Remote Signalling

There are so many security options on the market these days: it isn't easy to judge what's best for you.

This brief summary of the types of alarm systems used by most small and medium sized businesses and homes should give you a better idea of what's available and the level of police response you can expect.

'Bells Only'
If an alarm is triggered, an external bell on your premises rings for up to 20 minutes, however, ringing bells are often ignored these days as nothing more than a nuisance. So if your premises is away from passing traffic or it's the middle of the night, there's unlikely to be any response.

NB: No Automatic Police Response
In line with (the ACPO Policy on Police Response to Security Systems - April 2006) ringing bells do not get automatic police response. A third party (i.e. a neighbour) would need to confirm that the premises were in the process of being burgled before the police would attend.

Monitored Systems

Passive Monitoring
This is where your alarm system is connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via a dedicated phone line using a Digital Communicator. When an alarm is triggered, the monitoring centre receives notification and calls the police.

However, if the phone line is cut or damaged, the alarm signal cannot reach the monitoring centre. Systems of this kind usually require a dedicated phone line, incurring additional annual rental costs.

NB: 'Phone-Line-Dependent' Police Response
If the phone line is cut the alarm will not reach the monitoring centre and they will be unable to call the police.

Active Monitoring
This type of service also connects your alarm system to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) via a phone line - but it also does a lot more than that. It actively checks that the phone line is always there - and this is the service that RedCare offers.

With RedCare's intelligent continuous alarm monitoring service you're safe in the knowledge that your alarm will be delivered to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) - and acted on - in seconds.

Also because RedCare works on an existing BT phone line, you save the cost of installing and renting an additional line, all without incurring any additional call charges, and with a small attachment (modem compatible device), RedCare can even work on the same line as a fax machine, a PC or other digital equipment.

NB: Immediate Police Response
Our surveyor will design a confirmed activation system for your property in line with the ACPO Policy on Police Response to Security Systems - April 2006, ensuring that the police response is Level 1 - immediate*.

Active Monitoring Using Two Signalling Paths
The ACPO Policy on Police Response to Security Systems - April 2006 requires all new remotely monitored systems to be capable of sending two alarm signals to the monitoring centre. This gives added confirmation that an intruder is on the premises and that the alarm is not false.

Using two alarm monitoring paths, radio and the telephone line, if one of the paths is attacked the other continues to monitor for any further alarms and transmits them as 'confirmed activations'. RedCare GSM and CSL DualCom plus are capable of sending a confirmed activation if the radio path or telephone line fails, regardless of which one fails first. This makes it the most secure alarm monitoring service in the world.

NB: Immediate Police Response
This system is designed to eliminate false alarms so police response should be immediate*.

*For systems installed after 1 October 2001 that have not generated an unacceptable level of false alarms.