What is GSM Monitoring?

With the increasing number of people opting out of having a home phone, customers are looking for new ways to monitor their home security system. Two of the most popular ways are IP and GSM monitoring. Today we’re going to take a quick look at GSM monitoring. GSM is a term you may be familiar with as it synonymous with cell phones. GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communications and is an international standard. If you’re a traveller, GSM is the only service offered in Europe and many other parts of the world. The cool thing is that a GSM cell phone will work with any other GSM service anywhere in the world as long as it has the same frequency. GSM calls are based on data or voice, with Alarm Systems using the data. Data calls can turn cell phone into modem operating at 9600 bps (bits per second).

Monitoring your alarm through GSM technology has a number of benefits:

It’s Consistent

GSM technology has an excellent “uptime”, nearly the same as a landline. Internet service has come a long way over the last 10 years, but there are still those times when your Internet goes down, and if you have no Internet, you have no monitoring. Although your monitoring station would learn of your outage pretty quickly, it’s still something that one needs to consider, GSM it typically much more stable.

It’s Secure

Some wonder if monitoring over GSM makes them vulnerable to hacking. Various authentication techniques have been incorporated into GSM make it the most secure mobile communication standard that is currently available; it’s a system based primarily on authentication and encryption techniques.

Remote Access

Using GSM monitoring on your alarm system still allows you to have remote access to your alarm using an app on your mobile device, and allows you to add new features to your system, like automated lights and locks. This comes in handy when you have an alarm system at the cottage or somewhere else where you don’t have Internet service.

Of course, as with any product, there is the downside. Using GSM to monitor your alarm requires that you be in an area where there is cellular service. Although cell phone coverage is as good as it’s ever been, there are still some places where the service won’t work. Another consideration is that you may have to upgrade your GSM radio at some point in the future, as with cell phones, technology changes over time.

If you would like additional information on installing GSM monitoring on the alarm in your home just call our office at (902) 453-3388.