Phone lines versus network & cellular communication for alarm monitoring
Your monitored alarm system was installed to protect your business, home, team or loved ones, but installing the equipment is not always enough. Alarms MUST make it to fire or police authorities to keep you safe. If your alarm system still uses a phone line to communicate to central station, you’re not getting the most of your monitoring service and more importantly, your safety could be at risk. There are communication upgrades available that achieve reliable, affordable, and convenient alarm monitoring. The infographics below highlight the implications and benefits of using phone lines versus network or cellular communication for alarm monitoring, why making the move to newer technology is imperative now, and some tips if you decide to continue using phone lines.
3 reasons to pull the plug on phone lines
- Unreliable – Phone lines experience frequent outages, delays in alarm notification and dispatch, and are vulnerable to malicious intent with one simple cut
- Expensive – Due to their higher costs, traditional analog land lines are being replaced with less expensive IP-based phone lines, which are not compatible with alarm systems
- Inconvenient – Working from home makes it a challenge to be onsite when issues arise, and phone lines do not allow for mobile or web access to your system
5 benefits of network & cellular communication
- Increased reliability minimizes disruptive notifications or lack of notification and dispatch during a REAL emergency
- Faster transmission of alarms during a critical moment can decrease response time of authorities and minimize damage and theft
- Availability of convenient mobile and cloud-based apps allows you to arm/disarm your system, troubleshoot onsite activity, manage user codes, and analyze usage reports from wherever you are
- Affordability; it bypasses the need for expensive and unreliable phone lines
- Increased safety and security; it cannot be destroyed by simply cutting a cord, and is supervised for functionality multiple times per minute vs. once a day with phone lines
As phone carriers continue to replace traditional phone lines with IP based infrastructure that is NOT compatible with alarm systems and as people continue to work from home, the time to consider network or cellular communication is now. Without reliable communication, protection for the things that matter to you is at risk. If you do use phone lines for alarm monitoring, at the very least, test your alarm communication regularly, pay attention to red flags that indicate issues, and be aware of things that could disrupt communication.
We know that updating aged technology is not always exciting and results in unplanned expenses, but there are ways to leverage newer technology while minimizing the cost. Then you can sleep peacefully, knowing the things that are important to you are safe.
If you need help exploring the options to upgrade your alarm system communication, GET IN TOUCH.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.