Alarm Watch

What Alarm Watch does

Alarm Watch is a New Zealand-based, privately held alarm monitoring specialist headquartered in Whanganui and operating since 1988. The company runs a 24/7/365 monitoring station staffed by 40+ employees, providing wholesale white-label monitoring services to a nationwide network of professional alarm installers (bureaus) who resell the service to their residential and commercial end customers. The business pivoted in 2007 from direct retail installation to its current bureau-wholesale model, and Alarm Watch has since become one of NZ's dedicated monitoring-only providers under CEO Wade Coneybeer and General Manager Damien Hegley.

The technology stack combines an in-house monitoring platform supporting PSTN, cellular, and internet communication paths with a smartphone app (iOS and Android), a bureau self-service web portal, and an integrated layer of third-party video verification solutions — including Permaconn, Chekt, Actuate, Secury360, Cawamo, Irisity, and AW Connect — that give operators live camera access during alarm activations. End customers receive alarm notifications via app, email, and SMS, while bureaus access white-label branding (telephone answering, reports), client loading, and bureau health tracking. AI-driven computer vision and anomaly detection are delivered entirely through partner platforms rather than proprietary models.

Alarm Watch's revenue model is anchored in recurring monthly subscriptions paid by bureaus, supplemented by video verification service fees and one-time hardware sales (e.g., Chekt bridges at $530-$890 EX GST, with $29-$38/month monitoring fees). The company sells exclusively within New Zealand, holds NZSA membership, and is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding or parent company. Customer acquisition runs through a partner-led channel (bureau installers), direct-to-consumer for bureau end users, and YouTube-hosted video newsletters led by the CEO and Technical Manager.

Name

Alarm Watch

Legal name

Alarm Watch Ltd

Website

https://alarmwatch.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Alarm Watch is a privately held New Zealand alarm monitoring specialist that provides wholesale 24/7 white-label monitoring services to a nationwide network of bureau installers, serving residential and commercial end customers via integrations with multiple video verification platforms and mobile/web self-service tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Security Monitoring Services

NAICS

Security Systems Services (56162), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621), Investigation and Security Services (5616)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial & Industrial Alarm Monitoring (BPAKAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Alarm Monitoring (Burglar/Intrusion) (BPAKAFAA), Video Alarm Verification & Remote Video Monitoring (VSaaS Monitoring) (BPAKAFAE)

Keywords

• Alarm monitoring services
• Video verification solutions
• White-label monitoring
• Security monitoring platform
• Bureau installer services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wanganui

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Alarm Monitoring: Monthly subscription fees charged to bureau installers for alarm monitoring services provided to their end customers. Bureaus on-sell these wholesale services to homeowners and businesses.
2. Video Verification Services: Additional charges for video verification services, including cloud AI filtering, camera access, and related video monitoring capabilities. Additional fees may apply for high-use subscribers with excessive events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alarm Watch provides 24/7/365 professional alarm monitoring services to homeowners and businesses across New Zealand, primarily delivered as a white-label service to a nationwide network of professional alarm installer bureaus. The offering includes video verification integrated with multiple AI-powered video analytics platforms, a smartphone app for remote arming and alerts, and a web portal for self-service management.

Product overview

Alarm Watch is New Zealand's alarm monitoring specialist offering a comprehensive security monitoring platform. The core offering consists of 24/7 alarm monitoring services for residential and commercial properties, with supplementary notification features including smartphone app alerts, email and SMS. Their Bureau Installer Program provides white-label monitoring capabilities for alarm installation companies, allowing them to resell Alarm Watch's services under their own branding. The product portfolio includes multiple video verification add-on modules (Permaconn, Actuate, Secury360, Cawamo, Irisity, Chekt, AW Connect) that integrate with the core monitoring platform to provide operators with live camera footage during alarm activations, enabling visual threat verification and faster emergency response. All services are managed through a web portal for bureaus and smartphone applications for end users.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alarm Monitoring 24/7/365 professional alarm monitoring service with dedicated operators who respond to alarm activations and ensure immediate action for property protection, delivered to homeowners and businesses across New Zealand.
• Business Alarm Monitoring Specialized alarm monitoring services tailored for commercial and business properties, including multi-site enterprise solutions with video verification and access control integration.
• Smart Phone Application Smartphone app bringing security monitoring features directly to users' fingertips, enabling remote arm/disarm, remote arming, GEO arming, client management, and real-time alerts.
• Email & Text Message Alerts Notification services delivering alarm events and system status updates via email and SMS to subscribers and bureau partners.
• Bureau Installer Program White-label monitoring solution for alarm installation companies (bureaus) to offer Alarm Watch's monitoring services under their own branding, including telephone branding, report branding, self-serve portal, call center services, and bureau health tracking tools.
• Video Verification Service allowing monitoring operators to access live camera footage during alarm activations to verify threats, reduce false alarms, ensure appropriate emergency response, and avoid costly guard call-outs.
• Bureau Web Portal Online self-service portal for bureau installers to manage clients, view reports, access account information, and monitor subscriber activity.
• AW Connect Video verification solution connecting cameras to the Alarm Watch monitoring system for operator access during alarm activations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce guard call-out costs through video verification before dispatch
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PermaconncoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo verification integration partner. Permaconn captures video clips/images when alarms trigger and delivers to operator screens. Acts as alarm communicator with 4G backup, unlimited cameras/rules, and 5-year video archive.
• ChektcoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo verification solution with video control bridge unifying multiple security devices. Offers live and scheduled audio broadcasts, interactive mobile app, and professional alarm communication protocols.
• ActuatecoreTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered video analytics platform using computer vision for instant and accurate intrusion detection. No additional hardware required, works with cloud AI to minimize false negatives.
• Secury360coreTechnology or IntegrationReal-time camera analysis with person detection. Includes alarm panel features, integrates with NX Witness, minimal bandwidth, and automatic firmware upgrades. Limited to 8 cameras per box.
• CawamocoreTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered video analytics turning any camera into a smart virtual guard. Detects intrusions, loitering, fire, smoke using patented multi-level AI with edge and cloud processing.
• IrisitycoreTechnology or IntegrationAI-driven video analytics solution enhancing surveillance efficiency. Provides real-time alerts, forensic search, and health monitoring. Supports personalized AI analytics for specific events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• First Security (NZ): First Security is a NZ-wide security services firm offering monitored alarms, CCTV, and guard services. Comparable as a regional full-service security competitor overlapping with Alarm Watch in alarm monitoring and video verification for NZ businesses and homeowners.
• Armourguard Security: Armourguard is a large NZ security company offering alarm monitoring, mobile patrols, and guarding services. It directly competes with Alarm Watch for commercial and residential monitoring contracts and was a prior employer of Alarm Watch's GM Damien Hegley.
• Securitas New Zealand: Securitas is a global security services leader with a NZ presence offering alarm monitoring, guarding, and integrated security solutions. Direct competitor for enterprise and commercial alarm monitoring contracts across NZ.
• Signature Security (NZ): Signature Security is a NZ-focused security provider offering alarm monitoring, patrols, and guarding. It competes with Alarm Watch in residential and commercial alarm monitoring and previously employed Alarm Watch's GM Damien Hegley in management. Comparable customer base (homeowners and NZ businesses).
• Chubb Fire & Security New Zealand: Chubb is a global security services provider with a direct NZ presence offering alarm monitoring, installation, and guarding. Overlaps with Alarm Watch on commercial alarm monitoring and video verification, and competes for the same bureau/installer relationships. Relevant because Alarm Watch GM Damien Hegley previously held management roles at Chubb.
• ADT Security New Zealand: ADT is one of the largest global commercial and residential alarm monitoring providers with a NZ operation. Competes directly with Alarm Watch on monitored intrusion alarms, video verification, and bundled security solutions, though ADT also owns its own installer base.

Emerging players

• Eagle Eye Networks: Eagle Eye Networks provides cloud-based VSaaS with AI video analytics that monitoring stations can integrate with — comparable to the Permaconn, Cawamo, Irisity integrations Alarm Watch offers. Represents the broader shift toward cloud-native video monitoring platforms that Alarm Watch's bureau partners may ultimately adopt directly.
• Security 101 (Cawamo/Verkada-type integrators): US-based security integrator network with multi-vendor monitoring capabilities, conceptually comparable to Alarm Watch's bureau installer partner program and its multi-platform video verification approach. Less relevant by geography but structurally similar in bundling monitoring across multiple video analytics vendors.

Direct peers

• National Fire & Security (NZ): National Fire & Security is a NZ wholesale security distributor and service provider that previously employed Alarm Watch's GM Damien Hegley. It overlaps with Alarm Watch's bureau/installer support model as a wholesaler of security products and services to NZ installers.

Others

• Monitor Computer Systems (UK bureau platform vendor): Monitor Computer Systems provides bureau-style monitoring station software used globally by wholesale alarm monitoring companies. Comparable as an enabler/platform vendor in the same wholesale monitoring ecosystem that Alarm Watch operates in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCAAKaF51t-58cmQSus8160g
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlarmWatchNZ
• Xx.com/alarmwatch_nz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alarm-watch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alarm Watch