Effective Fire Alarm Signal Transmission

Telguard TG-7

Fire Alarm Monitoring of commercial buildings is a fact of modern life. The fire alarm sounds after a manual or automatic device activates it. The system transmits the signal to a company like us. From here we employ professional dispatchers to send the proper agency to respond. Fire trucks roll with sirens blaring to the site where the alarm is sounding. We all know that when the fire alarm sounds, help will be on the way.

For many years the Fire Alarm Systems transmitted those signals to the dispatchers using only telephone lines. For decades now the fire code in the United States dictates that two phone lines need to connect to the fire alarm control panels. That way there is redundancy if either phone line goes down. When this happens a “telco trouble” report transmits from the working line to alert the monitoring company of the problem. This means if one phone line is cut or fails the alarm will still transmit on the back up line. This way of communicating from two old phone lines is now the most expensive way to set up your fire alarm.

With the advent of modern communication, there are now several methods to send the signals that will roll those trucks. For most Commercial Building applications, the most effective and reliable method is via Cellular Communicators.

Cellular Communicators are not the same as cell phones. Unlike the old copper lines there is no phone number that can reach a dispatch center. Instead they transmit the alarm signals over the modern cellular network in data bursts through secure supervised networks to the receiver at the dispatch center. If the network has an issue, a trouble report is sent just like the “telco trouble” from the old setup.

What is the Cost of Cellular Communicators?

The best part about Cellular Communicators is that the monthly charges for carrying the signal are a part of the building owner’s monitoring fee. So the end user pays no carrier fees. Those two old commercial phone lines are now billed at between $45 & $75 per month, per line by the traditional carriers. Because of that expense, our IFS clients that have converted from the old two phone line method to Cellular Communicators break even on the new equipment in  12 to 18 months. Following that break-even period, it is all savings at as much as $90 per month. And of course you can still be sure those fire trucks will be rolling should your alarm ever sound.

If you are interested in losing your old phone lines and the monthly bill that goes along with it, please give us a call at 888-987-5322. We will be happy to discuss the details of your specific situation.

-The IFS Team