Alarmbridge Connect Service - PSTN Shutdown

The PSTN Shutdown and Its Implications

The phase-out of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) by 2025 will impact thousands of analogue-based telecare and alarm systems that rely on PSTN for emergency communication. This transition impacts thousands of analogue-based telecare and alarm systems, which rely on PSTN for emergency communication. The shift introduces significant risks, including:

• Unreliable Analogue Transmission: Analogue alarm protocols use DTMF tones, which worked reliably on PSTN due to low latency. VoIP services, however, introduce signal processing variability, buffering, and network delays, causing transmission failures. Additionally, VoIP providers' firmware updates may disrupt previously stable connections, and calls routed through multiple networks may distort tones, making VoIP unsuitable for alarm protocols.

• Power Dependency: Unlike PSTN, digital landlines require routers and modems that depend on mains power, which can fail during outages unless a backup power supply is provided.

• Compatibility Challenges: Legacy telecare and alarm devices using analogue protocols such as TT92, TTNew, and BS 8521:1 may struggle to function on modern IP-based networks.

As the PSTN shutdown progresses, ensuring continued reliability in alarm communication is critical.

Alarmbridge Connect Service

Alarmbridge Connect Service helps protect the existing investment of group schemes by enabling a smooth transition to modern IP-based Alarm Receiving Centers (ARCs) while ensuring continued operation even after PSTN is phased out. This service eliminates the need for costly infrastructure replacements and ensures a seamless migration with minimal disruption by addressing the key risks introduced by the migration to VoIP-based systems. Alarmbridge Connect Service:

• Addresses Unreliable Analogue Transmission: It provides a reliable gateway device with continuous availability monitoring and firmware optimized for alarm transmission. Unlike VoIP gateways managed by third-party providers, it ensures controlled updates, preventing unexpected disruptions. By maintaining a secure, encrypted connection directly to the Alarmbridge Service, it removes uncertainties introduced by intermediate VoIP providers. This guarantees reliable transmission of tones and voice with minimal latency, eliminating issues such as buffering, tone detection inconsistencies, and unpredictable network paths.

• Reduces Power Dependency Risks: Alarmbridge Connect gateways include built-in battery backup and 4G/5G mobile connectivity to maintain alarm transmission even during power outages. The system intelligently switches between available networks, ensuring uninterrupted service. Additionally, a fixed Internet connection can serve as a secondary backup, providing enhanced reliability for critical alarm communications.

• Ensures Compatibility with Legacy Devices: Alarmbridge Connect Service leverages the proven Alarmbridge Service for protocol conversion, ensuring a seamless transition from analogue to IP-based alarm communication. It supports legacy analogue protocols including TT92, TTNew, and BS 8521:1 for receiving alarm events from warden call systems. These are reliably converted to modern IP-based protocols such as SCAIP, NOW-IP, and SIA. By maintaining full compatibility with both legacy and modern standards, Alarmbridge allows existing alarm systems to function without costly replacements while ensuring they meet the requirements of modern Alarm Receiving Centers (ARCs).

Alarmbridge: A Proven and Future-Ready Service

Alarmbridge is a well-established service, processing over 65 million SCAIP and NOW-IP messages monthly, with a total of 3 billion messages handled since launch in 2018. With over 200,000 connected alarm devices, it has been successfully integrated with leading ARC platforms and major alarm device brands, including Tunstall, Everon, Neat, Careium, Essence, Attentive, Climax, and Telealarm.

Alarmbridge is designed to provide a seamless and dependable alarm communication experience without loss of functionality when migrating from the PSTN connected alarm protocols to use Alarmbridge Connect Service, ensuring high performance across all key areas:

• Stable Reception of Alarm Events: Alarmbridge ensures alarm events are received reliably with low failure rates, providing a dependable communication link. * Integrated Voice Communication: The system supports direct voice connections with voice units, enabling two-way communication between users and ARC operators. * Advanced In-Call Commands: Features like speak/listen mode switching, volume control, and remote door release enhance usability and emergency response efficiency. * Warden Background Call Support: It supports warden background calls to set status of warden call systems by triggering online/offline events. * Call-Back Support from ARC: Enables Alarm Receiving Centers (ARCs) to call back into a voice unit within a warden call system, ensuring continued interaction when needed. * Efficient Multi-Event Handling: Multiple alarm events can be managed within the same connection, reducing call reconnection times and improving response efficiency.

Easy Installation and Continuous Monitoring

Alarmbridge Connect Service offers a hassle-free plug-and-play setup with minimal configuration. The installation process is simple: * The installer orders the Alarmbridge Connect gateway kit and provides details about the existing PSTN phone number and the ARC it will connect to. This information is used to pre-configure the service and the gateway device for seamless deployment. * Upon receiving the gateway kit, the installer places it next to the warden call system, powers it on, and verifies connectivity using the installer application. * The warden call system is disconnected from the PSTN and connected to the Alarmbridge Connect gateway. * A test call is performed to confirm successful installation.

After installation, Alarmbridge Connect provides additional benefits to ensure continuous service and reliability: * Automated Setup: The gateway device loads pre-configured settings from the cloud for fast deployment. * Intuitive Installer App: Enables fast device registration and real-time connectivity verification. * Automatic Updates: Firmware and software are kept current without manual intervention. * Continuous Monitoring: Cloud-based oversight ensures system reliability and proactive issue resolution.