|
Feb 3, 2010
Digital Telephone Service
There are a lot of companies marketing
Digital Telephone Service. Digital telephone is a method of taking analog audio signals, like the kind you hear when you talk on the phone, and turning them into
digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet.
Also known as VOIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, it is
an alternative to POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service),
and many times it's cheaper and/or provides for unlimited calls
for a flat rate per month.
However, with VOIP comes with some landmines that
the consumer needs to be aware of. First and foremost,
if you're going to use it with your alarm system for
reporting alarms, you should know that some alarm manufacturers
don't recommend it. The reason is, the alarm
signal was designed to be sent to the alarm receiver in real
time. It's kind of like having a conversation with
someone sitting across the table from you - when you speak
to them, you speak directly to them and they reply directly
back to you. Using this example, with VOIP, a
conversation with someone sitting across the table from
you would
require you to
speak to the person sitting next to you, who relays the
message to the person next to him and so on until
the message gets to the person at the other end of the
table. The reply comes back to you in the same manner.
Of the VOIP networks, the ones that are most
reliable are the managed networks. Managed networks
are those that provides the service along with the
infrastructure, such as the larger cable companies.
Unmanaged service, on the other hand, uses public internet
and uses an adaptor to connect to it, such as Vonage.
According to Vonage, in their terms of service, they
acknowledge the fact that some home security systems are not
compatible with Vonage service, and that "users may be
required to maintain a telephone connection through their
local exchange carrier in order to use any alarm monitoring
functions for any security system installed in their home or
business. The customer is responsible for contacting the
alarm monitoring company to test the compatibility of any
security system with the service.”
Another issue with VOIP is power outages.
Does your modem and other network equipment have a backup
power source if the power to your house goes down?
While the newer VOIP modems do have backup batteries
installed in them, are those batteries checked and replaced
as necessary to insure that the line will work when the
power goes out?
Lastly, when an alarm system is connected to
a telephone line for monitoring, it is wired in such a way
so that in the event of an alarm, the control panel
disconnects the telephones from the line that the alarm
control uses, so that the alarm panel can have uninterrupted
use of the line. Unless the VOIP installer knows how
to wire the alarm panel in that manner, there is a risk that
the alarm panel will not be able to properly access the line
in order to transmit the alarm signal.
So how does one make a decision on whether to
rely on this technology for their alarm service? It's
not an easy answer. We've asked alarm manufacturers
and received answers such as "it should work".
Pretty non-committal, I think.
We've seen quite a few systems connected to
VOIP lines, and the majority work well, again, with a
managed network. We've also seen some missed signals,
which is not acceptable. Will everything work if and
when there is a real alarm activation?
Like it or not, VOIP is here to stay, and
every day is claiming a larger share of the telephone
market. It's getting better and better, and one day
may even be as good as POTS lines for transmitting alarm
signals. We don't believe they're quite there yet.
However, if you decide that a VOIP line is
right for you, make sure the installing company knows that
you have an alarm system. You should make sure that the
alarm system is working after the line is installed. Test
the alarm before the installers leave. Make sure that
whoever monitors your alarm is aware that you're going to
test your system, and make sure that they get the alarm
signals!
If you need a higher degree of reliability
along with your VOIP connection, please give us a call.
We do have alternate solutions, such as radio transmitters and also internet
communicators. Give us a call, we're here to help!
|
