Briefs

CANASA objects to additional tariff MARKHAM, Ontario - The Canadian Alarm and Security Association has filed comments with the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission to object to Bell Canada’s proposed bridging charge of $10 per customer per month. The Canadian telecom is proposing the charge to the Schedule 3A Interexchange Multipoint Data Service, also called DVACS. Brink’s Home Security numbers rise with lower attrition RICHMOND, Va. - An increase in operating profits for Brink’s Home Security in the fourth quarter and year end 2002 was due to a lower disconnect rate and growth in the company’s subscriber base, company officials said in February. The company’s annualized disconnect rate for the quarter, ending Dec. 31, 2002, was 6.4 percent versus 7.5 percent a year earlier, while subscribers increased 28,000, or 19 percent over the same period in 2001. The home security company recorded $72.8 million in revenue in the fourth quarter, an increase of nine percent from 2001 and operating profits stood at $15.9 million, 24 percent more than the year prior. Mountain Alarm relies on AMS for monitoring RUIDOSO, N.M. - Mountain Alarm had to rely on emergency monitoring services from Alarm Monitoring Service in Metairie, La., on a Friday night in late January after the company’s primary receiver failed and the secondary receiver wasn’t picking up any signals. While Mountain Alarm, an installation company, monitors most of its own accounts, it sends high-security signals such as banks and museums to AMS. Within 30 minutes, according to AMS officials, Mountain Alarm’s accounts were up and running on AMS receivers until mid-day Monday.