alarm monitoring service. For both of these panels, the Alarm.com Cellular Communicator doubles as a Z-Wave controller. The module must be installed and activated.

Alarm monitoring service requires that an alarm control panel has some way of sending outbound communication signals. For the Simon XTi and Simon XTi-5 Systems, this can be done in one of two ways. These methods include cellular connectivity and phone line monitoring. By default, these systems are set up for phone line monitoring. This is a relatively outdated and primitive communication method, as telephone connectivity is quite slow and unreliable. This method also does not allow for home automation, since these systems do not include built-in Z-Wave controllers.

Upgrading to cellular is arguably the most important add-on for a Simon XTi or Simon XTi-5 System. This is for several reasons. For one, cellular connectivity is much more reliable, and it offers faster speeds. A cellular connection is nearly impossible for others to tamper with, and all signals will go through very consistently and reliably. This is not the case for a phone line connection, as the signals often fail to go through, and a potential intruder can easily cut a telephone line. Really, cellular is superior in every possible sense.

If a user wants to perform any smart home automation functions with the Simon XTi or Simon XTi-5 System, they will need to upgrade to cellular. The cellular module doubles as a Z-Wave controller, and it must be activated with Alarm.com in order to be used. A user can control their Z-Wave devices from the panel or through the Alarm.com service on a web browser or through the mobile app.

http://alrm.gd/get-monitored