Nearly all businesses, private and government facilities, schools and hospitals have Professional Security Monitoring and specific Security Responses. This service enables a Security Monitoring Room or Centre to monitor the status of your security system/s live, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When we start monitoring a new customer's security system, they are required to complete a form with very specific instructions for us to follow for each type of alarm type and event.
Security Monitoring Connection Types
Your security monitoring can be achieved by a few different methods, some more secure and reliable than others. Depending on your security requirements, you may utilise more than one of these methods to provide a redundancy communication method.
IP Monitoring
This type of security monitoring will generally utilise the internet services available on the site's local PC network to communicate with our Monitoring Room.
Pros
This is the cheapest Security Monitoring service other than Self-Monitoring
Quite reliable, provided you have a good stable internet connection and power source to maintain your local network and internet connection.
Most systems we use and recommend can also be managed and configured via the local network when connected this way.
Cons
Reliant on a constant power source and local internet connection. In the event of a power outage, the connection is lost with the loss of internet.
Requires a local internet service and modem.
GSM Monitoring
This is when the Security System can accept an active SIM Card enabling communication with the Security Monitoring Room via the 4G Cellular Network.
Pros
More reliable than IP Monitoring as it uses the cellular network for communications which remains accessible/ operation in a power outage.
As the SIM is installed in the systems onboard communications module, it can utilise the systems backup battery enabling continued operations and communications in the event of a power outage.
Cons
A data plan is required for the SIM Card, which incurs minor additional costs.
Only one SIM slot is generally available on most Security Systems. This means if there is an issue with that service provider, the connection to the Security Monitoring room is lost/ interrupted.
4G Communications Module Monitoring
For this service, we would install a 4G Communications Module onto your Security Systems. These modules allow communication with the Security Monitoring Room via the 4G Cellular network and will utilise SIM Cards from two different providers to ensure redundancy in the event of a service issue with one of the providers.
These modules also come with a smartphone Application enabling remote operation of your security system, as well as operating controllable outputs on the module.
These modules can also come with a data service and ethernet port to allow for a local internet connection to other devices such as CCTV Network Video Recorders (NVR) or a small local network.
Pros
Dual SIM Card, enabling redundancy in the event of service outage with one of the providers and increasing security.
Smartphone App for remote operation
Controllable outputs
Cons
Costs more than other options
Requires the one-time purchase of the communications module which needs to be installed professionally.
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