Tech Trend Focus: Alt-Sig Transmission

Plain old telephone service (POTS) has seen better days.

According to a study from the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 25% of American homes had only a wireless phone - and not a landline - as of June 2010, with indications that number will only increase over time. 

But that doesn't mean the other 75% of homes are problem-free for an industry traditionally dependent on landlines. Voice-over-IP solutions, from large telecos like Comcast and Time Warner and independent providers like Vonage and Ooma, have replaced traditional telephone service in many homes as well.

The declining usage of landlines has presented a serious issue for the security industry, which has used landlines for years to connect alarms and send signals when a break-in or other event occurs. 

Besides the fact that POTS provided reliability, it's also been the most affordable solution. As consumers turn away from POTS and toward newer phone technologies, the industry is responding with a number of alternative ways to transmit alarm signals, including:

• Cellular signals
• IP/VoIP/Broadband
• Radio monitoring
• Digital dialers

Each of the new solutions, like POTS itself, has both benefits and obstacles. But, like with any technology shift, there's an opportunity for skilled security integration and monitoring companies to provide great solutions to their customers and see profits at the same time. 

The industry has relied on POTS for such a long time, so it's no surprise that there are still discussions and conversations about the best technology (or technologies) to replace POTS as the primary means of sending an alarm signal. And you'll find businesses who feel strongly about different solutions.

At ESX, Alternative Signal (Alt-Sig) Transmission is one of the featured tech trends because of the impact it is having on the traditional alarm installation and monitoring process. It's an issue that is affecting everyone - and it's not something businesses can choose not to deal with. 

Lou Fiore, chairman of the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), will be leading a seminar at ESX titled, "Alternative Alarm Signal Transmission: An Update on the Changeover, Options and Challenges" (Tuesday, June 26 at 4:45 PM). 

In the session, Fiore will answer a number of questions, including:

• How many POTS lines have disappeared and at what rate? 
• What is the typical replacement service for voice? 
• How are the alternative transmission technologies and services evolving? 
• What's popular in their deployment? What's fading? 
• What is the projected length of life for the various technologies and services? 
• What kind of technical challenges are dealers experiencing in changing customers over? 

Like with all of the tech trends featured at ESX, Alt-Sig presents an opportunity to add additional recurring monthly revenue (RMR), and smart integration and monitoring companies are tackling this opportunity head-on.

To register for the Alt-Sig seminar, head to www.esxweb.com/register and start your registration process now.