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If you have moved  into a new home/business that has no fibre access, then using a slower copper based Network Access Device is normally a better capacity option than wireless. Often a copper access device is only a short haul link to a nearby Fibre network and therefore copper can offer next generation telecommunication services similar to an actual Fibre access point albeit with reduced bandwidth
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Customers thinking of moving from a analogue copper network to a digital copper network connection need to be aware of the impact on existing analogue Fire, Security and Medical alarm equipment. Most legacy Alarm systems are using POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) and will either need to be upgraded to a working VoIP POTS port on the ISP Router/Modem or have an Alarmserver  fitted to connect via Ethernet. Both of these solutions still does not provide backup (UPS) power and monitoring can be disrupted during a power cut.

Customers can avoid trying to cater for their older systems by simply replacing their existing technology with “native IP alarm” equipment that includes a built-in UPS or, if your existing Alarm system has plenty of operational life left and perhaps too expensive to replace, then we would recommend that you install and Alarm Power Server Unit (APSU) such as a PowerBrick  which includes both the Alarmserver and UPS function.

Contact your ISP for details about PowerBrick.

 

Alarm industry contractors often get called to a customers site, after the customer has migrated their phone network to digital IP and find out the Alarm system is not working or has become very unreliable.

Contractors have a number of options including supplying a dedicated wireless module and increase the customers monthly costs, or install an Alarmserver  module with an APSU PowerBrick and have free access to the wide area network.

The APSU PowerBrick maintains the customers monthly costs and is cheaper to install so is the  preferred option, where the customer normally does not want to incur increases after making changes to save costs by migrating to IP.

The PowerBrick is useful with or without a Alarm system as it primary function is to keep the customers broadband connection operational during outages.

Internet Service Providers do not enjoy trying to get involved with the customers Alarm connectivity after migrating to digital copper and generally recommend to either convert to a IP Alarm device or install a Alarmserver  module with an UPS like the PowerBrick.

ISP’s are also required to inform customers that their phone system will fail during a power outage unless a UPS like the PowerBrick is installed. ISP’s prefer that an APSU is installed as it reduces unwanted calls to their call centre by 50% due to higher connectivity and reliability rates.

ISP's generally do not recommend using the builtin VoIP port on the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem for the Alarm communications as such connections have varible sucess and are not reliable enough for high risk situations..

General Information Brochures Documents and Forms
Terminology used by the Industry
FAQ by Broadband IP Alarm Owners
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PowerBrick Brochure ( 845Kb)
Network Access Device (HUB)
AlarmServer Brochure ( 277Kb)