Monitoring Intruder Alarm Systems

Audible Only - No Alarm Monitoring

If an audible only intruder alarm is triggered, an external sounder on your premises activates for up to 20 minutes; however, these are often ignored as nothing more than a nuisance.  So if your premises is away from passing traffic or it's the middle of the night, there's unlikely to be any reaction.
NB: No Police Response
In line with the latest police policy (the ACPO Policy on Police Response to Security Systems - April 2006), sounders do NOT get an automatic police response.  A third party (ie a neighbour) would need to confirm that the premises were in the process of being broken into before the police would attend.

Monitored Security Systems

For increased security you may wish to have your security system monitored.  A monitored alarm is one that is linked via the telephone line or cellular network or both to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).

An ARC is a permanently manned call centre whose staff are dedicated to monitoring security systems and contacting the right Authority - i.e. the police usually, or the Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) in the case of a fire - if there is an activation.  An ARC is bound by strict legislation which ensures the highest standards of operation.

Passive Alarm Monitoring

This is where your burglar alarm system is connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via a dedicated phone line using a Digital Communicator.  When an alarm is triggered, the monitoring centre receives notification and informs the Police.

However, if the phone line is cut or damaged, the alarm signal cannot reach the monitoring centre. Systems of this kind usually require a dedicated phone line, incurring additional annual rental costs.

NB: 'Phone-Line-Dependent' Police Response - 
If the phone line is cut the alarm will not reach the monitoring centre and they will be unable to call the Police.

Active Alarm Monitoring

This type of service also connects your burglar alarm system to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via a phone line - but it does a lot more than that. It actively checks that the phone line is always there.

One of the types of Active Monitoring that is available is the service that British Telecom offers called RedCARE.

With BT RedCARE's intelligent continuous alarm monitoring service you're safe in the knowledge that your alarm activation will be delivered to the Alarm Receiving Centre and acted on in seconds.

If the telephone line is cut by an intruder, RedCARE will relay a signal to the ARC to ensure your property is not left unprotected.

Also, because RedCARE can work on an existing BT phone line, you can save the cost of installing and renting an additional line.

Due to the method of operation BT RedCARE does not incur any additional call charges, and with a small attachment (modem compatible device), RedCARE can even work on the same line as a fax machine, a PC or other digital equipment.

The original BT RedCARE facility (known as RedCARE classic) provides a secure method of monitoring that is still used effectively in tens of thousands of properties. However, for new systems requiring a Police response (conforming with the ACPO Policy on Police Response to Security Systems (April 2006)) it is necessary for two signalling paths to be used to ensure the security of your property.

Active Alarm Monitoring Using Two Signalling Paths

Using 2 alarm monitoring paths, a cellular path (referred to as the radio path) and the telephone line, if one of the paths is attacked the other continues to monitor for any further alarms and transmits them as 'confirmed activations'.

BT RedCARE GSM, DualCom GPRS and DualCom plus are capable of sending a confirmed activation if the radio path or telephone line fails, regardless of which one fails first. This makes them the most secure methods of monitoring an intruder alarm.

BT RedCARE GSM uses the O2 cellular network for the alarms radio path and DualCom GPRS use the Vodaphone cellular network. DualCom plus uses a private data network provided by Vodaphone.

RedCARE GSM may ONLY use a BT line and RedCARE whereas DualCom GPRS and DualCom plus can share any phone line (e.g. A PlusNet, NTL or Telewest residential phone line).

NB: Immediate Police Response - 
Our surveyor will design a confirmed activation system for your property in line with the ACPO Policy 2004, ensuring that the Police response is Level 1 - immediate.

Our 'police response' page highlights how, due to Police guidelines, all new remotely monitored systems must be capable of sending 2 alarm signals to the monitoring centre.  This gives added 'confirmation' that an intruder is on the premises and that the alarm is not false.

Our 'alarm confirmation' page explains how the alarm 'confirms' an activation and the 3 types of confirmation available.

Back to the main Intruder Alarms page.