Traditional phone lines use a copper line to send the communication signal to the alarm monitoring company. The phone line is typically used by both the household and the alarm system.
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| Pros |
Cons |
- Traditional phone lines are known as the most reliable of the services.
- Monitoring service connected by a traditional phone line can operate during power outages via power from the phone company.
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- Traditional phone lines utilize copper lines, which are vulnerable to both natural and deliberate outages.
- Since traditional phone lines depend on dial up, the connection is slower than other services.
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Cellular radio signals use wireless digital transmission, just like your cell phone, to transmit alarm signals to the monitoring station.
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| Pros |
Cons |
- In comparison to other phone services, cellular radio can carry more data at greater speeds.
- Since the connection is wireless, cellular radio is generally tamper-proof, so deliberate outages are rare.
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- Cellular radio devices require power at home to operate. During a power outage, the alarm relies on a back up battery for operation. Back up batteries generally last between 2-4 hours.
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VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a newer communication service that takes analog audio signals, like what you hear when you talk on the phone, and turns them into digital data that can be transmitted over the Internet.
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| Pros |
Cons |
- Most traditional home alarm panels can connect to a VoIP phone system without upgrading any of the panel’s hardware.
- VoIP is often more affordable and feature-rich than other phone services.
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- Some VoIP providers use voice compression to reduce the amount of bandwidth needed to transport the voice traffic, which can cause distortion of the signal coming from the home’s alarm system, effectively disabling the remote monitoring of the system. Choose a provider that utilizes a managed facility voice network (MFVN). MFVN does not use voice compression and is the most compatible with alarm systems.
- When using a VoIP system, power to the phone line is dependent upon power at home. Depending on your provider, you may lose phone service if the Internet or power is out.
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The Internet offers some of the greatest features for alarm users by connecting your alarm to the monitoring station via DSL, cable or wireless Internet connections.
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| Pros |
Cons |
- Internet services are feature rich—you can access cameras, entry systems, lighting, thermostats and a number of other devices in the home from any web browser.
- An alarms connected by an Internet service is always on and connected to the central station.
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- The Internet lacks reliability for security applications as it also requires power and Internet connectivity at the home to operate.
- Alarm systems monitored via Internet require specific hardware to enable the connection, so an upgraded panel will be necessary.
- Many Internet providers use throttling during peak hours to allow for adequate usage for all of their customers. Throttling can cause unpredictable problems with alarm signals.
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