Things To Know

IF YOUR USING VOICE-OVER-IP (VOIP) THAT IS TO SAY, VERIZON OR COMCAST BROADBAND FOR YOUR TELEPHONE SERVICE THEN YOU NEED TO READ THIS... THERE IS A DOWN-SIDE IF YOUR ALARM USES YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS TELEPHONE SERVICE AND YOU HAVE BROADBAND TELEPHONE SERVICE...
Unlike the days when your alarm was connected to old Verizon copper phone lines, (you may still be connected to old copper lines) today's broadband phone connections to your alarm are quite different. Among the differences is one very important thing to note. Ever wonder why when you had a power outage your hardwired telephone still continued to work? (Cordless phones are the exception.) Well it's because the "power" for your telephone came directly from your providers facility, their central office. With Broadband service providers, (VOIP), it's all different. You now have your house phones (and alarm system) connected to a "MODEM" or a "ROUTER" which provides your dial tone. In addition, your MODEM and ROUTER is powered from YOUR HOUSE POWER, and NOT from your phone service provider. This means that if you have a power outage at your house or place of business AND YOU HAVE A SMALL OR NO BACKUP POWER SUPPLY CONNECTED TO YOUR MODEM AND/OR ROUTER, YOUR HOUSE PHONES WILL NOT WORK AND YOUR ALARM SYSTEM CANNOT CALL OUT DURING AN ALARM EVENT. With a fiber optic installation from a major provider, you typically get a small power supply backup for your home or business installation but it will only last a very short time and after that, the modem and your connection to the outside world is lost until the main power to your home or business is restored. Although there may be a small internal backup battery for the modem, typically a broadband cable provider does not install any external auxiliary indoor backup power supply with their modem installation in your home or place of business. The bottom line is either to ask them for one or purchase one of your own. A high capacity UPS (a backup power supply that can be purchased from us at a discounted price) is an option, however, these power supplies are only for very short duration power outages and will not sustain your phone service for long. SOLUTION: In most cases we can offer you a cellular central station backup that will take care of a phone service outage during an alarm emergency! Call us for more information on this important short-coming to Broadband telephone service and what it means to your security. NOTE: Fire alarms by code require 24 hours of battery backup. Legislation allows the telephone service providers to supply a maximum of only 8 hours of alarm backup time.