The potential of two-way audio verification monitoring, when understood, is almost unlimited … so let me explain.
How many security systems are installed or sold with a 12V interfaced smoke detector included?
Monitoring software already here
How many security systems are installed or sold with mobile panic or medical help facility included?
The industry prioritises intruder detection, but let us look at the residential figures:
* This is an estimate, but it will be significantly lower than deaths resulting from fire.
The good news is that installation of hardware and monitoring software solutions are already here in various formats.
70 per cent retired by 2020
Approximately 50 per cent of the population are retired at present, and up to 70 per cent of us will be retired by the year 2020. This means (or should mean) half of the consumers purchasing security systems, are retired and more willing to purchase a medical/accident help-line device, than somebody younger.
Perhaps proportionally this is not a true percentage as the elderly might prefer a one-button push on and off and, unless this is available, might not purchase a system at all.
To look at specific examples: If installing or selling in the York area perhaps it could include monitored flood detection. When the consumer is retired, then a monitored mobile panic/medical device should be, at least, offered or included as part of the system.
Monitoring these two examples may not change the events, but at least it lets people know nearly immediately.
Another example of a monitoring trigger is if the temperature in a house drops below a certain setting.
This simple output from a monitoring station, can save lives by preventing the elderly from freezing to death (literally) in their own homes. How much does the equipment and a piece of wire, plus time spent fitting, compare to someone’s life?
We saved six lives last year
I believe anything sold or installed to help make people safer in a home is good. Although approximately there are 3,000 fatal accidents in the home, these are just accidents and not through medical causes.
A mobile two-way monitored device might not guarantee to save a life, but it does save some. We saved six lives last year … and saved one gentleman twice.
It is all well and good looking at perfect ways to increase point of sale income/product distribution by selling “add-ons” to intruder systems, but how much will it cost the consumer? The answer: Not very much compared to the initial cost of the installation, particularly with the case of monitored smoke detection.
Of course, the potential consumer will counter with: “What are the on-going monitoring costs?”
The answer is 1p per hour plus tax. At a monitoring cost to the consumer of say, GB pound 9.75 per month gross, the disconnection rate is only 4.1 per cent.
Connection with house appliances
With a trade-monitoring fee of a mere GB pound 2.48 per month, it makes for a very good after-sale income, and increases a company’s valuation significantly, as monitoring is regarded effectively as a utility.
The obvious choice to use for a mobile panic button is a device with a transceiver. However, if a customer requires a wire-free medical device, and a sensor for a car, caravan or camper the most practical choice is a hybrid system giving the benefits of a wired programmable system combined with wire-free.
As a totally independent distributor we only sell hybrid, we have never seen the need in the residential market to sell anything else. The California Monitored Security System is predominantly manufactured by Electronics Line, who last year issued shares on the Neuer Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Electronics Line has already been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 1992. California Security Products has exclusive distribution of this hybrid in the U.K.
You think, where is this leading? Where is monitoring leading?
The new generation network from Electronics Line is part of the new world home network data communication technology. This enables connection to relevant appliances within the house and to the outside world using ADSL, cellular, WAP, and internet standards.
The next generation
This network communicates inside the home by means of highly sophisticated wireless data, transmitting either data/video/voice from the house to any remote location via cellular SMS, ADSL, ISDN, PSDN and the internet.
In a nutshell, it is the next generation of monitoring and in effect is two-way two-way monitoring. At the moment although monitoring stations can listen in to a house and take the appropriate action, the customer does not have any control.
The new generation monitoring will enable the customer to operate ANY electrical appliance in the house using their mobile telephone. To refer to the introduction, the applications are endless.
… And isn’t it a refreshing change to read an article in a security magazine about monitoring without it including the word “police”?
