NBN™, NBN Co and related brands and logos are trademarks of NBN Co used under licence.
The rollout of the NBN™ network will involve new technologies, and many existing monitored alarm systems may not always be compatible with these.
It is important to contact Security Monitoring Centres before moving to the NBN™ network to ensure your important monitoring service can continue to be provided without disruption. We will advise whether your existing monitored alarm system can be directly connected to the NBN™ network and the limitations of doing this and recommend the best solution to suit your needs.
Contact SMC online or call 1300 132 390; read below for further information.
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question as it depends on various factors, including the NBN™ network technology being deployed in your area, the brand and model of your alarm system and the Retail Service Provider (RSP) you select.
Due to most existing alarm systems being designed to transmit via traditional copper voice-based phone lines, if you elect to direct connect your alarm system to the NBN™ network, you will require your RSP to provide an NBN™ service that includes a UNI-V (Voice) connection. A UNI-V connection is designed to support legacy equipment like alarm systems, fax machines, EFTPOS terminals, and fire and lift alarms.
However, UNI-V connections are unavailable in all NBN™ network areas due to the technology deployed, and some RSPs do not offer this type of connection. It is also important to understand the limitations of connecting your alarm system to the NBN™ network, as there is an increased potential for alarm signals not to be transmitted correctly and a possibility some older alarm systems may not be compatible with the nbn™ network at all.
Unlike traditional copper voice-based phone lines, the NBN™ network equipment installed in your premises relies on a local power supply. Therefore if power is lost to your premises, your NBN™ connected equipment and, subsequently, your alarm system will be unable to communicate during the power outage.
In some cases, your RSP may be able to provide you with a local backup battery for your NBN™ network equipment. However, this will not provide the minimum 16 hours of battery backup required by an Australian Standard AS2201.1 monitored alarm system.
If you have a Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre To The Building (FTTB) or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) NBN™ network topology in your local area, the network itself is unlikely to provide 100% battery backup during a power outage.
To ensure your monitored alarm system continues to operate reliably and during power outages, SMC recommends its customers transition to a Wireless monitoring solution rather than connecting directly to the NBN™ network.
Any one of the many Wireless solutions currently available through SMC will provide an independent wireless communications path that is not reliant on the NBN™ network and will make your transition to the NBN™ as easy and seamless as possible and, in many cases, will save you money.
Wireless monitoring is a complete end-to-end security alarm transmission system that utilises one or more mobile data networks to provide a secure communication path between the monitored alarm system at your premises and the monitoring centre.
Some of the advantages of a Wireless monitoring solution are below:
Your monitored alarm system will be able to communicate during power outages.
Dual redundancy options are available. For example, systems can communicate on both the Telstra and Optus networks.
Eliminates phone call charges that occur each time the alarm system dials the monitoring centre; one flat fee includes communication charges and monitoring services.
Eliminates the requirement for an NBN™ UNI-V connection and backup battery unit, which allows you to choose any RSP, even those not offering NBN™ UNI-V service.
When the NBN™ network is made available at your location, an eighteen month transition period commences for you to select your NBN™ services from one of the many RSPs operating in your region. At the end of the transition period, there is a regulatory obligation to disconnect the traditional copper voice-based phone line from your premises.
This means you will need to transition your monitored alarm system during the eighteen month transition period to enable it to continue to be monitored. SMC recommends its customers commence transitioning as soon as possible when they become aware the NBN™ network will be available in their area to eliminate any disruptions to your monitoring service.
Some RSPs may have advised that your alarm system will be unaffected by this change and will simply connect your alarm system to a UNI-V port on the NBN™ network. You need to be aware your alarm system may not operate correctly during a power outage, and there is no guarantee that your alarm system will be able to communicate using this method at all times reliably. SMC recommends a service call to fully test your alarm system and ensure it has been connected correctly using a Mode 3 connection. This enables it to communicate even when other devices at the premises are off-hook.
To find out more information about the NBN™ network compatibility, click here
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