Web Monitoring

These days, people are online wherever they go, thanks in large part to the ever-growing popularity of smartphones. Dealers and subscribers expect to be able to connect to control their security systems and manage their accounts from anywhere. Affiliated Central's vice president, Harvey Cohen, was recently interviewed by SecurityInfoWatch.com's Curt Harler about new trends in web monitoring and Internet monitoring that will help address this demand:

Harler: What are some of the critical needs of monitored accounts via the Web?

Cohen: The critical needs of Internet monitoring include 24/7 live operators, e-mail and text messaging of alarms and non-alarm activity. Most dealers appreciate our simple mobile applications to drive the alarm/automation system remotely. Internet monitoring needs to allow for a consumer-driven experience where the majority of activity processing is viewed on our Web portal or via the user's mobile device with the support of the central station during emergency conditions.

Harler: What does the future hold for central station in the area of support of their dealers and subscribers?

Cohen: For both the near- and long-term future, central stations will focus on Internet and GSM transmission technologies as solutions for VoIP. They will have to be prepared to handle all means of communication, including e-mail, text and SMS. They also will want connectivity between monitoring centers and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) which is being tested by a CSAA company for more accurate dispatching. We expect to add more remote services to dealers and their subscribers for arming, disarming, checking other system statuses and more via a Web portal or mobile device. We will assist dealers in the administration of access control systems and provide increased information exchange (data, video, etc.) between the central station and subscriber to enable the user to control their system and dispatch functions. We see monitoring of integrated systems for problems; code-compliant fire and supervisory alarm signal processing; increased mobile asset and people tracking services; and integration of 3G and 4G transmission technologies as they become available.

Harler: What are you doing to help subscribers move forward with technology?

Cohen: All of these services put more control in the hands of tech-savvy subscribers to effectively manage their alarm/automation systems.

Harler: What do you expect the central station of the future to look like?

Cohen: It will look very similar to today's central stations. The key difference will be more sophisticated technology behind the scenes not visible to the dealer or their subscriber. There will remain a critical need for operators and customer service personnel even with the addition of numerous remote control features. An important question to ask: ‘What type of training will be provided to central station personnel to support more advanced technology?’