In 1984, when CMS first opened its doors, the security monitoring industry looked very different. Technology was simpler. But even then, one truth was clear: when someone’s safety is on the line, monitoring can’t be an afterthought.
That principle has guided CMS for over four decades. While the industry has transformed around us, through technological revolutions and market shifts, our commitment to excellence in both residential and commercial critical monitoring remains.
Built on Partnership, Not Competition
From day one, CMS made a choice that would define everything we are.
We succeed when our dealers succeed. Your growth is our growth. Your customers are our shared responsibility. For 40 years, this commitment has meant dealers rely on us not just to monitor their accounts, but to support their business and protect their relationships.
Our partnership approach extends beyond monitoring. Through tools like CMS Compass, we give dealers real-time control over their accounts while providing resources to help their technicians work more efficiently. Empowering dealers isn’t something we say, it’s something we build into everything we do.
The Numbers Tell Our Story
Experience isn’t just claimed at CMS. It’s proven, one alarm at a time.
Over 40 years of protecting America’s critical systems, we’ve processed 7.5 million alarms annually and handled 792,000 emergency dispatches. We’ve maintained 99.9999% uptime over 20 years. When monitoring protects everything from family homes to critical infrastructure, downtime isn’t an option.
Today, we protect over 800,000 subscribers through three fully redundant monitoring centers. These aren’t just backup facilities. They’re geographically diverse centers with advanced load balancing and real-time signal traffic management, ensuring that if one location faces any issue, protection continues without interruption.
But perhaps the most telling numbers aren’t about our infrastructure. They’re about our people.
Investing in Human Excellence
Our operators undergo 8-9 weeks of rigorous training, well beyond the industry standard of days or even hours. We require 90% minimum scores on all certifications, with no exceptions. We conduct continuous background checks every two years. And we provide Monthly Success Plans to support ongoing development.
When you call CMS at 3 AM because an alarm just triggered, you’re reaching a certified professional who knows that behind every signal is someone counting on us.
From Homes to Critical Infrastructure
Through each evolution, our approach has remained consistent: combine advanced technology with expert human judgment. Our video monitoring capabilities, validated by dealers as superior in the industry, pair cutting-edge analytics with trained professionals who can assess situations in real-time.
While technology continues to evolve and we stay at the forefront of this evolution, we’ve never let technology replace the human element that makes monitoring truly effective.
Critical Monitoring Without Compromise
After 40 years, we’ve learned that protecting critical systems requires more than promises. It requires proof. It requires infrastructure that doesn’t fail. It requires operators who are genuinely prepared for high-stakes moments. It requires a partner who will never compete with you for your customers’ business.
This is what we mean by “Critical Monitoring Without Compromise.” Whether we’re protecting a family’s home or infrastructure that powers communities, we deliver the same proven reliability, genuine partnership, and operational excellence that has defined CMS since 1984.
