Voice Over IP - What You Need To Know

Are you considering a move to Voice Over IP?
Do you have a security alarm system installed in your home or business?

If you are considering a move to Voice Over IP (VOIP), there are some IMPORTANT things you NEED to know.

1. Does the VOIP Provider have a module or unit that will allow your alarm system to continue to transmit its information to your monitoring station? (Analogue Interface... sometimes called an MTA or a DPT device)

2. Does the VOIP unit have a battery backup that will provide power to the unit when the power goes out? Some Providers have a Battery Backup Unit that will keep your phones working for 6 - 8 hours even if the power is out, others do not. Make sure you ASK about this because if the power goes out and you don't have a backup for the unit, you will have NO phones and NO alarm system.

3. Who is going to install the device? Make sure YOU test to ensure that the alarm system is communicating with your monitoring station!

4. You DO NOT have to go to THEIR monitoring station. This is a sales trick to get you to leave your present security company and move to theirs!

5. What kind of up time is the provider willing to commit to? Is this service going to be as reliable and as dependable as your current telephones? Will it work when you REALLY need it to?

6. Does using the Internet WHILE you are on the phone degrade your call quality or make it impossible to make a call? The Internet is a shared medium and isn't always 100% reliable. When your kids connect their Playstation or XBox to the Internet to play games with their friends, you may not be able to make a VOIP call. When your Internet provider decides to do maintenance on their system, will you have a phone that works?

7. Does the provider offer "Improved 911 Service"? Will Emergency Service know WHERE this call is coming from or will someone have to tell them where you are? Your current phone service tells Emergency Services EXACTLY where you are using various technologies. Will your VOIP and Internet provider be able to do the same?

Most of all... ASK QUESTIONS. It is a typical case of BUYER BEWARE and if you don't ask, they may not volunteer information and you may be left with a service that does not meet ALL of your needs.

For more information, please contact Brad Moss or Gord Willey at Consolidated Monitoring Ltd @ (780) 488-3777