VoIP & Alarm Systems: What You Need to Know

As traditional copper telephone lines are phased out, more homes and businesses are moving to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for their telephone service. VoIP can be a convenient and cost-effective replacement for everyday phone service, but there is an important distinction to understand:

A VoIP phone line is not the same as a traditional copper telephone line and it may not be the right communication path for your alarm system.

If your security system was originally designed to communicate over a traditional phone line, switching your telephone service to VoIP without first talking with your alarm company could affect how your system communicates with the monitoring station.

At Tasco Security, we do not recommend relying on a standard VoIP phone line for alarm communication. Instead, we offer dedicated Internet, Cellular, and Radio-Frequency communication options that can provide a more reliable connection between your alarm system and our monitoring station.

What Is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. Instead of carrying a call directly over the copper wiring traditionally used for telephone service, VoIP converts information into digital data and transmits it using a data network.

For an ordinary phone conversation, the experience can seem virtually identical. You pick up your phone, hear a dial tone, dial a number, and have a conversation.

Behind the scenes, however, the technology is very different.

That difference is especially important when the “call” isn’t a person talking. Many older alarm systems use the telephone line to transmit specific signals to a monitoring station. The alarm panel and monitoring equipment are expecting those signals to arrive in a particular way.

A connection that works perfectly well for a voice conversation doesn’t necessarily guarantee that an alarm system designed for a traditional telephone line will communicate reliably over that same connection.

Why Can VoIP Cause Problems for Alarm Systems?

Traditional alarm communicators were designed around the characteristics of conventional telephone networks. When that communication is instead carried over VoIP equipment and networks, the signal may be handled differently. Depending on the alarm equipment, VoIP service and network configuration, compatibility issues can potentially result in an alarm signal being altered, failing to transmit correctly, or not being received as expected. That’s more consequential than a dropped phone call.

The monitoring station relies on the information transmitted by your alarm system to determine what type of event has occurred and what response may be necessary. An incomplete, corrupted, or incorrectly interpreted signal can interfere with that process.

This is one reason Tasco recommends using a communication method designed and configured specifically for alarm monitoring rather than assuming that a VoIP replacement for your telephone service will also be an appropriate replacement for your alarm connection.

Even VoIP Providers Warn About Alarm Compatibility

This isn’t simply a concern raised by alarm companies. VoIP and digital telephone providers themselves tell customers to verify alarm compatibility. For example, Xfinity advises customers to consult their alarm company before connecting an alarm system to Xfinity Voice. The company also states that it does not guarantee its Voice service will be uninterrupted or compatible with every make and model of home alarm system.

Ooma provides a similar warning in its terms. The company states that its services and equipment may not be compatible with certain home security systems that communicate by dialing over a telephone line and directs customers to contact their security provider to determine compatibility.

The takeaway is simple; don’t assume that because your phones work over VoIP, your alarm system will too. If you are changing telephone providers or replacing an existing landline with VoIP, contact Tasco before making the switch.

What Happens to VoIP During a Power Outage?

Power backup is another important difference between traditional telephone service and VoIP. Traditional copper POTS lines have historically received operating power from the telephone company’s network rather than relying solely on electrical power at your home or business. This allowed basic telephone service to continue through many local power outages.

VoIP generally relies on powered equipment at the premises or elsewhere in the network. Depending on your setup, that can include a modem, router, network terminal or other equipment. If that equipment loses power and doesn’t have adequate battery or UPS backup, your phone service may stop working.

Again, telephone providers acknowledge this limitation. Xfinity warns that a power outage can interrupt communication with alarm and security systems connected to its Voice service if adequate backup isn’t available. Verizon similarly states that its Fios phone service will not function during a power outage without a backup power source and notes that its battery backup does not power alarm system equipment. For an alarm system, this creates another potential point of failure.

What Does Tasco Recommend Instead of VoIP?

Tasco Security offers several alternatives to traditional POTS and standard VoIP telephone lines:

• Internet Communication uses an appropriate network connection to transmit alarm information without relying on a conventional telephone line.
• Cellular Communication uses a cellular network to communicate with the monitoring station, eliminating the alarm system’s dependence on your telephone service.
• Radio-Frequency Communication provides another dedicated wireless option for alarm monitoring without relying on your traditional telephone line.

The best solution depends on your property, existing alarm equipment, available services and monitoring requirements. A Tasco Security representative can evaluate your system and recommend the appropriate connection.

Why Two Communication Paths Can Be Better Than One

No single communication technology is immune to interruption. An internet connection can go down. Cellular service can experience an outage or coverage issue. Equipment can fail. Severe weather can disrupt infrastructure.

That’s why Tasco may recommend two independent communication paths for additional reliability. If one method becomes unavailable, a properly configured secondary path provides another way for your alarm system to communicate with our monitoring station.

Instead of simply replacing one aging connection with another single point of failure, a dual-path configuration can add another layer of redundancy to your alarm communication.

What If My Alarm Still Uses a POTS Line?

If your alarm system still communicates using a traditional copper POTS line, now is the time to start planning for a replacement. Telephone providers are transitioning away from legacy copper infrastructure, and maintaining a dedicated landline solely for an alarm system can also be expensive.

However, replacing your POTS telephone service with VoIP does not automatically solve the alarm communication problem. Before canceling or changing the telephone service connected to your alarm system, talk with Tasco. We can determine how your system currently communicates, evaluate your existing equipment and recommend an appropriate upgrade.

Not Sure How Your Alarm System Is Connected?

You don’t need to figure it out yourself. If you’ve recently switched telephone or internet providers, are considering moving from a traditional landline to VoIP, or simply aren’t sure how your alarm system currently communicates, contact Tasco Security.

We’ll review your existing connection and help determine whether Internet, Cellular, Radio-Frequency, or multiple communication paths are appropriate for your home or business.

Before changing your phone service, make sure your alarm system has a reliable way to communicate. Call 800-546-5552 to speak with a Tasco Security representative and discuss your options.