Most-Used Fire Alarm Monitoring Setup Today?

11/17/2025

How do you coordinate what dialing out method with the client/telecom group, etc.?

A new fire alarm system, let's say a college building, for example, what do you typically see?

Does the college have its own monitoring station? Do you dial out signals via cellular or internet, or both?

Do dial-out signals go to both the college monitoring station (say, a life safety office) and a central monitoring station?

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6 Comments

Joe

11/17/2025 08:13:24 am

You're going to find that "Proprietary Supervising Station Alarm System" (NFPA 72 defined term) is going to be the Norm not the exception to your scenario question.

Glenn Berger

11/17/2025 08:18:12 am

No consistency between sites. Military sites mostly use Monaco Radio systems.

Chad

11/17/2025 10:11:52 am

Most common by far and wide is cellular. (AKA performance based technologies, 72.26.6.3)

Unless you are living under a rock or there is no cell phone signal, no one is using phone lines (DACT via MFVN), code discourages, it in so many words.

Private one way network (AES, Keltron, Digitize, King Fisher) are also very popular. AES communicates two way but is listed as one way.

IP is a tricky one. Technically you cannot use it, even as a back up, unless you provide 24 hour battery back up for the IT equipment used. So its $$$. There is a provision for 8 hours of backup for that, provided you perform a risk analysis and the AHJ ok's it.

That does not stop a lot of small and big players from connecting it as a back up.... or even as a primary, without the proper power.

Now a college, that could be a proprietary system if they have their own central station. If they do not, they might have a preferred vendor and you need to use them.

Regarding the signals going to multiple places sure, why not! All depends on the owner, AHJ etc. Everyone is different.

Ricardo Gonzales

11/17/2025 10:16:55 am

1st question should be: What is the client currently using?
2nd: Who are you reporting for?

These two will answer the how, the where and the who gets the signal. The rest is technical which should be the easiest part.

Jack G

11/17/2025 01:44:29 pm

For the last dozen years we ve used a cellular service the receives the alarm and automatically sends it to the building office supervisory system and to the fire department.

sean

11/17/2025 08:51:45 pm

most in my area use dual radio, then radio and cell combo units.

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Most-Used Fire Alarm Monitoring Setup Today?

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