Security systems and 21CN
With the ever increasing demands and requirement of modern technology the existing communications and data networks need to be upgraded – this is commonly known at 21CN and this can affect your monitored burglar alarm system
21CN is BT’s global, software driven customer network that introduces a new, simpler portfolio of next generation services. It is the foundation for BT’s transformation into a global, software-driven communications business.
Fundamentally 21CN is about customer choice – it’s a platform for innovation that truly puts flexibility and choice in the hands of our customers – both in the UK and across the world. To meet the needs of all our customers – both today and in the future – the scope of 21CN has been expanded and now includes:
- the introduction of software-driven innovation capabilities
- elements that better meet the needs of BT’s enterprise customers and global reach
- new technology to improve mobile access
- Consistency between 21CN and BT’s next generation access strategy. *
The main issue discovered by British Telecom and the Security Industry when testing Digital Communicators over simulated 21CN systems was a timing delay.
Within the new 21CN network these delay times cannot be guaranteed. A Digital Communicator (i.e. a monitored burglar alarm system) needs to be acknowledged within a specific time-frame. This acknowledgement or confirmation of delivery is known as a handshake or kiss off. If an acknowledgement is not received within a specific time by the Digital Communicator it won’t know that its message was received and it will dial again and again until all its attempts are used up.
The symptom of this is a call charge on the phone bill for every attempt e.g. instead of one event call costing X the phone bill may list ten events each costing X for every set, unset and alarm delivered to the ARC. Some Digis can dial up to ninety-nine call attempts before shutting down**
At Zodiac Security we are able to provide and install a piece of security equipment that will ensure that your existing digital communicator (and therefore your monitored burglar alarm) will continue to work correctly and efficiently all the time no matter if your local telephone exchange has been converted for the 21-CN upgrade.
So do not take the risk that your monitored burglar alarm will work when the change happens – contact Zodiac Security now to ensure that it definitely will.
Please be aware that you insurance cover may be affected if you do not ensure that your security system complies with this change.
* Paragraph taken from BT website
** Paragraph taken from CSL website