KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
******************************
Comments on central station technical errors can't keep up with technology
May 28, 2025
******************
Comments on central station technical errors can't keep up with technology from article on May 23, 2025
******************
Ken,
After reviewing the article, I noted a recurring issue with customer communication over phone lines to the central station. It's important to clarify that the described problem doesn't appear to be a central station issue. The dealer's account points to a customer panel transmitting 4x2 over phones, an outdated technology likely indicating a system over 25 years old. These older systems were not built for modern phone infrastructures.
The alarm industry has faced challenges due to infrastructure modernization, especially the phasing out of copper lines. Customers often resist upgrading their equipment and instead blame alarm companies for communication failures. However, the root issue often lies with the age and compatibility of their own systems.
The dealer mentions a commercial fire alarm, and it's worth considering that in the time it's been in place, significant building upgrades, such as roof replacements, have likely occurred as nothing lasts forever, certainly not a fire alarm system. Dealers need to educate clients about technology lifecycles and assist with future planning and budgeting. A 30-year-old commercial fire alarm may not meet current codes and likely needs an upgrade. This upgrade, rather than central station issues, is often where the real problem lies.
While I can't comment on the specific central station in the article, it's important to understand that even the most advanced central stations can not resolve issues with outdated client panels and communicators on modern phone lines. The underlying issues are with those client systems.
Thank you,
Aaron L. Wahrsager, President
Nationwide Central Station Monitoring Corp.
(800) 221-0826 x142
aaronlw@nationwidedigital.com
***********************
Ken:-
I read with interest the concerns expressed by “Anon” about his problems with his central station – Technology May 23/25). Based on the limited descriptions given in the original message I have to suggest that changing central stations may be a good example of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. I don’t think the current CS has changed their interpretation of 4-2 signals. This is more likely an incompatibility between the alarm panel, the dial tone provider, the communication provider and the central stations telco provider. Four-two format is very susceptible to data corruption as a result of telco providers employing VoIP technology in their networks. I would bet that the test messages that were shown in Anony’s panel as being transmitted were actually received at the CS on some other account. (A test signal erroneously received on an unrelated account would not be noticed.) Suggest that a change of format to Contact-ID or other problem investigation would be a whole lot easier than dumping the current CS.
David Currie – Founder
Security Response Center
506 Christina Street North
Sarnia Ontario N7T 5W4
Direct Phone: 1-866-337-1234
DaveCurrie8663371234@gmail.com
*********************
Hi Ken,
It's not the 1980's anymore.
I don't believe that it is fair to criticize the central station, any central station any more for technical issues when there is a phone line being used.
Back in the 1980's we delt with at&t. after the first mile from the protected premises there was a small but known group of companies that processed the signal from the popular digital dialer to the central station. In most cases it was one of the Local exchange companies (LEC) that was spun off from at&t in the divestiture to broke up the monopoly. The LEC handed off to the long distance carrier and the more advanced for the time central stations had direct connections to their long distance carrier for the delivery to the central station receiver.
Today, there are such a variety of vendors at each stage of the life of a digital communication transmission that no one can trace the path of a signal. At the local premises there is the traditional LEC, the cable company, satellite-based systems like Starlink and any number of cellular carriers that sell or rent a box that recreates POT's service locally. If that was not enough, there are carriers that carry calls on long distance fiber optic connections that charge the paying party (caller or recipient, such as for a toll-free number) the fee to transport the call for that segment of the distance. Then the call is given to the carriers for the central station after it's given to the LEC that provides the last mile to the central station. If this is not crazy enough, the midway carriers sell time on their circuits based on usage levels, just like Uber and congestion pricing. So the first carrier can select a different midspan carrier completely on the fly, which can change at a moments notice, without notice to the less expensive carrier.
I have written here before that POT's phone lines are going away because of cost the LEC's don't want to repair them and the Biden administration FCC approved a plan to not force the LEC's to maintain the service anymore.
The answer, IP and cellular for redundancy or proprietary radio.
Only proprietary radio is 100% controlled by the central station and the premises equipment..
The next best and cost-effective method is Cellular or cellular/IP (for redundancy) because the manufacturers are operating the Network Operations Center in the middle (between premises and central station).
Overall, going back to the original post about technology, the answer I give you here is all digital and not analog or hybrid analog to take a analog signal and put it on a digital path.
To assist our USA dealers, we have been running the best promotion in the industry for M2M transmitters in the industry, they are affordable and ultra reliable.
Next, we strictly adhere to the suggested dealer pricing from AlarmNet by Resideo for service fees.
Signals from both M2M (machine 2 machine) and AlarmNet, as well as the others are delivered to our central stations via IP, digital from start to finish with full redundancy right down to the carriers for each central station.
Finally, no one can guarantee consistent signal delivery if there is a phone line anywhere in the path. State of the art today is digital from end to end for the highest reliability in normal conditions. But also consider that even cellular communications are almost non-existent after natural disasters that we saw in North Carolina last year and Kentucky this year so far.
Bart A. Didden, President
U.S.A. Central Station Alarm Corp.
Port Chester, NY
Milford, CT
St. Paul, MN
Pasco, WA
877-872-1266
************************
Response
***********************
Thank you to these central stations who took the time to address this important topic. Be sure your central station is an engaged and helpful partner.
*********************
STANDARD FORM AGREEMENTS: To order up to date Standard Form Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements click here: www.alarmcontracts.com
***************************
CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304.
***********************
WEBINARS: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-webinars
***********************
ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily
********************
Wondering how much your alarm company is worth?
Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth
***********************
THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily
*************************
PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ken-kirschenbaum-presents/id1794851477
*************************
Getting on our email list / Articles archived:
Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up.
**************************
Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
|
