"verified response" with monitor service?

[tachophile]

Hi,
I completed my M1 install a couple months ago. Since my "soft opening" period has been without incident, I'm getting ready to get the monitor service started.
Here's the catch...in the last few months, San Jose has changed to "verified response." I called both Alarm Relay and Next Alarm (only Alarm Relay answered...surprise, surprise). Anyway, Alarm Relay tells me that they don't do 2-way listen service (to fulfill the audible verification).

So, what do other people do? Does Next Alarm do 2-way listen in? Any other service options?

Thanks

 

[electron]

It has to be 2-way listening in?  I would hope the alarm company calling your house to verify the situation would be good enough.  Interesting problem, would love to hear myself what others are doing.

 

[tachophile]

Dan,
 
Thanks for the reply.  Your question prompted me to add a little more background...
 
Here is a snipet from the SJPD website on verified response:
 
"Verification may come in the form of sound, video, or eyewitness accounts that indicate a crime is occurring and thereby constituting a “verified” response. Alarm verification can also be accomplished when an alarm company agent, property owner or any witness is at the scene of an activation and affirms that police are needed because a crime is occurring or has occurred."
 
My interpretation (may be wrong?):
Short of having someone on the scene, I'm left with video or audio verification.  This is why I asked Alarm Relay about listen-in capability.  I'm pretty sure this (2-way interface) is how monitor companies like ADT handle the situation.  This leads me to believe that other monitoring services should/would offer similar service.
 
Thanks.

 

[ano]

Next Alarm has supported 2-way audio since about 2007. 
 
Still, how they can reliably identify a robbery by sound, I do not know.  Will they announce, "Are you robbing the place?" and they need to receive back a confirmed "yes?"
 
You think the folks in San Jose would be a bit more tech savvy?  If false alarms are a problem, there are pretty easy answers.  Most alarms today support a feature where two sensors need to trip within a defined time period.  HAI has it, and I'm sure Elk too.  San Jose could require that this feature be used. Yes, it does require that you install a few more sensors for extra protection, but the feature works.  

 

[tachophile]

Ano,
My responses, below in blue...

Next Alarm has supported 2-way audio since about 2007. 
I just had a conversation with Next Alarm's customer service rep.   They told me that they don't use the 2-way interface of the alarm.  But, they will call phone numbers (I guess that's also 2-way, technically).
 
Still, how they can reliably identify a robbery by sound, I do not know.  Will they announce, "Are you robbing the place?" and they need to receive back a confirmed "yes?"
As I understand it, the standard protocol is to ask for a verbal password.  If the correct one is not produced, the police are called.  This is what my friends with ADT tell me, and it is also what Next Alarm says they would do via phone.  I suppose that constitutes audible verification.  I really don't prefer the "use the phone" idea, though.
You think the folks in San Jose would be a bit more tech savvy?  If false alarms are a problem, there are pretty easy answers.  Most alarms today support a feature where two sensors need to trip within a defined time period.  HAI has it, and I'm sure Elk too.  San Jose could require that this feature be used. Yes, it does require that you install a few more sensors for extra protection, but the feature works.  
Don't get me started on politics!  Suffice it to say, I agree with you.  I think decisions are being made myopically, without trying to find the best overall solution.

 

[Del91574]

You need to get clarification from your locality...
 
Are they referring to ECV(as your neighbor has ADT performing, as most CS' do), which is calling your call list before dispatch or verified via AVI or similar....they are 2 independent and very different items and not interchangable in municipalities that require verification, nor is cross zoning.
 
AVI does not have the operator asking questions, they may state XYZ to the site, but they are going to hold the line and listen for a short period. Does it mean they're going to hear an actual event...not too likely, although companies like Sonitrol have been using that as marketing for years. It's a sign of the times for these municipalities to cut down on alarm response and force the hand for professional installers and ultimately, the consumer to pay more, which I believe in their mind, starts knocking the trunkslammer installs.

 

[ano]

Not only does next Next Alarm support two-way voice, they have a patent on it:
http://technews.tmcnet.com/channels/e911/articles/86909-nextalarm-issued-patent-transmitting-alarm-signals-using-dedicated.htm
 
It likely only works with their alarm panels, though.

 

[Del91574]

Not what their patent says...all their patent is an ATA adapter, most likely the next generation of their original digiums they started with (no end user config, networking, etc). Basically, it's no different than what other manufacturers offer in varying flavors. That said, Nextalarm most likely has a proprietary data format or translation to their virtual receivers (assuming they don't have any or many traditional receivers.
 
Look at Honeywell a iGSMV....same basic product, just implemented another way, they chose to use cellular.