The odds of a criminal cutting a phone line or cable internet line is pretty slim... however, there are other circumstances where I would want to maintain notifications in the event of a power outage, some kind of network upset, etc.
Since I (and probably most of you) don't have a traditional land line anymore... if we have a home phone, it's probably another form of communication that relies on internet (VOIP).
Back in my x-10 days, I had one of their auto-dialers.... which I guess would still work on my VOIP line (If I could find it in my attic)... but this would still be dependent on a functioning internet connection.
Anyway... I've been searching all over the place to find an all-in-one device solution to this.... to have a modern day (cellular) auto-dialer that could work with Indigo. Either I have totally missed it somewhere, or it doesn't exist. (Checked smarthome, amazon, google, envisalink and here with little success.) Every solution in the envisalink forums points to devices that no longer exist or were never supported.... so you could get one that works with your DSC alarm, but it won't say anything or send you a message... just beep randomly in your ear with something that only alarm monitoring software can understand.... Ok, but that message could be a break-in, a communication error, power failure or a battery in one of the remotes I don't use is dying.
The closest thing I have found for a backup communication would be a USB cell device hooked into my server with some AppleScript telling the server when to switch from the home network to the USB network. This may be workable, but I foresee lots of pitfalls.... Power outage = no running scripts.... or it will switch over while I'm out of town and my wife will stream 50 netflix movies over my USB cell network.
To those that have experience programming and using raspberries with indigo, would it be possible to use one as an output device? (Everything on our forum I have found uses them as some sort of input into indigo). My thought is a raspberry with a USB cell dongle that has a few pre-recorded options (if it detects a power failure, it sends a message) and the ability to send customizable messages via scripting / triggers / plugin? I think there is a way to put an application version of Pushover on a raspberry and ways to do texting and emails from one. With a "pay-as-you-go" sim card, this may be an inexpensive way to have a notification device independent from A/C power and your home internet. I already see potential issues.... like, if it is using a cell network to communicate out, how will it also be on the home network to receive instructions from indigo?
So... if all the above is my question, I guess the answer I'm looking for is:
A: Check out this device that already exists on http://www.cellular_indigo_autodialer_thing.com
B: Totally possible to make, here are the steps: buy this, solder that, install this, insert this code, done.
C: I will build and sell these and sell them to every home automation enthusiast but since you gave me the idea, you will get a discount.