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COPS MonitoringP.O. Box 836Williamstown, NJ 08094
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Internet Address:copsmonitoring.com
Areas Served:U.S., Canada, Caribbean
Number of Years in theCentral Station Business:37 years
Number of Accounts:1.7 million
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44 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
DACT. VOIP. PSTN. IP. These and many other technology issues are at the forefront of many of today’s central station operators. Collecting data and anecdotes is important, says Louis T. Fiore, chair of the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA)’s Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), because of the possibility that the next Congress may rewrite the Telecommunications Act.
Fiore, who is also a past president of CSAA, recently conducted the 4th annual AICC survey, which investigated both monitored accounts (the total installed base, which also includes newer accounts) and newly installed accounts (i.e. installed in the past 12 months). While not a scientifically con-ducted survey (the results are averages and are not representative of any one company), it showed some expected trends that are con-sistent with those found in previous surveys:• 64% of the installed base is using DACT as a sole transmission
method (trending down).• 24.5% of the monitored base is radio, IP or cellular as a sole trans-
mission method. (trending up).• DACT is still being used as a sole transmission method in 36% of
NEW installations (trending down).• Wireless (of any type) is being used in 49% of NEW installations as the
sole method of transmission (trending up).• IP is being used in 6.5% on NEW installations as the sole method of
transmission (trending down).
Central Stations Grapple with
Telecommunications ChallengesFrom DACT and public telephone lines to the IP transition, now is an important time for alarm monitoring providers By Elizabeth Lasko
October 2015 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com / Security Dealer & Integrator 47
Central Station Monitoring reSourCe guiDe 2015
46 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
approval; however, the FCC has never codified the criteria used to evaluate and compare replacement and legacy services. “The Commission seeks input on how to determine or measure what would constitute an adequate substi-tute for retail services that a carrier seeks to discontinue, reduce or impair in a Further Notice,” Fiore says, and “tentatively concludes that both con-sumers and industry would be served by clarifying these standards, and seeks comment on a variety of issues including interoperability with devices and services — such as alarm services, medical monitoring and 911.”
AICC has previously filed com-ments arguing that, indeed, changing from a copper-based PSTN network to an all-IP network should not in any way inhibit the ability of alarm systems and PERS systems to communicate
with central stations. “To us, this does ‘discontinue, reduce or impair ser-vice,’” Fiore says. “This is a drum AICC has been beating for a long while with the FCC and Congress, and we intend to file comments in the Further Notice again making this point.”
New FCC rules also require provid-ers of modern home voice services to offer consumers information and the option to buy backup power so they can use their phone service during electric outages. “The FCC is taking action because home voice service is changing,” Fiore explains. “As we all know, traditional copper-based, land-line phone service typically works during electric outages because the service provides its own power. In con-trast, modern alternatives usually need backup power to keep operating. The new rules are therefore designed to
help customers of these modern alter-natives maintain available communica-tions at home during electric outages.”
Under the new rules, providers of modern home voice services — that is, facilities-based, fixed, voice residential service that is not line-powered — will be required to ensure that a techni-cal solution for eight hours of standby backup power is available for consum-ers to purchase at the point of sale.
Within three years, these providers will also be required to offer an option for 24 hours of standby backup power. The decision to purchase backup power will be up to consumers — they will not be forced to purchase or pay for equipment they do not want. ■
» Elizabeth Lasko is Vice President of the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA). Visit http://csaaintl.org for more information.
“The survey shows that we are still victims of the PSTN (public switched telephone network) and VoIP,” Fiore says. “But wireless is moving ahead. IP as a sole transmission method does not seem popular — it is consistently dropping.”
DACT Still Critical to Alarm IndustryAICC is sponsoring another industry-wide survey on the issue of dropped signals involving Digital Alarm Communications Transmitters (DACT). The sur-vey aims to collect information on how the telecom network’s move towards Internet Protocol (IP) affects these signals.
“With the FCC promoting the IP Transition (see below) and with a rewrite of the Telecommunications Act looming in the not-too-distant future, (the survey) information is critical for us to convince the FCC and Congress of our continued reliance on this technology,” Fiore explains.
AICC uses the results of its surveys when speaking to Congress, the FCC and the major carriers in order to inform decision makers and key players of alarm indus-try dependence on legacy POTS and its VoIP alterna-tives, as well as wireless.
“While we all realize that DACT technology is basi-cally past its prime, our communications survey showed that 64 percent of installed systems still use this tech-nology as a sole method or in combination with another method,” Fiore says. “It will be many years before it is totally replaced. With a mix of fire alarm and PERS systems out there, missed signals could have serious consequences.”
The survey is ongoing and open to all central sta-tions in the industry. For more information, please visit http://csaaintl.org/dact-dropped-signals-survey.
Progress Report on IP TransitionFiore notes the so-called IP transition is also high on the AICC’s priority list.
On August 6, the FCC announced new rules to encourage technology transitions to IP and to protect consumers. For the first time, the FCC requires pro-viders to directly notify retail customers — including consumers and businesses — of plans to retire copper networks at least three months in advance. To protect competition, the new rules increase the notice period for interconnecting carriers from three months to at least six months. This requirement covers all parts of the copper network essential for providing service.
Fiore explains that when carriers plan to discontinue, reduce or impair service, Section 214 of the Com-munications Act requires that they first receive FCC
Contact us today for more information:973-423-2303 [email protected]
FCC Clarifies TCPA Restrictions on Robocalling On July 10, the FCC clarified its Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) rules regard-ing robocalling. The Declaratory Ruling is effective upon issuance, so to the extent that it impacts any practices currently being followed by alarm companies, they should adjust those practices immediately.
The following rulings should now be observed by alarm companies:
1Text messages are “calls” sub-ject to TCPA. Alarm companies
should be aware that sending a text instead of a call does not sidestep TCPA violations.
2 A called party may revoke con-sent at any time and through
any reasonable means. Alarm com-panies that use autodialers must keep clear records and take revoca-tions of consent very seriously.
3 If the wireless number a cus-tomer gave you is reassigned
to someone else, you MUST stop calling it after the first time you dis-cover the change. Because it is up to the company to be able to demon-strate that it did not have actual or constructive knowledge of reas-signment, alarm companies that use any type of autodialing must pay close attention to the numbers they dial and any communications they receive from their customers that may indicate the number has been reassigned.
4 Internet-to-phone text messages require consumer consent. An
alarm company that may be using software to automatically contact customers is still considered to be “autodialling,” even though it is not using a phone, and must be sure to have the customer’s consent.
Alarm Signal Transmission
Central Station Monitoring reSourCe guiDe 2015
48 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
The Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response (PPVAR) recently released its “Audio Verification Best Prac-tices” that outline the best practices for central stations using audio to verify an
intrusion alarm.Joey Rao-Russell, President of California-based Kim-
berlite, led the effort as the Chair of the PPVAR Audio Verification Committee. She was helped by Robbie Robinson of the Phoenix Police Department, who pro-vided broad-based input on audio alarm systems and how to minimize false alarms; and Joel Zimmerman of Sonitrol New England, who was a key resource on the alarm industry side and provided valuable processes and procedures form the central station perspective — including a framework for operator training.
The goal was to create a document that outlines a process that uses audio technologies to deliver a verified alarm according to the definition used by law enforce-ment. The term “verified alarm” has been used in many ways by many different stakeholders in crime preven-tion — in fact, sometimes “verified” means verified as a false alarm. The committee encouraged using audio as a false alarm reduction tool — such as making two calls to a call list before dispatching “Electronic Call Confir-mation” (ECC) — however, actually confirming that an alarm is false is not the goal of audio verification.
The committee was dedicated to create a document where audio verification is used to catch the bad guys; resulting in more arrests because law enforcement gives higher priority response to crimes in progress than to an unverified alarm. To that end, the commit-tee embraced the law enforcement definition laid out by the recent resolution passed by the Texas Police Chiefs Association: “A verified alarm shall be defined as an electronic security system event in which a trained central station operator using a standardized protocol has deter-mined the presence of humans and the high probability that a criminal offense is in progress.”
“The industry now has a document that describes best practices on how central stations can use audio
technology to determine that an alarm event is a prob-able crime in progress,” Rao-Russell explains. “This means these verified alarms will be more valuable to law enforcement and help them make more arrests.”
While many of the members of the Audio Verifica-tion Committee were from various Sonitrol franchises, the approach included a range of audio solutions — including two-way voice and listen-in — which go beyond the impact-activated audio used by Sonitrol.
If a central station operator hears voices that point to a probable crime in progress, it is sufficient to meet the criteria for audio verification — even if the alarm was initiated by a door contact or other non-audio sensor.
This agnostic approach concerning the audio tech-nology deployed and monitored by the alarm industry was crucial because many companies have the capac-ity to use audio technology to verify an event after they have received an alarm signal in the central station.
Even if a security system is not specifically designed for audio verification, it is still a possibility. For exam-ple, at some level, basic two-way voice in a panel has the potential to verify an alarm if the voices are close enough to the microphone in the panel. There are obvi-ously different grades of audio solutions — in both sen-sors and installation — that provide different levels of protection, including systems designed and installed to maximize the benefit of audio verification.
The scope of the PPVAR document was not to grade the various technology solutions as to which audio equipment is better but to define “best practices” as to how central stations process the audio that they receive and how they communicate that information to the PSAP 911 center.
To read the full best practices document, please visit www.ppvar.org/asset/4sv37t/PPVAR-Audio-Verified-Alarms-Best-Practices.pdf. ■
» Keith Jentoft is President of Videofied, and is an active member of the PPVAR (www.ppvar.org). To request more info on Videofied, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10214857.
Best Practices for
Audio VerificationPPVAR unveils new guideline for central stations By Keith Jentoft
50 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
Dealers and integrators are deploy-ing video wall systems in a variety of applications, including: corporate boardrooms, military, digital signage, control rooms for critical infrastruc-
ture, security and surveillance monitoring, and law enforcement and emergency operations centers.
Creating or updating video wall systems requires the integration of many different underlying technologies. With resolutions and bandwidth requirements steadily increasing, video processing equipment needs to lever-age today’s evolving technologies while still accommo-dating the older, existing infrastructure.
Scalable and versatile, today’s video display systems are high-performance, cost-effective and easy to deploy in situations from single-moinitor operations to enter-prise-level video walls with more than 100 monitors.
IP-enabled video wall display solutions and control room management systems enhance collaboration, operator awareness, and response times to improve health, safety and environment (HS&E) metrics.
Working with a knowledgable design team can help maximize the long-term returns of a video wall invest-ment. The following 12 simple but valuable tips will ensure a successful video wall system setup or upgrade.
1. Differentiation of Wants & NeedsWhat a customer wants, and what they actually need can be very different things. Dealers and integrators should start the process by understanding how the customer will use the video wall today and its potential use in the future. During the design process, integrators must guide customers through a range of tradeoffs — such as needs today vs. needs tomorrow, costs, security and ease of use. Adding in some “bells and whistles” might fatten the integrator’s profit margin, but deliv-ering a system with the functionality required and the ROI demanded will ensure a happy customer.
2. Performance ExpectationsThe following questions will help integrators decide what kind of processor, cabling, extenders, signal sup-port and connectors the customer needs:
Video Wall Integration12 keys to successful installation for in-house monitoring centers and end-user SOCs By John Henkel
4K UHD resolution offers considerable value in control room environments, significantly enhancing an operator’s ability to monitor finely detailed imagery.
October 2015 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com / Security Dealer & Integrator 53
9. Minimize Bezels Bezels provide a rigid support struc-ture for the panels (“glass”) in a dis-play; however, on a video wall, bezels also break up the continuous appear-ance of images that may be scaled over multiple monitors. With a 4K UHD video wall, integrators can use larger format displays, reducing the number of bezels on the wall. If continuous imagery is important to an application, then 4K UHD resolution monitors offer this added benefit.
10. Plan for Video Wall PlacementIf the customer needs to construct a video wall with the fewest bezels pos-sible and the wall will likely be viewed from a maximum distance between 10 and 15 feet, then a very large-format 4K UHD display (84”-104”) may be the best fit for installation. In contrast, if the customer wants to use smaller monitors, and/or plan to view the wall from farther away, then 1080p displays may be a more cost-effective choice for the application.
11. Notable ExceptionsSome video wall applications are exceptions to the guidelines above because they often require close-up inspection of ultra high-resolution im-agery. These include: medical imaging; simulation modeling such as oil and gas exploration; manufacturing inspec-tion systems; aerial reconnaissance; and megapixel surveillance. In these cases, users needing more visibility are likely to walk right up to a video wall, shortening their viewing distance of imagery so much that it makes sense to choose the highest resolution displays. 4K UHD processing equipment and video wall monitors are a logical choice in applications like these where minute details matter and video wall imagery may be subject to close-up inspection.
12. System Test Run Before delivering the final product, thoroughly test and troubleshoot the system in-house. Take advantage of
• How many sources feed into the video wall processor?• What are their resolutions?• What kind of content will be displayed?• Will IP streaming sources or applications be displayed?• How far from the wall will the sources be located?
3. Clarify Number of Inputs, Outputs and DisplaysVideo wall processors configure multiple sources from disparate systems for display on an array of monitors or projector screens. Determine the size of the wall, the type of content (graphics, text, motion video or a combination), the number of sources that need to be displayed simultaneously, and whether real-time processing is required. For example, if the integrator chooses to build a video wall out of 2K HD displays, a 4K ultra high definition (UHD) processor still has value — a 2x2 array of HD displays is equal to a single UHD display. Typically, a variety of input signals will feed into a processor for display on a video wall, and these images may be spread out across multiple monitors. The pixel density of the input will determine how large it can be expanded on a video wall without negatively impacting clarity.
Personalized Dispatch ServiceTest Timer (Daily, Weekly or Monthly)
New Account Data EntryAccount Data Change
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Voice mail Average Response Times
Fire - 7.91 Sec.Panic/Medical - 7.31 Sec.
Burglary - 12.3 Sec.
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52 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
4. How Important is System Security?Integrators need to understand and address the level of security that the central monitoring facility needs. For example, security is important in control room, surveil-lance or monitoring environments, so a hardware-based video wall processor helps mitigate the risk of a data breach; however, a less critical application, such as digital signage, could use a PC-based system for more flexibility.
5. Design the SystemWhen possible, work with a manufacturer’s design ser-vices team. Ask for a system diagram, bill of materials, and a functionality statement that clearly outlines what the system was designed to do, what will be delivered and the timeline for completing the project.
6. Build in Future-proofingIt is important to research trends and options that can enable future-proof installations. For example, you could build in room for system expansion, or enable the system to accommodate higher resolutions. Determine the most functionality and flexibility that the budget allows, and then decide which elements to incorporate.
7. Consider 4K Ultra High Definition4K UHD resolution offers considerable value in control room environments. Delivering 3840x2160 (8.3 million) pixels per display, it significantly enhances an operator’s ability to monitor finely detailed imagery; however, the limitations imposed by human vision raise some interest-ing questions about 4K deployment. What applications can benefit most from this higher pixel density and, by extension, in which situations is the incorporation of 4K UHD processing technology most effective?
8. Viewing Distance vs. ResolutionThe smaller the screen or monitor, the closer the end-us-er would need to be to discern a visible difference be-tween lower and higher resolutions. The display size and the typical viewing distance are two critical criteria that help determine the situations in which 4K UHD resolu-tion adds value to an application.
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manufacturer training and on-site support to ensure the install will be smooth. This final step will increase user satisfaction with the system and reduce the time required for tech services personnel to be at the instal-lation site. Leverage the expertise of a knowledgeable design team, gather information, manage expectations, and
document every step before designing, testing and delivering the system. ■
» John Henkel is Director of Product Marketing for RGB Spectrum. To request more info about the company, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10214803.Determine the size of the wall, the type of content
(graphics, text, motion video or a combination), the number of sources that need to be displayed simultaneously, and if real-time processing is required.
October 2015 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com / Security Dealer & Integrator 55
Central Station Monitoring reSourCe guiDe 2015
54 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
between multiple platforms and edge devices, and present them as a unified interface to drive enhanced levels of awareness.
To date, PSIM platforms have often been difficult to deploy, administer and manage. These systems have been suc-cessful in addressing the needs of the public sector — especially in the criti-cal infrastructure and transportation markets — where government money is often readily available, and long purchasing cycles and implemen-tation times are commonplace. But these same platforms have struggled to address the needs of commercial businesses, large enterprises and edu-cational facilities. Typical PSIM prod-ucts have not been built to address the stringent needs of customers in these markets and therefore, successful deployments have been minimal.
Cloud-based command center software platforms are now available and enable organizations to broaden the scope and benefits of traditional systems while significantly increas-ing ROI and long-term investment protection. Often associated with pri-vate security operations centers, these same platforms are now being lever-aged in the progressive central station market. Such solutions are designed to help central stations deliver vid-eo-based services to a varying cus-
tomer base, build recurring revenue and complement existing investments.
Cloud-based central station soft-ware has also dramatically increased the efficiency of monitoring stations offering next-generation video moni-toring services.
Central stations face a significant challenge because they support a myr-
iad of devices from a wide range of clients. To consistently support this growing range of devices and systems, these businesses require a software platform to help monitor current and future systems.
Rapid deployment is also critical in this competitive market as customer demands frequently change.
The role of today’s secu-rity manger continues to evolve. Leaders once tasked with manag-ing security technol-
ogy systems are now faced with an ever-expanding risk environment that includes physical security, crime, nat-ural disasters, risk management and cyber threats.
This changing nature of security and risk drives organizations to build private command centers to gather intelligence, analyze data and evalu-ate threats. Organizations without the internal manpower and expertise to develop internal security operations centers look to partner with progres-sive security monitoring organiza-tions that can act as an extension of its internal security team. Both options are valuable approaches that help today’s largest enterprise, public sector and government organizations realize new levels of situational awareness while achieving higher levels of opera-tional efficiencies.
A security operations center is a critical component of any security and risk mitigation program, enabling rapid and effective response to a vari-ety of risks or security situations. Additionally, these command centers help security leaders optimize com-munications and coordinate actions between multiple departments and first responders.
However, this can only occur if the technology systems in place designed to enhance security can be optimized
to communicate and correlate critical data points in a unified manner.
Growing Market NeedThe process of integrating data from disparate security devices and systems has been a challenge for integrators and end-users. To achieve the ideal level of awareness to ensure robust security practices that mitigate risk, organizations require solutions that can consolidate multiple data points into a single solution. Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) was designed to serve as the central clearinghouse for communication
Central Monitoring SoftwareDriving new levels of awareness across the security landscape By Rob Hile
Central Station Technology
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Command Center software solutions can aggregate information from a variety of sources, much like a PSIM system.
The San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA)
deployed a centralized command center software platform to
provide a single interface for its different video systems.
October 2015 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com / Security Dealer & Integrator 57
Central Station Monitoring reSourCe guiDe 2015
56 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
» Rob Hile is Director of Enterprise Command Centers for SureView Systems. To request more info about the company, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/10486857.
other event-management services. It integrates with more than 500 security and alert devices to bring together different types of systems and devices and allow them to be managed in a single, easy-to-use operator interface.
On the private command center side, the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA) built a new command center called the Transportation Management Center (TMC) in the heart of San Francisco to centralize the response and coordination of its security and response teams. In this new collaborative com-mand center, SFMTA deployed a centralized command center software platform to provide a single interface for the different security teams in traffic and transit to access its six different cameras and video systems.
With the right technology, enhanced aware-ness and centralized system management, orga-nizations of all kinds can build a responsive and proactive approach to security that drives enhanced response now and into the future. ■
The Benefits of the SoftwareWhether used in a private command center or a central station environment, enterprise command center software is designed from the ground up to focus on the major components critical to developing a robust security program. Its Web-based architecture enables users to customize it to the specific needs of their organization or their client. An open-platform design and support for a wide variety of third-party devices supports rapid deployment and minimizes expensive, complex piecemeal solutions.
At the same time, the operational design of these sys-tems allows for the automation of manual processes to streamline the delivery of security services, eliminating the opportunity for operator error and nuisance alarms, ensuring only actual security events are handled. Addi-tionally, the platform is scalable, reliable, secure and
flexible, making it ideal for a variety of deployments.To contribute to an organization’s overall success,
security and business continuity, enterprise command center software must be able to work well with exist-ing infrastructure, easily integrate with systems from multiple vendors, and provide a seamless and compre-hensive picture of security processes. The integration of critical data into one common platform helps ensure that the most relevant risk information is provided to the leaders that need it most. More informed decisions lead to higher levels of safety and security.
Easing operator duties is also a key benefit when deploying enterprise command center software in any
environment, but especially the central station market where high turnover can cause problems with opera-tor training and reliability. Auto-handling functional-ity ensures operators are paying attention to the most critical security alerts and following best practices. Email alerts are automatically filtered to enable users to quickly determine which messages need immedi-ate attention. If something does require attention, the system automatically pulls up any relevant security sys-tems in the area of the alarm, such as surveillance cam-eras, and provides the operator with specific instruc-tions on what steps to take next.
Training is also simplified because operators are only using a single, unified interface. The ability to add predetermined steps for operators to follow during var-ious security events has also enabled users to become more efficient in performing their duties. Overall, a
centralized approach simplifies the management of an organi-zation’s entire security technol-ogy network and subsequently, eliminates the need to learn and become proficient with multiple platforms.
ApplicationsTHRIVE Universal is an exam-ple of a central station that is taking advantage of cloud-based command center software. It has leveraged the investment to design a full suite of cut-ting-edge security services and execute the delivery of those services on a national level. The company’s end-to-end video surveillance solution and ana-lytics software detect suspicious activity, send automated alerts
and provide a path to intervene with real-time situ-ational awareness intelligence. The company’s video SaaS solutions combine event-based video monitor-ing, edge-based analytics, managed security services and other alarm-monitoring services to provide an integrated set of security solutions. THRIVE leverages SureView Systems Immix CS software to integrate with multiple video systems and process multiple events to enable response to incidents in a timely and effective manner. Immix is an advanced software platform for commercial central stations, enabling the delivery of a full suite of monitoring services, from video verifica-tion to complex interactive video monitoring, as well as Request information: www.SecurityInfoWatch.com/10486354
Central Station Technology
Private command centers like this one are also prime beneficiaries of the command center software.
SureView Systems Immix CS software can integrate with multiple video systems and process multiple events
Central Station Monitoring reSourCe guiDe 2015
58 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com October 2015
central station’s mission is to protect life and property, and everything must
revolve around that core purpose. In my experience in the industry, I have found that there are key areas that a
central station must focus on to stand out. When selecting a third-party central station partner,
it is important to understand the three critical factors that central stations must address to accomplish their core purpose — people, training and technology.
It Starts with People: Central stations have to hire the best, and pay them fairly. They need to be success-ful and be able to demonstrate it. It must be a require-ment that new employees fit the central station’s culture and position. This includes testing and evaluating their intelligence, personality and critical skill sets needed to work in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.
It is also very important that employees can be understood quickly and clearly by customers and dis-patchers. Further, they should undergo thorough back-ground checks and rigorous interviewing.
Training: A formalized training program is required, and it must be led and managed by experts. It is not enough to have a lead operator train a new person or to rely on a computer software tutorial. You are protecting life and property, and there are rarely second chances to get it right. A Quality Assurance program is another necessity. What is not measured cannot be managed, and without a good QA team in place, a central station will be a ship without a rudder.
The training and testing is both realistic and chal-lenging. If some new hires are not “washing out” in the training class, then the program is not difficult enough.
Being realistic in the training class is a key to making sure the staff is adequately prepared to save lives.
Technology Makes it all Work: Technology is mov-ing at the speed of light. Every day, something in the central station business changes or evolves; thus, a central station must be totally committed to having the expertise on staff and available to stay in front of these changes — not just now but in the future.
Network and data security is quickly becoming a universal problem for everyone. Central stations must invest not only in network security hardware and soft-ware, but also in competent network engineers to keep up with the growing amount of sophisticated criminals.
As technology evolves, the coming generations will be focused on mobile applications, SMS messages, IVR platforms and self-service web portals. Central stations must adapt to that mindset and re-think how to protect life and property utilizing these new tools. Functions that were once manual now must be automated with platforms that are accepted by the newer generations. This is a challenge but one that must be overcome.
Central stations must continuously reinvest in tech-nologic infrastructure — which means always staying informed on the latest product and software releases, while having adequate capital and the means to imple-ment the newest offerings right away. Failure to do so will result in offerings becoming stale, which negatively impacts dealer RMR. ■
» Morgan Hertel is VP of Operations for Rapid Response Monitoring. To request more info about the company, please visit www.securityinfowatch.com/12115668.
The Power Behind your Central Station PartnerKey factors that serve as the foundation for good third-party providers By Morgan Hertel
Central Stations
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62 / Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com october 2015
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