From Pulses To Bytes: Alarm Communication Evolution | Part 3

In this third and final installment of From Pulses to Bytes, Darren Frick, Sr. Systems Engineer at Rapid Response Monitoring, explores the future of alarm communication.

In the first and second installments of From Pulses to Bytes, we explored the evolution of alarm communication from the early expensive days to the relative stability of the 80s and 90s, followed by the transformative innovations of the 2000s. Now, we’ve reached a point where traditional dial-up solutions are rarely the first option, even though hundreds of thousands of dial-up systems remain in operation and will likely persist for another decade or more.

Today’s Signal Transmission Options

We now have a range of solid, reliable methods for delivering alarm signals to Monitoring Centers:

• Cellular radio, which now costs a fraction of what a dedicated phone line once did.
• Mesh networks, like AES, recommend that two locations have internet in order to forward signals to the monitoring center. Setting up this communication method requires low monthly fees.
• Broadband-based protocols leverage the widespread availability of internet service.
• Telecommunications providers can support dial-up systems, ensuring they remain functional.
• POTS-in-a-box solutions, like those provided by Granite, re-transmit alarm and voice signals over multi-carrier internet and cellular with unprecedented reliability.

While some alarm systems still rely on older transmission formats, the industry has largely embraced modern communication. Rather than just mimicking legacy formats across networks, cutting-edge solutions—like those at Rapid Response—offer APIs to transmit rich data securely, quickly, and reliably.

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About the author — Darren Frick is a seasoned Sr. Systems Engineer with an impressive track record spanning over three decades. His career in the industry started at an early age, influenced by his father’s installation company and central station during the early 1980s. Darren began working as a Monitoring Center Specialist before swiftly ascending to a supervisory role. His interest in innovation led him to explore the realms of receivers and telecommunications, where he now excels at managing transfers for a multitude of independent Dealers and companies that operate their own central station in addition to their installation business.