Network

FirstAlert® is a family of communications services designed specifically for the security industry. FirstAlert is designed to be a cost-effective alternative or backup to the transmission of alarm signals over telephone lines.

There are presently four types of network services available that utilize two different fundamental technologies i.e. Wireless and Internet: What is unique about FirstAlert is that a change in protected premise technology does not require an equal change in Client station equipment in order to monitor accounts.

This technology protection is an important reason why so many Client stations have chosen to become FirstAlert Client stations. As new technologies or services become available, FirstAlert will expand to bring them to you for use at the protected premise. New technologies will give more subscribers access to FirstAlert services, and allow a broader variety of information to be sent at faster speeds without requiring significant additional investment and overhead at the Client station.

Network Architecture In the FirstAlert architecture, although each of the networks are independent of one another, subscriber radios and Internet transmitters may send messages from one network. The FirstAlert National Data Center (NDC) accomplishes this integration.

This design offers the following important benefits:

1. Integration of Multiple Networks One of the fundamental principles behind FirstAlert is the integration of different network types. In the FirstAlert architecture, member Client stations are equipped with FirstAlert wireless or Internet receiving equipment or both. This equipment communicates directly with the FirstAlert network. Depending on its needs at installation at the protected premise, an installer may choose to use any of the available types of subscriber radios or Internet transmitters, whichever works best for that installation. Although each of the different products may report through a different network, the Client station does not need to incur the costs of time, money, or labor to operate, maintain, and integrate all of these networks. When a Client station signs up with FirstAlert, it establishes a network connection scheme between the Client station and FirstAlert and as a result gains access to any of its customers at the protected premise through that scheme and the interaction of FirstAlert.

2. Learn One, Know Them All All of the different subscriber devices used for the different network services have a similar look and feel. The same programming tool is used for most of the devices. All signals are delivered to the Client station in a uniform, familiar reporting format. This assures that the Client station can receive signals from any type of FirstAlert subscriber; past, present, or future. Once equipped to receive alarm messages from the FirstAlert network, the Client station can provide network services to any subscriber without additional expense.

3. Supervision and Speed of DeliveryFirstAlert radios and transmitters are supervised on a regular basis. The supervision is performed automatically, and is transparent to the Client station. The FirstAlert network communicates with all FirstAlert devices on a regular basis, assuring that they are operational. The FirstAlert network reports to the Client station only when there is a problem. The Client station does not need to worry about supervision or maintenance of the network, since the network performs these functions automatically. The Client station only receives the signals it needs: actual alarm or trouble messages. When the network receives an alarm, it automatically and immediately forwards the signal to the appropriate Client station. The FirstAlert transmission generally will reach the Client station before the traditional dialer-based signal, in cases where an FirstAlert device and the digital dialer both send signals.

4. Secure, Redundant, Wireless ProtectionNot all competitive wireless subscriber services offered in the market are wireless at both ends. For example, due to the design of the cellular network, competing cellular services deliver signals to the Client station over the regular switched telephone network.

In these cases, the communications integrity of the Client station (and all premises protected by that Client station) is vulnerable to the same weaknesses as any landline-dependent customer (line cut, service outages, and natural disasters). Limited services such as these protect only a portion of the communications chain. Standard FirstAlert wireless delivery, however, assures an end-to-end wireless system that provides redundancy, supervision, and verification of message delivery.

It only makes sense that the Client station should use wireless communications to maintain the same level of security and performance in its communications infrastructure as it does at the protected premises. In order to maintain a redundant, invulnerable link to subscribers using wireline-terminated networks, a service provider must maintain at least two physically distinct and independent connections to every network type.

FirstAlert maintains such connections at every level, saving the Client station the expense and complexity of maintaining such an elaborate communications infrastructure. FirstAlert’s connection to the Client station also has two layers of redundancy: every Client station is equipped with a primary and backup transceiver