Security & Fraud

Back-up communication a necessity

If you're paying monitoring fees for your home alarm system and don't know what a cellular or radio back-up is, you could be wasting your money. Get in the know, by contacting your alarm company and ask about their " line cut protection " options.

Many alarm companies fail to provide adequate information regarding phone line cuts because they believe it is not a common occurrence in residential robberies. Because of this, thieves often capitalize on consumer's security shortcomings to help nourish their perfidious habit . 

I agree that home burglaries for the most part are executed by opportunists who capture the moment without any premeditated thoughts. However I feel the homeowner has a right to all information culminating in a complete security evaluation of their home. This would assure the utmost safety for themselves and their family.

Part of an alarm companies obligation is to set out all monitoring options to the homeowner. Pros and cons should be discussed with the consumer, determining which is their best option. They need to know that if a phone line is cut, yes the audible alarm will sound, but the alarm panel cannot make contact with the monitoring station. For the most part the noise will be enough to scare the novice thief away.

But before anybody gets the wrong idea, take heed. More and more people are installing cellular back-up as a solution against line cuts. Cellular back-up is an affordable and reliable way to keep the lines of communication open between your home and monitoring station in the event of a line cut.

If your phone line is cut for any reason, a cellular back-up system can leap into action setting up communication between your alarm and monitoring station via digital cellular signals. This is usually done on a secure all digital portion of the cellular network that assures no busy signals or dropped calls.

This back-up system is not meant to replace your regular phone line because it is strictly what the name implies, a back-up. The radio cellular transceiver is hardwired to the control panel. In the event of an alarm, the radio transmits a signal to the cellular network on its control channel.This is the same technology that enables a cellular phone to make calls outside their local areas.

Once communication has been made, your alarm system will send two signals to the monitoring station. One is your regular phone service and the other is the cellular. In the event one or the other service is disrupted through construction mishaps, telephone outages, weather conditions or line cuts, a signal is more likely to get to the monitoring center.

So call your alarm installer to-day and ask about there cellular back-up charges, and don't let the extra minimal monthly fees dictate whether your home is secure or not.

Please e-mail your security questions to Fourchalk@telus.net.