VoIP Issue
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Warning!
Changing to VoIP telephone service will disrupt the communication
of your traditional Burglar/Fire Alarm with the Central Station Monitoring Company.
What Is VoIP?
VoIP is a new internet or cable phone service option available to anyone with a high speed modem. VoIP allows phone calls to be made over an internet connection instead of through the traditional phone lines Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). VoIP offers unlimited local, regional and long-distance calling within the US and Canada along with popular calling features, at an attractively low monthly rate when compared to traditional phone service. However, at this time VoIP is not fully regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), because it is viewed as a service option, not a primary means of telephone communication. Consequently, while there are standards being created to promote uniformity, there is nothing mandating that all VoIP service providers abide by these standards. The process of transmitting voice as digitized data used in VoIP has created an unreliable means of communication between security systems and monitoring centers. Many VoIP suppliers actually specify in their literature and web pages that alarm systems should not be connected to VoIP. They encourage customers to keep one POTS line available for emergencies, such as 9-1-1, which also does not always work through VoIP.
The following statements have been taken from the corresponding websites of companies offering VoIP services.
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Prior to your AT&T U-verse Voice installation, AT&T strongly recommends that you notify your alarm company of your switch to AT&T U-verse Voice service and your scheduled U-verse installation date in order for your alarm company to test and check the status of your alarm system with you prior to installation and once installation is complete.
You will be responsible for testing your home alarm system with your alarm company after installation of AT&T U-verse Voice is complete, and on an ongoing basis.
If your alarm company determines that your existing alarm panel does not work with AT&T U-verse Voice, your alarm company may be able to install an alternative alarm panel that will work with AT&T U-verse Voice, or a panel that uses cellular phone service, or an IP-based panel that uses your Internet access service. (Talk to your home alarm company about these alternatives and any additional equipment and/or monitoring service charges). Note: If your alarm company installs an IP-based panel that will use AT&T U-verse High Speed Internet as the communications pathway, you must ensure you have functioning battery backup power for your Residential Gateway (and your Optical Network Terminal, if you have one) for your high speed Internet service to work with your alarm panel during a power outage. See learn more about AT&T U-verse Voice and Residential Gateway with Battery Backup.
Verizon Voice Wing, as a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service, differs from regular telephone service... Voicewing will not work if the power is out... Voicewing will not support home security systems.
A telephone based monitored alarm system uses a phone line to contact a central monitoring center in the event of fire or a break in. The monitoring station usually tries to contact the homeowner to verify the event prior to contacting the police, fire department, or ambulance. "Vonage does not support the use of a telephone based monitored alarm system, and recommends against using a telephone based monitored alarm system with Vonage."
Additionally, it's important to note that while Vonage may work with a home alarm system, we do not recommend it. If for any reason you lose your Internet connectivity - due to a power outage or problem with your Internet service provider, for example - Vonage will not work, and your alarm system will not be able to make an emergency call if it's triggered. For this reason we recommend you keep a basic traditional landline dedicated to your home alarm system and use Vonage for the rest of your calling needs.
Cablevision does not support the use of Optimum Voice as the connection between a customers home security system and central station monitoring, and will neither connect to such services nor provide technical support. Cablevision does not guarantee that Optimum Voice will function as the connection between home security or emergency medical alert systems and central monitoring services, and will neither connect to such services nor provide technical support for the connection.
Taken From Comcast.Com
Q. If my alarm system must be reactivated after my installation, will I be compensated since it's not the fault of my alarm company?
A. No, Comcast does advise customers prior to installation to contact their alarm company to inform them of the installation date and time. Your alarm company should make arrangements to be available on day of your Comcast Digital Voice® service installation.
Q. How does Comcast Digital Voice® service work with monitored home alarm systems?
A. Comcast Digital Voice works with most modern, home alarm systems that use tone dialing and standard data protocols. Comcast does not guarantee that the Comcast Digital Voice (including, without limitation, the feed between the alarm panel and the Comcast-supplied eMTA) will be uninterrupted or compatible with each and every make or model of home alarm systems.
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The following information provides an overview of the problems
associated with VoIP internet and cable phone service,
available solutions and what the future holds
Reasons That VoIP Will Not Work With Your Alarm System
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- When the VoIP adapter was installed it was not wired correctly by the phone or cable technician.
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- The VoIP adapter is wired correctly but signals will still not go through for various reasons, such as the alarm user is accessing other Internet services at the time an alarm goes off.
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- The VoIP service cannot accurately reproduce the sounds from the alarm communicator over the internet or cable service.
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- Even when internet or cable phone service is working fine, alarm signals may cease to transmit properly due to fluctuations in the compression technology which VOIP uses.
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- VoIP providers use different internet communication methods, depending on cost savings, to carry their internet and cable phone service. The customer will not be aware of any change until the alarm system is no longer able to transmit signals.
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- VoIP requires continuous power. If you lose power, you will not be able to use any phone equipment connected to VoIP. More Importantly the security system will not send a signal to your Central Station Monitoring Company.
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- POTS telephone lines are required to have their own power supply and will always work in a typical power outage. VoIP is not required to have a backup power supply and may not reliably work during a power outage.
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- If you have a Fire Alarm it is required by NFPA 72 Fire Code to be a P.O.T.S. line. Therefore you could be fined for using a VoIP line on a fire alarm, not to mention if there was a fire it may not transmit to the authorities causing a delay in the fire company coming out to save lives and may cause major repercussions from your insurance company.
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- If your Alarm System has a line cut feature, it may NOT sound the alarm if the communication line on the outside of your premise is cut. The alarm panel checks the telephone line for voltage that is currently supplied by your telephone company. Certain characteristics of VoIP may lower the voltage and affect the security features of your alarm causing false alarms.
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- Bevan Security will lose the ability to download software changes to your alarm system (adding/deleting users, pass numbers, etc.) A chargeable service call may be necessary to visit your premise to make these changes.
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Bevan Security offers two options that will guarantee that
you alarm will transmit its signals during an alarm condition if you have VoIP.
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Option # 1
We offer a Digicell AnyNET Cellular Back-up Module. This module works independent of your alarm system, with its own power supply and battery backup. This works by detecting an output on the alarm system and then triggering the Cellular back-up to dial the central station and report a general alarm.
Pros
- There are no wires for the "Bad Guys" to cut so its a very secure notification.
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- Its reliable almost 100% of the time (as long as it has a signal from the cellular tower.)
Cons
- It costs a little bit more than most people are willing to spend on an accessory for their alarm, (especially since most people switch to VoIP to save money and now they need to spend some more to get their alarm working properly).
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- We would not be able to communicate with your alarm panel remotely without a telephone line, meaning we would not be able to dial into your panel and make changes for usernames/passwords or any other change that may be needed to be done. A Chargeable service call may be needed for these changes if we cannot "Call the Alarm panel".
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Option # 2
We are proud to offer a brand new service "NET-LINK" Internet Reporting for your alarm system. This service works right along side VoIP and is not affected by its operation. This gives you 100% peace of mind knowing that your alarm signal will be received by our Internet Receiver at our Central Station within seconds of the actual alarm. This process works by installing a module in your alarm panel and connected it to your internet network either by running a cable to your router (if you do not have a router we will provide you with one) or by installing a wireless network connection.
Pros
- With newer Napco panels we will be able to communicate remotely with your panel, meaning making changes remotely in you alarm rather than having to come out for a service call just to change some user names/passwords. It can all be done at our office remotely.
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- This module can provide zone names and user information to central station or if its an older alarm panel we will use several outputs from the panel that will allow us to send a certain signal depending on the alarm condition. (example: Burglar Alarms will send a Burglar Alarm Signal, Fire Alarms will send a Fire Alarm Signal, Medical Alarms will send a Medical Alarm Signal, and so forth.) This way you may not be sending every zone and type to central station, you will be letting them know what type of emergency is happening on you premises. That way the police/EMS can respond accordingly with the help you need.
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- It will work with any burglar alarm panel out there and does not need to be the same brand to communicate with the panel correctly.
Cons
- If you do not have an existing network in your home you may be required to purchase a router and/or a wireless transmitter.
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- Not all panels will be able to be accessed remotely via our programming computer requiring us to come out to make changes to your alarm system.
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- Not all panels will send the zone information to the central receiver.
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VOIP Questions & Answers
Q: Why is it unreliable to send alarm signals through my Voice-over-IP provider, and how does Net Link make it better?
A: When your alarm system tries to transmit a signal through your Voice-over-IP telephone service, it is handled like any other voice phone call. It digitizes the voices and sends them through a gateway that then undigitizes them and turns them back into voices on the other end. With Net Link it sends the alarm signals as data from your Internet module to another Internet module at the central station receiver.
Q: With Bevan Security's Net Link, when my alarm system places a call to the central station, does it go through my Voice-over-IP service?
A: No. Net Link operates directly through your Broadband Internet Connection, and does not use your Voice-over-IP service. It runs alongside, rather than through, your Vonage, AT&T Comcast, or other Voice-over-IP service.
Q: I don't have Voice-over-IP service. Can I still use Net Link?
A: Yes, as long as you have Broadband Internet. Even for customers who have regular telephone lines, Net Link offers the additional convenience of event reporting (such as opens and closes) in real-time without seizing your telephone line. In addition, Netlink offers the additional protection of Line Security, not available with standard telephone hookups.
Q: My security system lets Bevan Security call into it and do things like change codes, get status, or make any other changes remotely. With Net Link, will you still be able to call my security system?
A: Yes & No. Depending on the model of your security system this is possible. Only the Napco 3200 and Napco 9600 panels will allow us to download into the panel remotely. If you have a different name brand or another model of Napco unfortunately this is not possible, a chargeable service call may be required for a technician to make changes via keypad programming.
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