2003 IFC SCFPA Symposium July 28, 2010 Fire Alarm Communication Technologies LeRoy McNulty Lynnwood Fire Department

2003 IFC Discussion Topics l Codes vs. Standards l Plain Old Telephone Systems (POTS) l Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN – Legacy Phone System) l Managed Facilities-based Voice Network (MFVN – Contemporary Phone System) l Non-Managed Facilities (VoIP) l AHJ ISSUES

2003 IFC The Bell System Regulated Monopoly Regionally Centralized Internationally Connected Leased Equipment Copper Wire 48 Volts Direct Current (DC) Batteries & Chargers AT&T Before 1984

2003 IFC Telecommunications Act of 1996 l Intended to Foster Competition Between the Same Technologies l Instead Developed Competition Between Different Technologies

2003 IFC Companies Providing Communications for Fire Alarm Monitoring

2003 IFC Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) l Almost Entirely Digital/Fiber after 1990 l Still Regulated to Some Degree l Provides Interconnect Hub l Long-lasting Power Back-up l Still 48 Volts of Direct Current l 100 year old technology

2003 IFC Managed Facilities-based Voice Network (MFVN) l All Digital/Fiber/Packet Switching/IP l Not as Strictly Regulated l Decentralized Network (Nodes) l Terminates calls on PSTN network l 8 Hours of Back-up Power l Requires a Modem for Connectivity (EMTA) Simulates Bell Core standard loop current

2003 IFC Non-Facilities Based Providers l Voice transmission is Acceptable l Data transmission is Variable and Latency is as well l When the Internet is Slow, Signal Failures occur Regularly l No Reliable Back-up Power l Internet Service Providers have Variable Back-up Power l Connects voice calls to PSTN

2003 IFC FCC Committee Report December 21, 2009 l AT&T Requested that PSTN Technology Sunset –700,000 POTS Lines Terminated each month in Favor of Broadband or Wireless –Higher Costs to Maintain System –Less Profitable for Investors –The Final Decision Will Likely be Left to the States

2003 IFC National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) l NFPA 72 is a Standard l Provides Guidelines for AHJ’s l Can be adopted or modified l Sets “Best Practice” for Fire Alarm Installations

2003 IFC NFPA OBJECTIVES √Indentify clear accountability for the reliability of the voice service √Preserve the ability for the alarm panel to “seize” the phone line, even if telephones are in use √Preserve the PSTN service interface (to assure backwards compatibility) √Preserve carriage of alarm signals across the network √Operate during power outages and disasters

2003 IFC DACT - Section l Digital Alarm Communicator Transmitter –DACT’s are required to be used on a PSTN –Need to be specifically Listed for use on an MFVN –Line seizure required –Maximum 90 seconds for transmit and receive confirmation of signal

2003 IFC Changes to NFPA Code 72 Managed Facilities-based Voice Networks are now required in all cases for Digital Alarm Communicator Transmitter (DACTs) l MFVN defines the minimum performance requirements for voice lines used with DACTs in commercial and residential fire alarm applications l MFVNs include traditional POTS, as well as cable digital voice and telco VoIP services l Telco lines must conform too (never before required)

2003 IFC Embedded Multimedia Terminal Adapter (EMTA) l MFVN Connection l Network Bridge l Cable Modem l Battery Back-up or UPS (8 hours) l UL Listed for FA Service but not same standard as Panel

2003 IFC Transmission Channels Section l 1 Dedicated Line with any of the following: –2 nd Phone Line –Cellular (Different Carriers if 2 Cells) –1-way Radio –1-way Radio Private –Microwave Radio –2-way Radio –As approved by AHJ such as line monitor AES, Scan, DLC, DSL, etc

2003 IFC Communications Methods – Section l One Means of Communication –Communication Loss Shall be annunciated at the supervising station within 5 minutes l 2 or More Means of Communication –Integrity Shall be Monitored –1 Line Loss Shall be annunciated at the supervising station within 24 hours.

2003 IFC 17 What is Cable Digital Voice (CDV)? Delivers voice service over a managed facilities- based broadband network Delivers voice service over a managed facilities- based broadband network Provides PSTN equivalent service at the service demarcation point (the phone jack) Provides PSTN equivalent service at the service demarcation point (the phone jack) Digital end-to-end Digital end-to-end Designed to PSTN standards of availability and reliability Designed to PSTN standards of availability and reliability Based on PacketCable™ specifications Based on PacketCable™ specifications Complies fully with E911 Complies fully with E911 Utilizes carrier-class redundant systems Utilizes carrier-class redundant systems Provides PSTN-equivalent backup power Provides PSTN-equivalent backup power Targets 99.94% availability (equivalent to PSTN) Targets 99.94% availability (equivalent to PSTN) Used by millions of alarm systems today Used by millions of alarm systems today

2003 IFC 18 Cable Digital Voice (CDV) Technology PSTN Gateway Cable VoIP Telephone Adapter Alarm Panel Hybrid Fiber/ Coax Managed IP Network Copper Pair Backup Powered Trunks Cable CDV Network 10’s ft FCC Softswitch Optional Cell Backup For Added Reliability ))) Alarm Monitoring Facility PSTN Interconnection (IXC) End to end facilities owned and operated by a single Cable Provider This is an example of a “Managed Facility Voice Network”

2003 IFC AHJ ISSUES Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN Modem l Outside and inside building equipment for MFVN and possibly same for PSTN (FIOS/T-1 MUX’s) l Fire Alarm tech has no access to MFVN premise equipment to check continuity l MFVN phone technology is fairly recent and speed of repair is varies widely

2003 IFC AHJ ISSUES Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN Modem l MFVN modem has built in “battery gone” notification/PSTN ability unknown l MFVN EMTA has 8 hour backup/PSTN may have unlimited or may not. l MFVN modem may have lines on it that also has phone system lines

2003 IFC AHJ ISSUES Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN Modem l No smoke alarm requirements specified in area housing MFVN equipment/If there is PSTN equipment it is the same l UL listing for MFVN not the same as for FP/PSTN equip has same issue l Customer can install MFVN and Monitoring Company would not know it

2003 IFC AHJ ISSUES OTHER ISSUES??

2003 IFC Thanks For Coming Time for More Discussion and Questions Steve Howard