| Alarm Monitoring in the Cellular and Internet Age | | | | it possible for some solutions providers to allow |
| The onslaught of mobile phones, Voice over IP | | | | the use of regular low cost 'off the shelf' VoIP |
| and Instant Messaging has changed the way we | | | | ATA's for the reliable transmission of alarm signals |
| communicate. GSM and fixed & wireless | | | | over the Internet. This obviously provides huge |
| Internet is becoming more widespread and less | | | | cost benefits to both installers and end users as |
| expensive each year and this will have an effect | | | | devices can be sourced locally and existing |
| on the way security systems might communicate | | | | Internet connections can be utilized as the |
| in the future. Consumers are ever keener to take | | | | transmission path. |
| advantage of new technologies and it is important | | | | It should be noted that these solutions do not use |
| that the security industry adapts quickly and does | | | | or rely on the services of a VoIP service |
| not get left behind. | | | | provider. Afully controlled connection direct from |
| Demise of the Public Switched Telephone | | | | the VoIP ATA device to the monitoring server |
| Network | | | | effectively creates a private network. |
| For decades, PSTN has been the chosen | | | | CONS: All fixed wire IP solutions are subject to |
| communication platform for the transmission of | | | | sabotage from line cut which prevent devices |
| alarm signals. Today, many are predicting its days | | | | connecting to the network. |
| are numbered. Two transmission paths have | | | | Dual Path Signaling |
| emerged as the preferred methods of | | | | Even trusty old PSTN was not immune from |
| communication between an alarm panel and | | | | network failure and was definitely prone to line |
| Monitoring Centre - IP (the Internet) and GSM. | | | | cut attacks. The line cut vulnerability has been |
| This article will examine the pros and cons of | | | | removed with the supervised connections |
| each. | | | | incorporated by IP and GPRS solutions but it is |
| GSM Wireless Networks | | | | clear that even they cannot guarantee 100% |
| In today's high tech world, almost everybody | | | | network uptime. |
| owns a mobile phone. The perception is that GSM | | | | With this in mind, many consumers refuse to rely |
| networks are very reliable and rarely suffer from | | | | 100% on a single transmission path and insist on a |
| network outages. This makes GSM a viable | | | | secondary backup path. There are several |
| platform for alarm communications and three | | | | combinations that can be used to provide a dual |
| different technologies can be employed for signal | | | | path solution with different levels of security. The |
| transmission - SMS, Voice and Data. | | | | lowest level dual path solution is provided by using |
| The reliability of SMS varies greatly from country | | | | a combination of PSTN and GSM. As PSTN |
| to country and delays in message delivery rule it | | | | continues to decline and neither path allows for |
| out from being considered a serious option in | | | | cost efficient network supervision, this is not a |
| countries where messages can often be delayed | | | | future-proof option. |
| for many hours. In countries that do not | | | | A more popular combination for cost sensitive |
| experience such delays, SMS can be a good low | | | | applications is the use of the Internet as the |
| cost method of alarm communication, however, it | | | | primary path and GSM Voice as the secondary |
| is often not popular with alarm monitoring | | | | path. The Internet path benefits from network |
| companies as it opens up the possibility of self | | | | supervision and the GSM path can take over if |
| monitoring where messages can be sent directly | | | | the primary path fails. Certain model VoIP ATA's |
| to the end users mobile phone. | | | | used in conjunction with GSM dialer have the |
| The use of a GSM Dialer/Communicator allows an | | | | ability to send signals over the Internet when a |
| alarm panel modem to dial out and make a phone | | | | panel dials the primary telephone number and |
| call to the Monitoring Centre over the GSM | | | | over the GSM network when it dials the |
| network. When a conventional analogue alarm | | | | secondary telephone number. |
| receiver answers the call, an audio/voice channel | | | | A similar level of security can be provided by |
| is opened up and the alarm panel can | | | | using GPRS as the primary path and PSTN as the |
| communicate with the receiver just as it would | | | | secondary path. Some solutions providers claim a |
| over a PSTN line. This technology benefits from | | | | dual path capability by using GPRS as the primary |
| being alarm protocol independent and industry | | | | path and GSM Voice or SMS as a secondary path. |
| experts claim a transmission success rate of | | | | Others claim dual path capability by using two |
| somewhere between 80% and 100%. | | | | GPRS SIM cards. These claims are somewhat |
| PROS: Both SMS and Voice benefit from low | | | | misguided as a GSM jammer will effectively |
| equipment costs and low network rates. | | | | prevent all communications over the GSM |
| CONS: SMS and Voice technologies do not allow | | | | network regardless of which method is used. GSM |
| for the cost efficient supervision of a connection | | | | can only ever be treated as a single path even |
| to the Monitoring Centre and often the first | | | | though it allows for 3 different methods (SMS, |
| anyone gets to know about sabotage or network | | | | Voice & GPRS) of transmission. |
| failure is when a scheduled signal, or worse, an | | | | High security applications demand two |
| emergency signal fails to arrive. | | | | independently supervised transmission paths and |
| GPRS Wireless Networks | | | | this is usually achieved by using the Internet as |
| The use of a GPRS data plan overcomes this | | | | the primary path and GPRS as the secondary |
| problem and allows constant supervision of the | | | | path. Both are fully supervised, so even if the |
| connectionbetween the protected premises and | | | | primary Internet path fails the system is left with |
| the Monitoring Centre. A GPRS device uses the | | | | a supervised alternative path. |
| GSM network to achieve an 'always on' wireless | | | | Some solutions providers claim that by using a |
| connection to the Internet. Once connected, it can | | | | combination of broadband Internet, GPRS, GSM, |
| communicate using Internet Protocols (IP) just like | | | | PSTN and |
| any other Internet enabled device. This allows the | | | | Dialup Internet their product supports 5 paths. As |
| sending of regular heartbeats to the monitoring | | | | both broadband and Dialup Internet generally |
| server so that any equipment failure, sabotage or | | | | depend on the availability of a PSTN line and |
| loss of network can be detected within seconds. | | | | GPRS depends on a GSM connection a more |
| GPRS devices do not support audio/voice | | | | accurate claim would be that such a solution can |
| communications, so any alarm signals using | | | | use 5 different methods of communication over |
| standard protocols such as Ademco Contact ID | | | | two independent transmission paths. A dual path |
| or Fast Format have to be converted from | | | | solution with bells and whistles. |
| analogue to digital within the device itself. This is | | | | Remote Programming and Audio Verification |
| referred to as Dialer Capture. GPRS enabled | | | | If it is important for your company to retain the |
| devices are more expensive than SMS and Voice | | | | ability to remotely program control panels or to |
| devices and the cost of data plans vary widely | | | | open up a two way audio connection to the |
| from country to country. Asian countries tend to | | | | monitored site then you should carefully consider |
| have very reasonable rates whereas rates in | | | | which of the above mentioned solutions you |
| North America are very restrictive. | | | | chose. It is not possible to open up an audio path |
| CONS: All of the GSM technologies are vulnerable | | | | using GPRS. It is possible using GSM voice and |
| to sabotage from a GSM Jammer which can be | | | | PSTN, however, both usually attract call charges. |
| used to prevent devices from connecting to the | | | | You should check that the solutions provider |
| network. | | | | supports both client and server initiated remote |
| IP Networks (the Internet) | | | | programming connections to the panel. |
| Due to the widespread availability of the Internet, | | | | Some control panel manufacturers allow remote |
| a large number of consumers are turning to voice | | | | programming over the Internet but this method is |
| over IP for voice service. For the continuity of | | | | proprietary and restricted to their particular brand. |
| clear telephone calls from human to human it's a | | | | The preferred universal method is to use an audio |
| simple case of unplugging your analogue telephone | | | | connection over the Internet from a solution that |
| handset from the PSTN line and plugging it into an | | | | incorporates a VoIP ATA as the primary |
| analogue terminal adapter to make and receive | | | | transmission device. Such devices have the ability |
| calls over the Internet. The human ear is very | | | | to reliably transmit alarm signals, allow operators |
| forgiving and even though delays and echo in | | | | to have two way voice conversations and allow |
| voice conversations can sometimes be | | | | Alarm Companies to remotely program any make |
| off-putting, both parties are usually able to | | | | of alarm panel over the Internet. |
| understand each other. | | | | Summary |
| Unfortunately, this is not the case with alarm | | | | The cost and availability of the various networks, |
| communications. Somewhere between converting | | | | existing equipment and infrastructure, insurance |
| analogue into digital, traveling over the wire and | | | | requirements and other concerns may ultimately |
| converting digital back to analogue, things like | | | | determine which solutions you chose to migrate |
| noise and latency are introduced and along with | | | | from the analogue to digital world. My hope is that |
| other problems with VoIP networks, can cause | | | | this article has helped cover some of the more |
| alarm communications to fail. | | | | technical aspects of the decision making process |
| An in depth knowledge of alarm panel protocols, | | | | and makes your transition as smooth as possible. |
| alarm receivers and Internet protocols has made | | | | |