It’s not enough to just have an alarm system. If there is an alarm, someone needs to hear it and help the residents if needed. The siren will alerte, but if nobody is there to hear it. Someone should reach them or reach the owner of the building. That’s where the monitoring central station comes in.
What is Monitoring Central Station ?
A monitoring station is a centre staffed 24 hours a day, and has receivers that understand the signals the alarm panel sends. Because alarm systems reports all events signals into there. Therefore, it requires sophisticated software and trained personnel to analyze every situation and dispatch appropriate responders.
When an alarm situation occurs. The operator must be sur that it’s not a false alarm. Otherwise he calls a police for a rescue. However, if a panic button is triggered. The operator prompts the police force
How a system communicates?
We can program the alarm systems to communicate with a monitoring station. It could communicate through 3 ways:
- Phone line (PTSN): it’s the classical phone lines that connects locals through a cable
- Cellular: Refers to the technology standards of cellular network. There is 3 Generations of cellular communication: 2G (GSM). 3G and 4G(LTE, WiMAX) .
- Internet: uses an IP (internet protocol) connection to send signals from the control panel. Thus, the communicator connects to the building local area network. Or LAN the same as any other computer at the premise
The monitoring station components
- Receiver
The digital equipment that receives. Decodes and communicates to an automation system or operator alarm signals and data from a protected premise.
It can receive events from thousands of alarm systems. Then process them to the software management application. Besides, it must support different Telephone. Radio protocols and ethernet communication
- Repeater
It’s An electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it at a higher level or power to cover longer distances. That is to say It’s aim is to expand radio signals of monitoring station and relay them to the decoder
- The Software
It configures the receiver and the decoder. In other words. It helps to manage communication format and advanced events
How central monitoring station handles alarm situations?
When the system signals an alarm. The monitoring stations adopte basic guidelines Which are:
- Call the premise owner to verify if he really needs help. Therfore
- The owner must provide confirmation or password verification
- Dispatch authorities
As false alarms can happen. If the owner confirms that no emergency exists. The process may end without alert.
However. The station call authorties in These cases
- Hold Up and Panic Alarms
- Fire alarms
- Medical alarms
- Duress alarms
Benefits of a central station
- All events are reported. Records of events signals are received. As a result, ther is history of operations.
- The system is supervised. Then, trouble signals are signaled. As a result, the operator notifies the owner. Eventually he prompts a technician for repair.
- Alarm signals received. In this case, Alert the owner or the manager to make sur that it is not a false alarm. Then dispatch the appropriate authorities
Self-monitored systems
The alarm system sends alerts to the owners mobile app. Then it’s up to him to handle the situation.
Advantages of self-monitored systems
- No or low monthly fees
- No false alarm penalties because it’s up to him to call authorities or not
- Flexible and Easy to relocate
Self-monitored systems disadvantages
- no assistance because the owner has to install himself the system
- no back up as often those systems have no batteries
- The owner has to manage alarm situation. As a result, there is more stress
- The only link to the system is through the phone app. As a result, can’t get notification if there is no phone
Monitoring station challenges
Monitoring companies set target times in terms of handling alarm issues. In addition to that, monitoring accuracy and excellence is the biggest challenge. Therefore, increasing automation and innovation like IP solutions is very popular in the monitoring industry.
