Every household in today’s times has some or the other alarm system installed for the protection of family members and property. Most of the alarm systems send an alert to the homeowner or the monitoring company through the specified communication mode. There are several communication systems that are compatible with alarm systems for the home. The pros and cons of each communication mode in the context of your alarm system’s working are discussed below.
Conventional Phone Line
The medium of communication in a conventional phone line is the vital copper line through which a signal is sent to the alarm monitoring company. The usefulness of the telephone line is that it is not affected by power black-outs as the power at such times is provided by the phone company. Though the phone lines are the most reliable of the lot they are prone to being cut by burglars leading to communication black-outs. Another con is that of slow connections as compared to other options.
Cellular Communication
Cellular communication is wireless and hence alarm signals are conveyed to the monitoring company through wireless digitized transmission. Possibilities of purposeful communication outage are avoided as this form cannot be tampered with by burglars. But then as the cell phones are battery operated in case of power outages if the battery is discharged then the back-up battery can operate only for a couple of hours. However, the rate of communication speed is higher.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
A newer version of communication, here analogue audio signals are converted into the digitized form to be conveyed over the internet.This communication mode is more sophisticated when compared to the regular modes as it incorporates several useful features. Home alarm panels can be directly connected to the VoIP telephone system without necessitating any changes whatsoever. However, one of the possible drawbacks of this mode can arise if voice compression is undertaken by the service providers to decrease the bandwidth quantity required for transmission of voice traffic. This leads to home alarm system signal being distorted and prevents the effective functioning of the remote control facility. In order to overcome this drawback you can choose an alarm system provider who uses Managed Facility Voice Network. No voice compression is involved and hence this works fine with the home alarm systems Melbourne. However, communication is stopped during power outage.
Internet Communication
Your alarm system is connected to the monitoring center through cable, DSL or the wireless Internet. Internet services are loaded with varied features giving access to entry systems, cameras, thermostats, lighting and several other home devices through any web browser. However, in this reliability cannot be guaranteed due to this form being dependent on internet connectivity and regular power supply. An upgraded panel too will be required for the alarm system.
Concluding
Traditional phone lines still remain the most reliable mode for alarm communication though they are susceptible to deliberate black-outs and are slower when compared to the rest. VoIP and cell phones provide the same reliability as long as you ensure that battery units are maintained well. Internet alarm communication is not advisable to be used as a primary means even though it is equipped with several features. You can use a combination of two communication services for a reliable and secure alarm systems Melbourne for your home.