TWO COMPANIES, TOCOM INC., AND WARNER CABLE CORPORATION, DEVELOPED CABLE SECURITY SYSTEMS THAT HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN SEVERAL PLANNED COMMUNITIES PRIMARILY IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. RESULTS OF TOCOM'S FIRST INSTALLATION OF THEIR SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE WOODLANDS, A HUD-SPONSORED MODEL TOWN IN TEXAS, INDICATES THAT AFTER 3 YEARS OF OPERATION, ONLY 1 FIRE RESULTING IN ANY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND NO SUCCESSFUL BURGLARIES WERE COMMITTED IN HOMES WITH SECURITY SERVICES, COMPARED WITH 12 INCIDENTS IN HOMES WITHOUT THEM. THE WARNER CABLE CORPORATION OFFERS THE QUBE CABLE SERVICE IN COLUMBUS, OHIO WITH FOUR OPTIONS: BURGLAR/INTRUSION ALARMS, FIRE ALARMS, POLICE ALERT, AND AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL ALERT. THE BASIC PREMISE OF THE WARNER SECURITY SYSTEM IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AS TOCOM'S. SENSORS ARE CONNECTED TO A REMOTE TERMINAL WHICH IS CHECKED BY A CENTRAL COMPUTER EVERY 10 SECONDS. WHEN A SENSOR IS TRIPPED, THE TERMINAL NOTIFIES THE MAIN COMPUTER WHICH CONFIRMS THE ALARM, PRINTS THE CONDITION AND LOCATION ON A CATHODE RAY TUBE CONSOLE, AND NOTIFIES THE PROPER AUTHORITIES. FEATURES OF THE SYSTEM UNIQUE TO WARNER ARE FURTHER DESCRIBED. HOWEVER, SOME OBSERVERS ARE SKEPTICAL OF THE ADEQUACY OF THE FALSE ALARM SAFEGUARDS, THE QUALITY OF THE ALARM SIGNAL ITSELF, AND THE RELIABILITY OF THE EQUIPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. NEVERTHELESS, THE OPTIMISM OF CABLE INDUSTRY OFFICIALS COUPLED WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES IN THIS AREA SUGGEST A CONTINUED EXPLORATION OF SECURITY SERVICES IN THE FUTURE. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)