In the past few weeks, we’ve seen several breakdowns in our communication infrastructure. Cox Communications had a major failure a couple of weeks ago. A few weeks prior to that network outage, one of the major telephone carriers in central Arkansas experience a major switch outage that affected portions of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. I receive updates on cellular carriers experiencing outages almost weekly. With all of these issues, it is important to know what your communication options are.
There are four ways for security systems to be monitored:
1 – Phone lines or POTS (plain ol’ telephone service)
2 – Cellular
3 – Network
4 – Two-way radio
Each of these has advantages and disadvantages which should be weighed heavily when deciding how your system communicates to our UL Listed / FM Approved Central Station.
Phone lines
Phone lines have existed for over 100 years and have been regularly used for monitoring alarm systems since the 1960s. Until the conversion to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), these lines were very reliable and had a phone company supported power supply, so they worked when the power was out. Communication companies began using their existing wiring for new services, like DSL, and the reliability began to suffer. VoIP began taking over and the reliability continues to suffer. For several years, many have speculated that POTS lines would terminate sooner rather than later. Some states have even passed laws that would provide a sunset date for POTS.
https://highspeedexperts.com/internet-providers/att-ending-pots/
In addition to the reliability of the communication, there has been an issue with burglars and fires disabling the phone service before the signal could be communicated to the central station. A national news correspondent showed a news story stating that all you had to do to defeat a security system is to cut the phone line.
Using phone lines also made it difficult to communicate back to the customers’ security system. Code changes, zone changes, and other feature enhancements can be performed remotely, provided we could bypass the answer machine, fax machine, call waiting, call forwarding, and other services provided by the communication company. Site visit service calls were created that shouldn’t have been necessary because the phone service features prevented us from being able to access the customers’ security systems.
Underwriters Laboratory gave this communication type a Grade A reliability. Commercial fire alarm systems that utilized POTS had to use two lines and communicate to two different numbers, utilizing two different long-distance providers.
If phone lines are used by our customers, we strongly recommend they add an additional communication service to enhance the reliability.
Cellular
Cellular communication is by far the most common communication method used by new systems. While more expensive than phone lines, networking, or two-way voice, it also provides the most flexibility. Each security system is provided its own dedicated communication path, which allows direct access to the system from the customer using an app on their smart device, and the alarm company to access to perform code changes and other remote services.
Reliability is like it is with your own cell phone. Do you ever drop a call? Do you ever show no service when you are close to a tower? A security system utilizing a cellular pathway will be similar. I am on a list serve that is utilized by cellular companies. We see weekly (almost) failures by one of the cellular providers or their clearinghouses.
Very few of these security systems communicate directly to the central station. Because you want to access your system via a smart phone app, the service provider operates a clearinghouse between you and your system. This is one more point of failure in the communication path. If AlarmNet, Alarm.com, SecureCom Wireless, or any of these other clearinghouses have an issue, you security system will be affected.
Underwriters Laboratory gives cellular communicators a Grade AA rating, which is the best of the best. There are certain provisions which must be met (periodic check-in, listed equipiment, etc.), but cellular can also be commercial fire alarm systems’ sole path for communication.
Network
Any customer with a reliable broadband internet connection can and should use network communication as a form of communication. There is no additional monthly fee for a phone line or cellular connection as you are already paying for the communication path. Most of the newer security systems have network communication as an option, or built in from the factory. Older systems can add a new internet module to allow them to communicate via the network.
Network also allows the remote connection from your smart device app, although a clearinghouse may be necessary if there are no static IPs or dynamic DNS. The connection from your smart phone app to your security system is usually much quicker over a network versus cellular.
Reliability is dependent on your internet connection. Guard Tronic utilizes three internet service providers to ensure our connectivity is constant, exceeding the UL standard. If your network is “flaky” or if your IT department regularly makes changes to the firewalls, your reliability will be impacted.
Underwriters Laboratory gives network communicators a Grade AA rating, which is the best of the best. There are certain provisions which must be met (periodic check-in, listed equipment, etc.), but network can also be commercial fire alarm systems’ sole path for communication.
Two-way radio
Unlike the previous three communication methods, two-way radio does NOT rely on a third-party service provider. It works even Verizon is experiencing issues. It works when Cox or Comcast has a major outage. Your system will communicate to the central station even if the burglar cuts the phone line. Reliability is as good as your alarm company in maintaining the equipment.
The major disadvantage of two-way radio is that it is engineered for reliability, not convenience. The manufacturer doesn’t allow a smart phone app to connect to your system via the radio. If you wish to have the flexibility of a smart phone app with lights, locks, thermostats, and arm/disarm capabilities, you will need to add an additional communication method, such as cellular or network. However, because there is no wire to cut, it is much more difficult to circumvent or defeat.
The second disadvantage of two-way radio communicators is the limited range. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) restricts the communicators to two watts. Depending on geography, that is usually a few miles. Because of this restriction, Guard Tronic can offer this service in the Fort Smith area and in Northwest Arkansas, but not Muskogee, Little Rock, or Forrest City.
The third disadvantage is very few alarm companies offer this service. Guard Tronic is the only provider in Arkansas, and one of three companies in Oklahoma. There is no additional monthly fee, but the alarm company must apply for, and receive a license from the FCC to operate two-way radio service. The initial cost of the receiving equipment is also cost prohibitive, so most companies won’t purchase the equipment.
One of the many advantages of two-way radio is the technology. Cell phones have gone from AMPS, to 2G, to 3G, to LTE, and now 5Ge. Each upgrade to the technology usually requires replacing a cell card or SIM card to work on the new service. Likewise there will be an IPv4 to IPv6 conversion in network communicators requiring each customer to update/upgrade their technology. Not so with two-way radio. Once the frequencies are issued by the FCC, the technology has remained consistent for decades. There are no expensive upgrades necessary to the communication path.
Underwriters Laboratory gives two-way communicators a Grade AA rating, which is the best of the best. There are certain provisions which must be met (periodic check-in, listed equipment, etc.), but two-way radio communicators can also be commercial fire alarm systems’ sole path for communication.
Summary
Guard Tronic recommends all customers utilize multiple paths of communication. Cellular and network are the two most common, but subject to many of the same service providers and outages. We also recommend all customers move away from phone lines (POTS) because of the pending sunset.
If you would like to discuss communication methods, or upgrading your existing system, please call us.
Guard Tronic, Inc.
(800) 542-7866