Security Partners offers VoIP solution

LANCASTER, Pa.--Security Partners announced that is has begun implementing monitoring solutions utilizing Internet protocol for customers who have chosen VoIP phone coverage or who have disconnected traditional phone lines. Kerry Egan, vice president of Security Partners, said, "there are still a lot of alarm dealers out there that have no idea that there is a solution to this problem--they're not aware that there is one, [particularly] if they don't keep up with their local alarm associations." The benefits for the customer are that "now they can still use their high-speed Internet service and they don't have to increase security, because it's a 90-second heartbeat ... [it affords] constant supervision." From a central station standpoint, Egan said, it's hard to tell how many accounts have switched to VoIP this year, because "consumers are not always aware that they have to contact the alarm company" after switching over to a service such as Vonage. Alarm panel signals can be communicated to Security Partners' central station using a Bosch C900V2 capture dialer or AlarmNet communicator panels. Security Partners has begun marketing the Bosch module to their dealers as part of their existing sales presentation, Egan said, and then their sales team follows up afterward to make sure their dealers understand the system. "During those calls," said Egan, "I usually get a name of one to two of other dealers who are also struggling with [VoIP]." So far, a handful of dealers have signed on, Egan said. Security Partners is able to install an alarm panel, adding a Bosch C900V2 capture dialer to it for communications to the central station. The Bosch panel does not require additional programming at the panel and will use high speed Internet protocol to transmit full signal formatting including zone detail and user codes directly to a Bosch D6600 receiver.