Ever since Google Fiber’s ultra-high-speed internet access of up to one gigabit per second debuted in Kansas City a few years ago, it has become one of the most sought-after technology advancements in the nation. Google Fiber was such a hit with KC residents that other broadband internet and cable television providers such as AT&T started to upgrade their infrastructure to provide what is commonly known as fiber-to-the-premises service.
But with any new technology comes sometimes unforeseen drawbacks. Some home and business owners who have signed up for Google Fiber or AT&T GigaPower have found that they are unable to connect their land line-based home or commercial security system to their new digital phone services because their existing security control panel doesn’t support the new technology.
Why would that be the case? Well, the answer basically boils down to differences in the way that the signal travels along analog phone lines versus digital. For both Google Fiber and AT&T GigaPower, as well as many other modern ultra-high-speed phone and internet providers, a digital phone network is what carries the signal for your outgoing and incoming telephone calls. The digital network compresses the signal and removes unnecessary frequency bands to create a better sound quality than your plain old telephone service, or POTS line.
Of course, most homes and businesses with older security systems have control panels that connect to 24/7 monitoring stations via POTS lines. That’s where the problem comes in when trying to connect your old residential or commercial security system to a new digital network like Google Fiber or AT&T GigaPower. Fortunately, these control panels can be easily updated and upgraded with a Wi-Fi and cellular alarm communicator that connects your system to 24/7 monitoring via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Unfortunately, many businesses and homeowners don’t think about this problem until after they’ve installed their new digital phone line and discovered that their old security system suddenly no longer works as expected. That leads to panicked calls to their security company to try to find out what’s going on.
Digital is the standard for both Google Fiber and AT&T phone systems, and while Google Fiber Support says that most security systems do work with Fiber Phone, they recommend contacting your security provider to test your system after you’re connected to the Fiber network. At A-TEC Security in Kansas City, we recommend going one better and contacting your residential or commercial security company before installation begins on your new digital phone service. It can save a lot of headaches in the long run.
With a little advance notice, your commercial or residential security company can make sure that your security system is updated and ready to work with your new system before it is in place, so that you don’t suffer any interruptions of service. The solution that A-TEC Security provides is as simple as a minor control panel upgrade that uses the ipDatatel Universal Dual-Path Wi-Fi and Cellular Alarm Communicator to connect your security system to 24/7 monitoring via Ethernet, Wi-Fi or cellular (or both).
The ipDatatel Universal Dual-Path Wi-Fi and Cellular Alarm Communicator uses a Broadband Alarm Transceiver and Code Division Multiple Access (BAT-CDMA) technology to offer a reliable multi-path solution to connect your residential or commercial security system to 24/7 monitoring. What’s more, by upgrading your current security system control panel to a new Wi-Fi and Cellular Alarm Communicator, you’ll also gain access to a variety of other benefits, including smartphone apps that give you a virtual keypad to your alarm panel. You can arm or disarm your system remotely using your smartphone, and receive notifications via text or email that identify the alarm system address, alarm signal and zone, and provide a description of the event.
The advantages of the BAT-CDMA Wi-Fi system aren’t limited to smartphone users, either. If you don’t want to check alarm history data on your phone, you can also access a variety of features using a web application that runs from any internet-connected browser. And if you’d prefer to receive a voice phone call in the event of any security system activity, the BAT-CDMA Wi-Fi system offers the option of notifications via computerized voice.
To learn more about the advantages of a BAT-CDMA Wi-Fi system upgrade for your home or business—whether you’re getting Google Fiber or AT&T GigaPower services or not—contact A-TEC Security today.