A Bit On Terminology

Digital is not the same as wireless is not the same as cellular is not the same as digital.  ...Huh? 

Some of the low end trunk slamming companies will tell you that your whole system has to be replaced with a digital system.  Digital being the new state of the art and all... "Good news, it'll only cost you $99 or free with activation fee or free with a new contract... plus you get a $150 gas card or trip to Bermuda or a week in Vegas"...blah blah blah or a free camera.

Fact is, if you have a system that was put in the house in the last twenty years, it is probably digital.  That does NOT mean you have a state-of-the-art system.  The real reason they want you to change your system over is because it is easier for them.  Anyone, even the ex-convict who learned low voltage electronics in prison, can install one of these systems from the ground up.  You are getting what you pay for.  Yes, these systems are a "starter" model, though they have a place in the food chain.  More about trunk slammers later.

ON-OFF = Digital.
Has no wires to carry the digital information to the control panel = Wireless - radio frequencies
Control Panel communicates to a central monitoring station using cellular communicator = Cellular
All cellular towers are now fully digital = don't be fooled by the guy who talks about analog and digital.

In the most true sense, some of these deffinitions are not completely correct, but for purposes of dealing with the local alarm company, it should make things less confusing.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.