Security Systems from Telco Companies

When at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. In 2018, Bell Canada entered the security business again by purchasing Alarm Force in Toronto, with customers across Canada. The acquisition enabled Bell to launch the Smart Home brand to accelerate growth in the Connected Home market. Bell did this to compete with Rogers in this new and up-and-coming revenue business. Rogers was already selling bundled services at this point in time.

“Smart Home Systems” include:

• Intrusion, smoke, flood and carbon monoxide detection services.
• Automation services include lighting, climate and lock control systems.
• In-home and mobile medical alert systems.

Again to compete in this services bundle business, Bell Canada needed to be in the security business again. Rogers was taking business from Bell Canada with lower Home and Business phone lines – Not to mention the Internet. Rogers was big on TV and Cellular services, everything Bell Canada wanted to be.

Like Telus, as mentioned before, Bell Canada charges installation and monthly monitoring fees for the security equipment installed. Also, like Telus, Bell Canada retains ownership of all equipment installed until their initial contract term with the customer is up. Bell neglects to mention that the equipment is proprietary technology, even though, over time, you own the alarm security equipment 100%; no other security company can ever use their products. In other words, you are with Bell for Life. Once again, is this a bad thing, you must decide?

Bell Canada Policy 
11. Ownership of Equipment. All equipment sold or otherwise provided to you will remain our property throughout the Initial Term. The right of ownership of the equipment will automatically transfer to you at the end of the Initial Term, provided that you have paid all amounts owing to us under this Agreement and are not otherwise in default of this Agreement. You are solely responsible for the cost of uninstalling or taking down the equipment. Until ownership of the equipment is transferred to you, you must: (a) take reasonable care with the equipment; (b) not sell, lease, mortgage, transfer, assign or encumber the equipment or re-locate it without our knowledge and permission; and (c) immediately notify us if the equipment is lost, stolen or destroyed. If this Agreement expires or is terminated and you are in default of any of your obligations under this Agreement, you must promptly return the equipment owned by Bell to us upon our request, at your expense. You will not, and will not permit any person to, (i) reproduce, alter or tamper with the mobile identification numbers (MIN) assigned to the equipment, or (ii) without our prior written consent, possess any tools or equipment that may be used to reproduce, alter or tamper with mobile identification numbers. If, at any time before ownership of the equipment is transferred to you, any of the equipment is lost, stolen or damaged (reasonable wear and tear excepted), sold, leased, mortgaged, transferred, assigned, encumbered, tampered with or not returned to us upon request, you must pay us the undiscounted retail value of such equipment and any costs that we incur attempting to regain possession of such equipment. The equipment is locked to services provided by us and cannot be used independently or in conjunction with other home security service providers’ systems.

https://www.bellmts.ca/legal/monitoring-and-service-agreement-terms

In Part four of this article we’ll discuss Rogers Corporation.

At Colonnade Security Inc., we do not lease or rent alarm security systems. If you are considering a finance option, we are here for you. With over 40 years of security experience, give Colonnade Security Inc. in Ottawa a try.

For more information, you can call 613-839-1274 or email inquires@colonnadesecurity.com.