Vector Security, Pittsburgh, Pa., has its first branch in New York state. Hammond Security, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., founded in 1968 by industry veteran Mac Hammond, was acquired by Vector. This acquisition, which was officially closed Dec. 31, 2010, added more than 5,000 accounts, 40 employees and its first N.Y. State-based branch to Vector Security.

As you are reading this article, odds are you have a mobile phone within reach. You might even be reading this article on a mobile device via SDM’s digital edition. Even if one is not in reach, you probably still have a mobile phone, making you one of five billion global mobile connections globally, according to the latest report by Wireless Intelligence.

Keypads and touchscreens can make or break an alarm system sale, and technology advances in this area are raising the bar, supporting a range of new capabilities — from more intuitive user interfaces to RFID communications.