Dissecting SimpliSafe 24/7 Live Guard Protection
If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then consider us flattered. Since Deep Sentinel disrupted the market with our award-winning live guard surveillance service, other providers have started offering services that look pretty similar at a quick glance. One such new option is SimpliSafe 24/7 Live Guard Protection.
Sound familiar?
If SimpliSafe’s new offering has caught your eye, there are a few critical details you need to know… including how this service stacks up to Deep Sentinel’s.
What Is SimpliSafe 24/7 Live Guard Protection?
Let’s start with the basics. What is this new SimpliSafe offering? And what does it entail for homeowners?
First, to clarify whether it’s a product or service: both. SimpliSafe describes its new model of Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera as the only “indoor camera with smart motion detection and 24/7 live guard protection.” The company’s website goes on to explain (with plenty of asterisks) that “when you subscribe to the Fast Protect monitoring plan, agents can see and speak to intruders.”
In other words, homeowners can get this protection if they purchase this particular indoor camera model and subscribe to SimpliSafe’s monitoring service.
Here’s the basics of how it works. When the system is armed, built-in motion sensors detect any movement inside the home and wake the indoor cameras. Local AI determines whether the movement is from a person. If it is, the cameras start recording, and remote agents can see the feed, interact with the intruder, and inform the police.
Similar to Deep Sentinel? Yes.
A perfect replacement? Absolutely not.
5 Things You Need to Know About SimpliSafe 24/7 Live Guard Protection
There’s seemingly a lot of overlap between what SimpliSafe is offering and what Deep Sentinel does every day. But not all is as it seems.
#1: It Only Helps After a Break-In
Let’s compare two scenarios.
- Scenario A: A burglar climbs over a fence, sneaks across the yard, finds an open window, and crawls in. As he’s rifling through the drawers, he trips a motion-activated camera. As an agent comes on the speaker, he grabs a handful of valuables and runs off into the night.
- Scenario B: A burglar climbs over a fence. An outdoor motion-activated camera spots him immediately. Before he can make it to that open window, an agent comes onto the speaker, sounds a siren, and calls the police. He runs off into the night empty-handed.
As the homeowner, which would you prefer? We’re willing to bet it’s option B.
The new SimpliSafe camera’s claim to fame is that it’s the only indoor camera with live guard protection. But why would that be better than an outdoor camera with the same protection? SimpliSafe’s new camera only kicks in once an intruder is already inside your house. And that is simply far too late.
If you’re like most homeowners, you’d prefer a solution that stops criminals before they reach your door. A solution like, say, Deep Sentinel.
#2: It Only Works if You Arm It
Most homeowners get monitored security devices to make home security more “hands-off.” Someone else is watching over your home, so you shouldn’t have to lift a finger… right?
With some systems (like SimpliSafe’s), you only get the protection you’re paying for if you remember to arm your system every single night after everyone goes to bed and every single time you leave the house. Motion-sensing indoor cameras are pretty much useless whenever the home’s occupants are present and moving around inside.
Because you don’t want to get a notification every time you sit down to watch a show or your kids grab a snack, the SimpliSafe system defaults to the disarmed mode. The camera’s mechanical privacy shutter is also closed by default. You have to remember to arm the system before you need protection. Otherwise, your home is just as vulnerable as one without any security devices.
That’s a big burden to put on the homeowner’s shoulders. A system that you have to activate manually isn’t as hands-off as you think it is.
#3: It’s Useless Against Outdoor Crimes
Let’s say you remembered to arm your system and suspicious characters are lurking around your neighborhood. Sure, if they’re planning to break into a home and steal valuables, a SimpliSafe system could help.
But what if that’s not their goal? There are plenty of ways a criminal (or even prankster) can cause wreak havoc outside your front door.
- Stealing cars or car parts
- Breaking into outbuildings and unattended vehicles
- Vandalism
- Stealing yard tools and equipment
- Porch piracy/package theft
Because SimpliSafe’s system only uses indoor cameras, it won’t even be aware of trouble outside, much less try to stop it. The wrongdoers could easily get away scot-free. Basically, everything you own outside your home is at risk.
#4: It’s Not Exactly All-Inclusive
As we’ve already indicated, getting live guard protection from SimpliSafe is a multi-part purchase. Each component of this equation functions on its own, but not to its full potential. You can self-monitor the wireless camera or enlist monitoring without a two-way audio interface, but you’re not reaping the benefits of what you’re paying for.
For basic live guard functionality, you’ll need all of the following:
- One or more Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Cameras ($140 each)
- SimpliSafe base station ($130)
- SimpliSafe keypad ($70)
- Fast Protect Professional Monitoring subscription ($30/month)
Of course, it doesn’t end there. The professional monitoring service is really meant to integrate with the full SimpliSafe lineup. Pretty soon, you’re adding motion sensors, smoke detectors, and all other manner of devices to maximize a service you’re already paying for. These aren’t bad purchases for your home, certainly. But this setup might not be what you thought you were signing up for.
Again, this isn’t necessarily a knock against SimpliSafe’s system. It’s a cautionary note to go in with eyes wide open so you don’t get blindsided.
#5: User Privacy Is a Trade-Off
Personal privacy and data protection are always concerns for homeowners considering security cameras, especially ones connected to a monitoring service. You want to be positive that no one is spying on you or your family without your consent.
Monitored indoor cameras make this issue especially sticky. What goes on inside your home is often more private than what happens outside. Knowing this, SimpliSafe is playing a precarious balancing game with its new indoor cameras.
Data privacy is another reason the SimpliSafe system is disarmed and shuttered by default. The cameras cannot and will not record the regular activities going on inside a user’s home—and that’s good. However, that privacy protection comes at a cost: your system won’t work unless you remember to arm it.
In addition, monitoring agents only have access to the camera and audio feed if and when there’s a triggering incident. They can’t see what happened in the moments leading up to the incident. Again, that’s generally a good thing, but it might eliminate helpful context and slow down the process of protecting your home and getting law enforcement onsite.
You’ll find another privacy quirk in the very fine print on SimpliSafe’s website. When one camera gets triggered, every camera that’s linked to the system (inside and outside) will wake up and start recording. This is important to know if any indoor camera would capture a particularly private area of the home, such as a child’s bedroom.
SimpliSafe is doing some things right when it comes to data privacy. The camera feed is encrypted, AI processing happens locally, and they aren’t outsourcing monitoring to a third-party service. These are common breach points with other camera monitoring providers.
The Better Solution: Deep Sentinel
If you’re considering SimpliSafe 24/7 Live Guard Protection, perhaps you found these points eye-opening. For live video monitoring without these pitfalls, consider the solution that stands out above the rest: Deep Sentinel.
Deep Sentinel’s wireless outdoor security camera system spots intruders the moment they set foot on your property. With the fastest response times of any security provider, the Deep Sentinel guards step in with two-way and sirens before suspects can wreak havoc.
The system is always on and always watching (unless you disarm it for a little added privacy). We lead the industry with our data protection policies, including local footage processing and encryption. And we use only our own trained security experts to watch your cameras.
In short, Deep Sentinel offers the ultimate security camera monitoring solution for anyone looking to protect their home, with none of the pitfalls you’ll find with other providers. Call 833.983.6006 for your personal home security consultation.
Need a Solution that Prevents Crime?
Deep Sentinel is the only security technology that delivers the experience of a personal guard on every customer’s home and business. Visit deepsentinel.com or call 833-983-6006