Bay Alarm Medical Alert Systems: Cost, Features, and More 2024

Ordering Bay Alarm Medical Alert Systems

Buying Experience

Bay Alarm Medical makes it easy to order a system. All four of the company’s primary systems are laid out on the online homepage with pictures that offer a clear sense of what each option includes. Click on any of them, and a new page pops up focused on that particular system with the most important details.

Equipment prices, for systems that require an equipment fee, are clearly laid out. So are the monthly fees for the different monitoring options. Typically, for at-home systems, you can choose between landline and cellular monitoring. Landline systems are cheaper but they’re slower and less reliable than cellular systems, so we recommend going cellular. But before you order, we suggest calling Bay Alarm to find out if they have a strong cellular coverage in your area. It makes sense to go with landline if cellular signal is going to be an issue.

Bay Alarm device options

Bay Alarm’s systems are pre-packaged, but you can opt for add-ons and extra amenities. That comes next after choosing your equipment and monitoring plan. We added fall detection (usually $10 per month) to our monitoring, and we purchased add-on, wall-mounted emergency buttons. Those cost extra, but they helped tailor our Bay Alarm system to our needs. And once again, we didn’t need to seek those extras out. Bay Alarm offered them after we selected our equipment and monitoring.

Installation Process

We should have guessed this from the purchasing process, but the installation process was equally as simple and easy. Bay Alarm takes the trouble to post several informative support videos on its website. Following these, we got the entire system set up in under two minutes. We had no problems getting our devices up and running. Studying and reviewing these products is our job, but even the least tech-savvy customers should be able to get their devices up and running without an issue. If you run into an issue, however, customer support can help.

Customer Support

We like taking charge of our systems ourselves, so when we ran into a problem with the volume on the base station, we pulled up the Bay Alarm homepage and made our way to the Help section. There, we found a FAQ, a set of clearly written Help Guides, and a series of instructional videos. There’s also the option to email with specific questions.

The thing is, not everyone is comfortable navigating websites, even when they’re user-friendly. We get it. The good thing about Bay Alarm is that they offer the option to talk in real-time to a real person using your actual voice by phone. It’s worth pointing out that this option is also valuable in case of an emergency.

How Bay Alarm devices work

Packages and Pricing

Bay Alarm Medical offers four separate medical alert systems. Each one comes with its own set of options, though, so we recommend taking them one at a time.

First up is the SOS Home system. This is a standard home-only system that works through a landline. However, you can upgrade it to an LTE cellular connection for an additional price, and you can further improve your package with fall detection.

There are three ways to purchase the SOS Home system. Note that all three include 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring with pricing as follows:

• The SOS Home Landline costs $24.95 per month
• The SOS Home Cellular costs $29.95 per month
• The SOS Home Cellular With Fall Detection costs $39.95 per month

If you spend time outside the home, take a look at the SOS Micro. This system comes in the form of a wearable emergency button that, as the name implies, allows you to get protective and emergency care when you’re away from home. There’s a $99 fee for the device itself, but with 24/7 monitoring and caregiver tracking, the system can help you feel safe anywhere you go.

Like the SOS Home, the SOS Micro comes in three flavors, all three with 24/7 professional monitoring included.

• SOS Micro costs $29.95 per month.
• SOS Mobile with Fall Detection costs $39.95
• The SOS Mobile 360 Bundle, which includes both the Home and Micro devices, costs $54.95

Expert Examined

From Christopher Norman, a Board-Certified Geriatric Nurse Practitioner with the National Council on Aging (NCOA)

“I have had some caregivers that have used tracking capability to good effect to mobilize help from the medical alert system user’s local neighbors, which has avoided emergency personnel use and been better for everyone involved. Having caregiver tracking is most often beneficial as part of a comprehensive safety plan, not as an independent feature.”

Bay Alarm purchase help and options

The SOS All-In-One 2 is a hybrid system. It doesn’t come with a base station, but it does include lanyard emergency buttons you can wear around the house, so you’re protected just as you would be with an SOS Home system. It also includes the SOS Micro, so you get the benefits of mobile protection too.

In this case, you have two plan options.

• The basic All-in-One 2 costs $34.95 per month.
• The All-in-One 2 with Fall Detection costs $44.95 per month.

Finally, Bay Alarm offers a stylish SOS Smartwatch. The smartwatch offers the mobility of the Micro but adds features like a step tracker and a weather app and packages it all in a sleek high-tech design that conceals the fact that you’re using a medical alert system. The Smartwatch requires an initial investment of $199.99, but you can choose from multiple monthly plans.

• The basic Smartwatch with monitoring costs $39.95.
• Add Fall Detection to your Smartwatch and pay $49.95.
• Add the SOS home monitoring system and pay $64.95.

Below is an overview of all of Bay Alarm Medical’s alert systems.

Bay Alarm Medical Alert System Features

The bottom line is that Bay Alarm provides excellent monitoring with 24/7 customer support to handle any emergency you might experience. That’s by far the most important qualification for any home medical alert system. In addition, though, the company offers a number of additional features depending on the particular system you choose.

SOS Home

• At-home device
• Landline or LTE cellular
• 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring
• Wearable button
• Neck lanyard or wrist band

SOS Mobile

• Mobile device
• 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring
• Caregiver tracking

SOS All-In-One 2

• All-in-one device
• 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring
• Caregiver tracking
• In-home wearable button
• Lanyard and wrist band

SOS Smartwatch

• Smartwatch device
• 24/7 U.S.-based monitoring
• Caregiver tracking

Holding extra pendant for Bay Alarm Medical home device

In addition to the select bundle plans, there is also a variety of add-ons that each subscription offers to add more security benefits. Below is an overview of the add-ons you can include with any system.

Bay Alarm Medical home device in box

Bay Alarm Medical App

Each plan also comes with access to the Bay Alarm Medical app. That ensures that your information and subscription plans remain up to date, even if you’re not currently near your Bay Alarm Medical device.

Bay Alarm mobile app download page

It’s not necessary to download the app, but we found it useful. It’s where you’ll find guides, general information, payments, transaction histories, subscription statuses, and more without having to contact tech support. The app is also a useful resource for subscribers with caregivers.

Current Bay Alarm Medical Alert System Deals

A 360 Bundle offer is available with both the SOS Mobile and SOS Smartwatch plans. The bundle includes either the SOS Mobile or SOS Smartwatch, along with the SOS Home System as follows:

Bundling the two systems saves you about $60 per year compared to buying each system separately.

Looking at the Bay Alarm Medical smartwatch

Which Bay Alarm Medical Alert System Is Best for You?

There isn’t a wrong Bay Alarm Medical system, but some may be more useful than others depending on your situation. To answer which plan is right for you, we first need to talk about the benefits of an on-the-go system versus a home system.

Who needs on-the-go medical alert systems?

As their name implies, on-the-go medical alert systems are great for active people who are constantly getting out of the house. Whether you’re going to a nine-to-five job or taking a vacation, the mobile systems add the protections of an at-home alert system while you’re on the move. The mobile nature of the devices means they’ll work even if you’re in another state, since the hotline will patch you through to any available local emergency services. If that sounds like you, go with the SOS Mobile or SOS Smartwatch system.

Who needs home medical alert systems?

Since many (but not all) individuals who need medical alert systems are seniors, many people using the devices aren’t able to leave the house without assistance. If that’s the case for you, a home SOS system will be perfect. We recommend having a mobile medical alert option in case you need to leave your house, but a home system will keep a close watch on your daily activities and will be available to assist you during an emergency.

Testing Bay Alarm Medical home device

Bottom Line

It’s difficult to think of anything Bay Alarm Medical gets wrong. An easy-to-use website, affordable pricing, and diverse subscription options with extra add-ons to fit your needs make it one of the best alert services money can buy. The world is a scary and unpredictable place, and systems like these can help alleviate fears dramatically.

In our extensive reviews of the SOS Home, SOS Mobile, SOS All-In-One, and SOS Smartwatch systems, we found that all four are worthwhile choices. That’s true not just for individuals at an advanced age or with serious health conditions that require close monitoring, but also anyone who wants to keep their health at the forefront in case of an emergency.

They say you should know who to call when an emergency strikes, but you don’t need to do that if you have a Bay Alarm Medical system. Every emergency resource you need is just one click away — or one automatic signal away if you spend the extra 10 bucks on fall detection.

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