I bought this controller because 2G has been phased out by my preferred SIM provider. One really nice surprise is that all of my older wireless motion detectors are compatible with this system (photo). There are no connectors for my wired exterior motion sensors, but that is easily fixed by patching the sensor output wires across the reed relay of a wireless door sensor.

The documentation could use some work. I wasted too much time discovering that the "3 bar" setups key also doubled as a backspace/delete key for some setups, the return key is the esc key, and the check(?!) key is the enter key.

I have only had this a short time, but here's my initial thoughts.

1. Overall this is a okay DYI system with some okay features, but I don't think it deserves 5 stars. The sensors window/door sensors look/feel pretty cheap, but they work and are easy to install.
2. The remotes also look/feel cheap. I can't imagine they will hold up over time if used on a key ring. I do like the sliding cover that covers the buttons to keep you (or items in a purse) from accidentally pushing a button.
3. I bought the GSM model as I thought it would text me each time the alarm was triggered. However, it texts you every time the alarm is turned on (activated) and turned off (de-activated). I purchased a SIM card on sale for $4.99 for T-Mobile as they offer 30 minutes and/or texts a month for $3 a month on their prepaid service (then $0.10 per message/minute after the 30). I assumed that $3 would cover me as I assumed my alarm would not be triggered once a month at most. However, with it texting me every time it's activated and deactivated (that's at least 60-62 times a month), I had to turn that option off. Of course, it still uses the GSM to call me, which is nice and I can turn the texting back on when I'm out of town (which I did last weekend).
4. I wish it chimed when a door was opened. Our old Radio Shack system would chime each time a door was open, which was nice to hear when someone was coming or going when the system was not armed. Fortress does offer a doorbell product that you can somehow program to work with your door sensors. I may give that a try, but that's another $30 or so and the video on their website does not make the setup look easy (but it may be). I will say that I emailed Fortress about the option for a door chime and within 24 hours they replied with a solution being the doorbell option, so that was very nice/quick customer service, although the solution was another purchase option.
5. I wish I could name each sensor. Maybe there is a way, but I'm a techy and I have yet to figure out if you can.
6. My old Radio Shack system would indicate with sensor/doors were open. It would be nice to see that information on the little screen too.
7. The indoor and outdoor speakers are LOUD. I like that. The outdoor speaker does make some beeping noises when I activate the alarm, with might be driving my neighbors crazy every time I activate and deactivate the system.
8. The speaker on the control panel is also very loud.
9. The sensors come ready to go for your system. This is very nice. All you have to do is pull the battery tab and immediately the base would recognize the sensor and add it to the system.

Overall, after a couple of weeks, I'm pleased with the system for the most part and I know some of the things above that I dislike are personal preference. It does what it's supposed to do and that is trigger an alarm and call me (and other numbers if you set it up that way) and my monthly fee is $3 with T-Mobile to have GSM capabilities. My number one wish is that you could set it up to text you only when the system was triggered.

3 stars since it does not have the feature configurations I desired. Some on me some on documentation.

The good,
it does what it says it does(bee careful on expectations).
It comes pre-configured for quick install.
It comes with a glass break.
The remote keyfobs to enable and disable are very nice
The siren is ear pearcing loud.

The bad:
This does not have all the functionality of a high end system

Window and door sensors are large. I have removable sashes for the windows and the sensors protrude into the area . Must mount down low on the window. I first mounted high and could not remove the sash for cleaning.

There is no chime setting. This is highly desirable when set to disarm to have the windows or doors chime when opened. I have pool and wanted the doors to chime when set to home. I wanted to know when someone goes in our out.

The system does not check or notify you of any open sensors when you set it to home or away. This means you can set it with windows open. It also means you could leave your house vulnerable when you are sleeping by leaving a window open you did not know about.

If a door is opened and closed, the system will tell you on the display the zone has been triggered. If the door gets closed, the message goes away after a few seconds.

There is no way to view what sensors or how many are in what zones.

The manual does not state what zones the sensors come pre-configured for so when you go to configure sensors for zones, you basically need to delete all zones.

If you try and add a device it states it is a duplicate but does not tell you what zone it is in to delete from. Again if you do not have the devices well documented to zones, you need to start deleting all the zones and start from scratch.

The zone names are pre-configured and can not be manually named. That means if you want to set a zone to say Bed1, you can not name the zone Bed1. You can only select it as windows or doors or any of the 8 names.

I bought this for the room based glass break that a competitor does not offer. It clearly does not have the features I desired and does not claim to have them. My mistake thinking it had the features I wanted. It does what it says limited in configuration options.

I would give it 5 stars if I did not want more from the system.

As stated, it clearly does not have from the add

'All the functions of a high-end alarm monitoring system without the monthly fees!"

It does not even have all the features of some low end competitors for similar price ranges.

I looked at three systems: SimplySafe and PiSector and Fortress.

* SimplySafe: My neighbor has it. The main reasons I didn't get that one are: 1). cost for the number of sensors (almost double after I bought what I needed), 2). If you decide not to have it monitored, then it's just a noisemaker-- it cannot notify you via text/phone. SimplySafe uses a USB dongle that you program on your PC, and transfer the settings to the alarm by moving the dongle to the alarm base. It seems quite easy. But SimplySafe is simply a noise maker that can only dial one number (the company) which costs $15/month.
* PiSector: This one is slightly more money than Fortress with similar specs, but the main reason I decided against it
was reviews stating the company was promising a freeby accessory to 5-star reviewers! I discounted all reviews based on that, and assumed the company unethical. If you can't trust your alarm provider, what kind of security are you getting?
* Fortress is reviewed below. I looked at the GSM/Landline version, and the Landline only version, but I decided the extra $70 was worth it since the GSM(cell phone) version also has extra features. I promise I was not paid anything for my review!

PRO:

* It works as advertised.
* the least expensive in its class for the number of accessories included.
* Extra accessories are reasonably priced, compared to competition.
* Install was a breeze.
* It comes pre-programmed in the box (you hang the sensors and you have a working basic noisemaker alarm), you need only enter numbers to text/call. Customizing the features is a little cumbersome, but not overly complicated.
* I was expecting difficulty in setting up the Cell, but it really was as easy as buying a SIM card, dropping it in, and entering a few numbers to call/text.
* Even the indoor wired siren is loud! (Louder than my neighbors SimplySafe, and he has both the default one and the "extra" one.) Neither Fortress siren uses battery power, no maintenance, louder. You can buy a battery powered one if desired.
* While no alarm is perfectly configurable to your need or liking without being overly complex to program, this one strikes a reasonable balance. I was able to do most everything I had hoped.
* Wireless siren operates independent of the main panel, so if an intruder finds and smashes your main panel, the wireless siren will still blast for three minutes unless disabled by proper signal from the main panel.
* I have a big house with lots of walls, yet there seems to be no issue with the range of the wireless sensor signals. Range extenders are available.
* Having Cell (GSM) plus Land line offers great redundancy if either is down or if a bad guy cuts the landline.
* Rechargable Battery Backup on the main unit if the house power is off or cut.

CON:

* The small list of sensor/zone names is limiting-- you have no way of knowing which door/window set off the alarm, only which "zone". This is the main "bug" in this system.
* The recorded outgoing message is muddy. The system voice "Alarm zone two" is clear enough, but the one you record "My house at 1234 Main has an alarm" is almost unintelligible.
* Software is reminiscent of a 1980's answering machine-- though it does work flawlessly.
* Manual is not fully clear, like it was translated out of another language. (Ditto for the choice of words in the software). Some things you just have to figure out by trial and error. Fortunately, you can get past this easily.
* There's no monitoring service, unless you find a third-party provider. My neighbor response time is much faster than police response time where I live, so self-monitor with local sirens is superior for me.

Some things not covered in the description:
* The door sensors and key FOBs each take a 23A type battery. These are between $0.50 and $2 each on amazon, depending on quality and quantity. I don't yet know how long they last, but this seems reasonable to maintain. The motion sensors are 9V tansistor batteries. Included sirens (2) are not battery powered.
* Buy a 3.5mm (audio) exension cable for the wired siren- you don't want it near the main panel because you don't want to announce the location of the main panel, and you don't want it screaming in your ear if you must disarm after triggering.

GENERAL:
* Standard Three "Home, Away, Disable" modes.
* Group the sensors into zones (up to 10 different zones, each with up to 10 individual sensors). You get to choose which sensor zones are active in which mode. You can even have sensors active in Disable mode, for instance a smoke detector.
* For each zone, you also decide whether or not to provide an entry delay. So, for instance, you can have the back
doors/windows alarm immediately, but have your normal entry doors (garage/front) delay the alarm to give you time to disable after entry.
* You can make some zones "silent", so that you are called/texted, but do wake up the neighbors. This might be useful for outdoor sensors, or catching a teenager sneaking out.
* You can arm/disarm the system through the phone or text msg, though you can only arm this way into Away mode, not Home mode.
* It has the ability to "listen in" and also "have a conversation" through the main panel when you dial in.
* You can also buy (at reasonable prices) smoke alarm, flood alarm, and a remote keypad, battery powered wireless siren/strobe, and more.

(Real security comes in layers, and an alarm is just one part of it. Also consider: a DVR/camera system, and a safe for your valuables. Cameras enable you to see people "casing" your house and other suspicious activity and help in identifying bad guys. A safe is a final layer to stop/slow down someone who gets in. Maybe you forgot to set your alarm, or maybe they "smash and grab" or they bypass your alarm. And of course, never forget good physical security. Lock your doors, and make sure that you have deadbolts that are properly installed. Don't rely on the latch on sliding doors, use a bar in the gap-- I just use a piece of wood cut to length.)

Insurance deductibles are usually in the thousands of dollars, and they don't cover everything. Sentimentals are irreplacable. This is really inexpensive protection.

All in all, this is an honest basic alarm with most all of the features you'd expect for this price. There are some minor disappointments mentioned above, but I would recommend and buy this system again, and give it about 4.5 stars.

It was easy to set up (you do need to reed the included instryctions, but they are easy)!
Set up took me about an hour. I did spent 15 min reading the included manual.
Then it took me another 30 min for the installation of the main unit and all the sensors.

I used my drill and just drilled all the motion sensors to the upper corners of the walls
where I needed them (screws are included). Then I attached all the door sensors the all the doors
using the included 2-sided stickers, and I added pieces of tape just in case the sticker glue doesn't
last very long.

Then I spend another 15 min for playing with the settings of the main unit - I made the settings to my liking,
including adding phone numbers for both making a phone call and sending a text in case the alarm is triggered.
I am using an AT&T SIM card. I tested it and it works great. Every time the alarm is triggered the main unit will call the number (my cell phone) and also send me a text.

For thos of you wondering what kind of SIM card it is using - regular, micro or nano - it uses the regular SIM.
That info I couldn't find anywhere online, and only found after I received the unit and opened it.

Also - all sensors included in this package are pre-registered to the unit. You don't have to do anything but turn them on and they are already working with the main unit. The motion sensors have an ON/OFF button. The door sensors don't have an ON/OFF button. You don't have to install all included sensors, only install as many as you need. If you have some left over (not needed) just don't put the batteries in them and/or leave them in OFF position. By the way - each sensor comes with its own battery included. If you need extra sensors just buy them separately. Extra sensors do need to be added and registered through the main unit - I added 3 more Motion sensors which I bought separately. Each one came with an instruction how to add it (it's very easy).

The unit and sensors are pre-programmed for you so that all door sensors are Zone 1 and all Motion sensors are Zone 2. The unit and remote give you the option to fully ARM it - which arms all Zones, or you can do the so called second option for arming called "Home arm" which will only arm Zone 1 - only the door sensors - you can do that when at home or when you go to sleep. You can reprogram all sensors and zones if you want to, but I don't see a point, they are already programmed in the best way possible, in my opinion.

One recommendation - set up the arming time to more time - about 30-40 seconds should be OK for most people; and set up the disarming time to less time - about 0-10 seconds. Most people will use the included remote control which works like a car remote - you will just click on arm/disarm. The remote will work from outside the house - unless you have a huge house I guess and the alarm unit is far away from the door/garage. If your alarm unit is relatively close the your main door/gate or garage door - it should work with no problem with your remote. So if it works fine - just set up the "DISARM TIME" to less time - zero to ten seconds - so in case of an intruder - he/she won't have enough time to somehow disarm it - which may be possible if they remove the power cord and the battery. And YES - this alarm unit comes with an included and installed back up power battery which should last at least 1 day - I couldn't find info on that, but it comes with it, which makes the unit power protected.

You can also connect the unit to a regular phone line, if you have one - a house phone that has regular phone connections. The unit comes with phone IN and phone OUT inputs. You can also connect it to hardwired sensors - I am not sure how that works but the connections/attachment bolts are on the back of this unit. Also in the Manual it offers options for Security companies to add the unit to their system, so it is possible to have this unit with a security company - so long as they agree to use it - I guess in that case you'll just add their phone number, and when the unit triggers an alarm - it will call them, and then they will call you and they can send a security person to your house. You can program program the unit to call up to 5 phone numbers and text up to 3. So it is possible to program it to call a Security company and yourself at the same time as well. Keep in mind that id you do want to use it with the security company there will be monthly fees with them for the service. Otherwise there are no monthly fees to just use this unit with your own phone number, if you don't count the SIM card charges (get a pre paid SIM card).

I added a pre-paid AT&T SIM card which at the moment costs 10 cents a phone call and I believe 20 cents a text message. You can add $10 or $20 to it, and then recharge the SIM card when needed. It's not a monthly fee SIM, so you won't have a monthly expense for this alarm unit. With only $10 in the SIM and if the alarm is NOT triggered you may last 6 months and more with that SIM card without recharging it. Unless you add the feature to send you a text message each time the alarm is armed and disarmed - this is an optional setting. You can also turn on/off a feature to remotely turn on and off the alarm via a text message. So if these features are on and used often, then you will need to recharge your SIM card more often, as it will cost you for each text. So keep these things in mind.

And last - I will mention about the sirens. This package comes with 2 sirens. One is smaller and has to be next to the alarm unit because it plugs in it and doesn't need separate power cord and the other is bigger - that is a remote alarm, of course it is pre-programmed to work with the main unit - if you bought this package - and it uses a power cord with adapter. So you just plug it in somewhere else. Preferably the main unit and small siren should be installed in one side of the house and the bigger remote siren should be installed in the other side of the house. Some people install the remote siren in the garage, in an outside building - like a second house, or a shed or in the backyard or front yard if you have a power outlet there. Just make it hard for an intruder to find both sirens fast - they should be far apart in my opinion. And YES - both are loud and can be clearly heard by the neighbors even if both are installed inside your house.

So this is my review of the Fortress Security GSM-B Wireless package. I haven't needed to call their customer service yet, as everything I needed to do was clearly explained the the manual and I had no problem installing all the parts. This is in my opinion the best and easiest DIY (do it yourself) alarm system which offers many features and optional componetns (you can add glass breaking and smoke alarm sensors to it) and a system that is loud enough and secure enough (uses the most secure cellular networking to send you a text or phone call) and is protected with a back up battery in case of power outage.

So I recommend it to anyone!
Buy this system. I did so a month ago (bought it from Amazon) and I can say this has been one of the best investments I have made in the recent past!