Why installers
hold the keys to the UK’s safety

From bells-only systems and 999 diallers, to connected modems and devices that rely on the public switched telephone network (PSTN), the evolution of alarm signalling has seen many versions come and go. Today, we look at a new landscape, one that is compiled of all-IP solutions that provide always-on connections via IP and/or mobile connectivity. These devices are smarter and faster and, crucially, will continue to perform past the switch-off of the PSTN by 2025, unlike the many legacy solutions that are still in use.

While the devices themselves have evolved, the process of installing and getting them operational hasn’t hugely changed for the end-user. That’s because they engage with you, the installer, who handle it all for them – the process remains relatively straightforward. For you, however, changing solutions can mean new training, equipment, suppliers and so much more. You hold the keys to the UK’s safety and security and yet you are the party most burdened with the change.

To fully explain what is happening, in this article for IFSEC Global, we take a step-back to fully explore what the PSTN switch-off means. It covers: 

• What the PSTN switch-off actually is and what is happening
• Why it’s important to you, the installer
• Why you must educate your customers about the switch-off
• How you can strengthen portfolios with Next Generation all-IP alarm signalling solutions
• How to ensure you are part of an ecosystem that is working collectively towards an all-IP future 

Ultimately, as we move nearer the end of the PSTN era, customers will be looking to their installers for advice about how best to ensure ongoing protection, but this burden of change shouldn’t just fall on your shoulders. You should prioritise partnerships that not only give you access to evolving, future-proofed alarm signalling portfolios, but also access to the support and education required to ensure the most value is driven from the all-IP world which, crucially, will help keep customers’ premises secure and safe. 

You can read the article here in IFSEC Global. Similarly, for more information you can speak to your regional account manager or ARC to discover more about the PSTN switch-off and our full Next Generation alarm signalling portfolio.

By Nick Whiting, Head of BT Redcare, for IFSEC Global