FVA and alarms with tone signalling modems

Have a monitored intruder/fire alarm and have switched from ADSL to FTTP.

When the system was installed back in 2004 I was advised by a senior engineer never to have ADSL broadband on the same line.

So when ADSL became available in my area I had a second line installed just to support it.

When I had FTTP installed I obviously cancelled that copper line but I still have the main landline coming into the house with the alarm and phone connected to it.

From what I understand the ONT supplies the same current through the TEL port as is supplied from the PSTN equipnment through the NTE as well as generating a dial tone so any connected equipment should operate in excagly the same way?

Would it be possible to get OR to run some copper from the ONT round the side of the house to connect to the existing NTE which also has the connection to the alarm run off it.

Would OR do such a thing and what would I technically be asking Zen for OR to do, would be classed as FVA installation or an extension?

I know price is down to the CP so I won't ask that.

Grateful for any advice, cheers

I don�t believe Zen do an FVA service do they ?

It�s physically do-able .... Fit a PSTN jack on the end going into the ONT, then just run cable to where required. You then ought to have an FVA front plate on the NTE allowing switching between FVA and copper based dial tone.

I use a Texecom Prenier Elite alarm control panel which has an accessory that connects to an ethernet port on my router.

Anyone could run a line from the Tel port on the ONT to a junction box near your NTE to which the downstream connections of your NTE could then be connected.

While the voltage and PSTN will work over FVA - if the provider sells it (Zen don't) you may find the alarm providers terms insist on copper

Is that ComIP of Connect? The ComIp was good enough to provide a full monitored system with some monitoring companies. The Connect interface is way better as it can provide details to both monitoring station and the owner's smart phone.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

While the voltage and PSTN will work over FVA - if the provider sells it (Zen don't) you may find the alarm providers terms insist on copper

Most alarm providers won't work over FVA a neighbour of mine who upgraded to FTTP the same time as me had to keep his copper line for his alarm.

But he has reciently moved to FVA and upgraded his alarm to use their GSM Module.

Paul

It is just ComIP. It does send details to a smart phone which can be used to set and cancel the alarm. I can also access all the alarm functions with some Texecom software called Wintex. There is a more modern version of what I have.

You should look at the Connect - performs the ComIP function and ComWiFi and the new phone App is way more advanced. There is also a replacement for Wintex due imminently - currently under test with some installers.

Even if they do I wonder if the alarm system will use voice frequencies outside the range of what would be supported over what is a VoIP connection? Could FVA run a fax machine?

fax over voip works as long as T38 is enabled both ends

Also wondering whether VoIP might break the tone systems

if it uses the same range as a fax machine it should work

Have you seen evidence of it working on FVA on BT FTTP?

It depends...

The BSIA fast format protocol has handshake/acknowledge signals using 1.4 & 2.3kHz tones, and uses short DTMF tones for data - if the VoIP implementation uses G.711 codecs and in-band DTMF it should work, but if the ATA uses a lower-rate codec and/or RFC4733 DTMF signalling the waveform distortion and timing skew would almost certainly break it.

Techguy

Originally the alarm frequencies would have interfered with the ADSL signals, Filters had to be fitted in the exchange to prevent this. Which was done with ADSL2

However if it is a monitored alarm ( similar to the old redcare system ) the equipment monitors the electrical connection over the copper and there isn't one in FTTP so it won't work.

The actual alarm frequencies may not be picked up by the ATA which was designed for voice frequencies so may also not work properly ( unlike fax which is in the correct frequency range )

There are alarms that can work over FTTP but these would require a new alarm system. ( 'Keep alives' over the ethernet mimic the electrical monitoring).They can also have a lot more facilities. including vision etc.

I would talk to the alarm provider about what upgraded systems they can provide that will work over FTTP and see if they cost in against removing the copper.

The ComIP cost me much more than the control panel! One of my problems with the existing app is that it makes use of a password which I did not make a proper note of.

I know ! They were unbelievable expensive. the new Connect which does Ethernet and WiFi is only £60 or so and does offer much more. Used ComIPs are being sold online for a good price.

Thanks all.

Should have said it's ADT.

Will have a chat with them at some poiint.