A couple of different studies have shown that the presence of a home security system is a deterrent to the average burglar. For example, a University of North Carolina at Charlotte study shows that 83 percent of the 422 convicted burglars interviewed for the study would try to find out whether or not a home was alarmed before attempting to break in. Half said they would immediately abort a break-in attempt on discovering an alarm system; only 13 percent said they would not be deterred.

Statistical analysis makes it clear that home security is a burglary deterrent. Anything that increases the likelihood of being apprehended is something burglars would prefer to avoid.

Noise, Noise, and More Noise

If there are two things a burglar hates, it is noise and nosy neighbors. A burglar is willing to break a window to get in because it makes noise just once, and it’s done. A neighbor may be startled by the sound of breaking glass, but he or she will go about their business if no additional noise is heard. A home security system is different. It sets off an alarm that is long, loud and constant. It will attract nosy neighbors very easily.

Video Surveillance

One-Stop Communications recommends video surveillance cameras be installed if they fit within a customer’s budget. Cameras act as deterrents in two ways. First, a burglar who sees cameras always has to consider that someone might be watching remotely. That could result in the police being alerted before any break-in attempt is implemented, giving the burglar even less time to do what he/she does.

Video surveillance is an additional deterrent by providing evidence that can be used for investigative and prosecutorial purposes. Recorded video can help identify a burglar and, after arrest, convict him or her in court. Moreover, because most burglars are petty criminals, they are not interested in a long jail sentence when there are so many easy houses to hit.

Faster Response Times

Burglars also hate home security systems because they usually lead to faster response times. For example, a monitored system from One-Stop Communications allows us to quickly react to a burglar alarm, and be speaking to the local 911 dispatcher in under a minute. The burglar knows that he or she is on the clock from the moment their actions are discovered.

It is important to point out that maximum benefit is only achieved when using a monitored system. An unmonitored alarm does make a lot of noise, but that’s about all. A burglar who knows an alarm system is not connected to a monitoring center may be willing to take the chance if there’s reason to believe that valuables are easily accessible upon entry. Nevertheless, the opposite is also true.

When a burglar sees the logo of a well-known security company (such as Monitronics) on a lawn placard or window decal, they’re likely to think twice about the decision to burglarize a house. There may be other homes in the neighborhood that pose less of a risk.

One last tip: Don’t forget to set your alarm before you leave home. A home security system that is not set is one that cannot do the job it was intended to do. If you add home automation to your system, you can arm and disarm your system remotely using a smartphone or another mobile device.

Sources:

• Angie’s List – http://www.angieslist.com/articles/how-well-do-security-alarms-deter-crime.htm

DALLAS, TEXAS – July 24, 2015 — AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) has completed its acquisition of DIRECTV. The newly combined company – the largest pay TV provider in the United States and the world – will offer millions of people more choices for video entertainment on any screen from almost anywhere, any time.

“Combining DIRECTV with AT&T is all about giving customers more choices for great video entertainment integrated with mobile and high-speed Internet service,” said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. “We’ll now be able to meet consumers’ future entertainment preferences, whether they want traditional TV service with premier programming, their favorite content on a mobile device, or video streamed over the Internet to any screen.

“This transaction allows us to significantly expand our high-speed Internet service to reach millions more households, which is a perfect complement to our coast-to-coast TV and mobile coverage,” Stephenson said. “We’re now a fundamentally different company with a diversified set of capabilities and businesses that set us apart from the competition.”

AT&T now is the largest pay TV provider in the U.S. and the world, providing service to more than 26 million customers in the United States and more than 191 million customers in Latin America, including Mexico and the Caribbean. Additionally, AT&T has more than 132 million wireless subscribers and connections in the U.S. and Mexico; offers 4G LTE mobile coverage to nearly 310 million people in the U.S.; covers 57 million U.S. customer locations with high-speed Internet; and has nearly 16 million subscribers to its high-speed Internet service.

Current customers of AT&T and DIRECTV do not need to do anything as a result of the merger. They’ll continue to receive their same services, channel lineups, and customer care. Customer account information, online access and billing arrangements remain the same. The integration of AT&T and DIRECTV will occur over the coming months. In the coming weeks, AT&T will launch new integrated TV, mobile and high-speed Internet offers that give customers greater value and convenience.

With the completion of its DIRECTV acquisition, AT&T will continue to deploy its all-fiber GigaPower Internet access service – the company’s highest-speed Internet service, which allows you to download a TV show in as little as three seconds. When the expansion is complete, AT&T’s all-fiber broadband footprint will reach more than 14 million customer locations.  

AT&T announced that John Stankey will be CEO of AT&T Entertainment & Internet Services, responsible for leading its combined DIRECTV and AT&T Home Solutions operations. Stankey will report to Stephenson. DIRECTV President, Chairman and CEO Mike White announced his plans to retire.

“Mike is one of the world’s top CEOs and a great leader who built DIRECTV into a premier TV and video entertainment company spanning the U.S. and Latin America,” Stephenson said. “He has been a terrific partner and friend, and his legacy will be an important part of our combined company.”

As a result of this transaction, AT&T leads the industry in offering consumers premier content, particularly live sports programming, such as the exclusive rights to NFL SUNDAY TICKET, which gives customers every out-of-market NFL game, every Sunday afternoon, on any screen – TV, mobile devices or PCs. Additionally, the company owns ROOT SPORTS, one of the nation’s premier regional sports networks, and has stakes in The Tennis Channel, MLB Network, NHL Network, and GSN (Game Show Network).

AT&T is also developing unique video offerings for consumers through, among other initiatives, its Otter Media joint venture with The Chernin Group. The joint venture was established to invest in, acquire and launch over-the-top (OTT) video services. This includes its purchase of a majority stake in Fullscreen, a global online media company that works with more than 50,000 content creators who engage 450 million subscribers and generate 4 billion monthly views.

Under the terms of the merger, DIRECTV shareholders received 1.892 shares of AT&T common stock, in addition to $28.50 in cash, per share of DIRECTV. AT&T will provide complete updated 2015 financial guidance at a conference the company will host for financial analysts in the coming weeks. The conference will be webcast to the public.

The DIRECTV acquisition significantly diversifies AT&T’s revenue mix, products, geographies and customer bases. As a result of this acquisition, as well as AT&T’s acquisition of Iusacell and Nextel Mexico, AT&T expects that, by the end of 2015, its largest revenue streams will be, in descending order: Business Solutions (both wireless and wireline); Entertainment & Internet; Consumer Mobility; and International Mobility and Video.

As part of the Federal Communications Commission’s approval of the transaction, AT&T has agreed to the following conditions for the next four years:

• Within 4 years, AT&T will offer its all-fiber Internet access service to at least 12.5 million customer locations, such as residences, home offices and very small businesses.  Combined with AT&T’s existing high-speed broadband network, at least 25.7 million customer locations will have access to broadband speeds of 45Mbps or higher.
• Within its wireline footprint, the company will offer 1Gbps service to any eligible school or library requesting E-rate services, pursuant to applicable rules, within the company’s all-fiber footprint.   
• Within AT&T’s 21-state wireline footprint, it will offer discounted fixed broadband service to low-income households that qualify for the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In locations where it’s available, service with speeds of at least 10Mbps will be offered for $10 per month. Elsewhere, 5Mbps service will be offered for $10 per month or, in some locations, 3Mbps service will be offered for $5 per month. 
• AT&T’s retail terms and conditions for its fixed broadband Internet services will not favor its own online video programming services. AT&T can and will, however, continue to offer discounted integrated bundles of its video and high-speed Internet services.
• AT&T must submit to the FCC new interconnection agreements it enters into with peering networks and on-net customers for the exchange of Internet traffic. The company will develop, in conjunction with an independent expert, a methodology for measuring the performance of its Internet traffic exchange and regularly report these metrics to the FCC.
• AT&T will appoint a Company Compliance Officer to develop and implement a plan to ensure compliance with these merger conditions. Also, the company will engage an independent, third-party compliance officer to evaluate the plan and its implementation, and submit periodic reports to the FCC.  

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

1. Includes DIRECTV Latin America pay TV subscribers as of March 31, 2015, including subscribers of Sky Mexico, in which DIRECTV holds a minority stake.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. In the U.S., our wireless network offers the nation’s strongest LTE signal and the most reliable 4G LTE network. We offer the best global wireless coverage*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and secure cloud solutions.

Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2015 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Reliability and signal strength claims based on nationwide carriers’ LTE. Signal strength claim based ONLY on avg. LTE signal strength. LTE not available everywhere.

*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

We all have valuables that we would hate to lose. Some have a high monetary value, others are highly personal, and others are a combination of both.

The question for the average homeowner is whether to invest in a safe or not. In a single word: Yes!

Installing a safe in your home is an inexpensive and efficient way to protect your valuables from both burglary and fire.

A burglar wants to get in and out of your house as quickly as possible. Burglars look for small items that they can stuff in their pockets and get rid of quickly at a local pawn shop or on the street. However, the key is speed.

Any burglar who has to spend more than a few minutes in your home gets awfully nervous. A safe keeps valuables out of sight. If a burglar does come across your safe, it may require too much time and trouble to deal with.

The added fire protection offered by a home safe should be apparent. But, of course, this requires you to purchase one with built-in fire protection. Not every model on the market will stand up to fire, smoke and water damage.

If this added protection is something you are after, you will have to research your options to make sure you are getting what you expect for a product that fits in your price range.

Home Safety TipsDeciding to purchase a home safe for your valuables is the first step in protecting them against burglary and fire. Below are some tips to help you choose the right model and to use it correctly:

• Wall vs. Floor – Neither a wall nor floor safe is necessarily superior in terms of fire or water protection. Nevertheless, there is a big difference for burglary. Wall safes are easier to conceal and much harder to walk away with. We recommend a wall safe for burglary protection where practical.
• Protection Priorities – Not every safe will give you 100 percent protection against every threat. When choosing your safe, you need to decide what is most important. Are you more concerned about burglary? Is fire your main concern? Consider your priorities for protection and size when making your choice.
• Safe Location – Your safe will provide maximum protection against burglary if it is located in a place burglars do not expect. Therefore, do not install your safe in the master bedroom. Choose the bathroom or another room as deep in the interior of your home if possible. If you are using a wall safe, conceal it behind something such as a medicine cabinet, a hinged mirror, or a picture.
• Burglary Decoy – When burglary is the primary concern, you can significantly aid your cause by placing certain decoys around the home. For example, leaving costume jewelry in a jewelry box located in the master bedroom could be enough to encourage a burglar to grab and go.
• Gun Safes – If you own firearms, a gun safe may be mandatory in your local area. Such a safe is an excellent idea even if the law does not require one. A gun safe will protect your weapons from being stolen and later used in a crime, protecting you from potential liability as well.

Having a safe is a good idea for every American household. Why not invest in one, along with the added security offered by a monitored home security system from One-Stop Communications? Our service and equipment help to deter burglars as well warning you of a fire or potential carbon monoxide poisoning.

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Experience Major League Baseball® like never before with MLB EXTRA INNINGS. You’ll get almost 100 out-of-market games a week, most of them available in crystal-clear HD*. When it comes to MLB®, DIRECTV has you covered.

Free Preview on DIRECTV  /  July 17-23  /  Channels 719-748

The U.S. Travel Association estimates that Americans spent upwards of $645 billion in 2014 taking roughly 1.7 billion trips for leisure purposes. Three out of every four trips made last year were for leisure purposes; just 1 in 4 were for business or professional purposes.

Not surprisingly, this tells us that Americans love to travel. What the numbers do not tell us is something else we already know: Summer is the time to travel. If you are planning a summer vacation away from home this year, we hope you will enjoy yourself and feel the peace of mind that comes from a home that is monitored while you’re away.

We encourage summer vacationers to monitor their homes in three ways: electronically, individually and community-wide.

Electronic Monitoring
We are in the home security business because we believe in the power of monitored home security as a crime-fighting tool. Monitored home security acts as a deterrent, significantly reducing your risks of being a crime victim while you are away. The strength of our service is the 24-hour remote monitoring that ensures we are keeping an eye on your property.

Today’s technology makes monitored home security even more powerful through the use of home automation and remote security system administration. We can install a system that lets you control your security from anywhere, including monitoring video cameras remotely. Home automation lets you control lighting, appliances and door locks remotely as well. Monitored home security and home automation combine to make your home a much safer place.

Individual Monitoring
As good as a home security system is, it’s not 100 percent foolproof. It’s always a good idea to enlist the help of a friend or relative who can regularly stop by and check your home while you are away. Stopping by every day is the most optimal scenario; at least every other day should be the minimum.

Individual monitoring can include additional measures such as moving cars around, opening and closing blinds, putting trash to the curb, and doing other things that give the appearance that someone is home. In the absence of a friend or relative to individually monitor your home, be sure to put a hold on your mail and your newspaper. There is no need to broadcast to criminals that you are away by allowing mail and newspapers to stack up.

Some folks prefer to have a friend or family member come stay in their homes while they are away. This is even better. The safest home is an occupied home.

Community-Wide Monitoring
We are big proponents of community-wide monitoring in local neighborhoods. When neighbors band together with a commitment to watch one another’s properties, things are made safer by sheer numbers. We would encourage you to get together with your neighbors to discuss organizing – either loosely or in affiliation with a Neighborhood Watch program.

When your neighborhood is organized, your neighbors will keep an eye on your property while you are away on vacation. You’ll do the same for them when they go away. Together, the entire neighborhood keeps an eye open for any suspicious behavior that could indicate criminals are sniffing around. If those criminals know neighbors are watching, they are more likely to move on.

Monitoring your home while you are on vacation is all about making sure as many people as possible are watching your house. Electronic monitoring allows a company such as Monitronics to use the latest technology to do just that. Combining our services with friends, family, and your neighbors makes your home safe so you can enjoy your vacation.

Sources: 
https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2013/08/US_Travel_AnswerSheet.pdf

We would like to extend to you and your loved ones our wishes for a safe and enjoyable Independence Day 2015!