There is much cause for alarm with IP!

This transformation has been achieved largely thanks to the provision of a world class, secure, robust and reliable system that delivers on client requirements, and always to the very highest standards.

In view of this, it must be said that the Opinion article appearing in Security Management Today’s October edition (‘The legacy of UK intruder alarms’, pp17-18) makes a number of observations about BT redcare’s alarm signalling technology that are – at best – misleading for your readers.

In particular, Ian Tredinnick’s article suggests that “redcare-style technology” might not meet “some requirements” of the European Standards. We do not know which ‘redcare-style systems’ Ian is referring to there, but as far as redcare itself is concerned this statement is completely untrue.

Both redcare and redcare GSM have been independently tested for their compliance by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB). Indeed, redcare and redcare GSM are the only systems currently listed by the latter for their EN Grade conformity.

The BT redcare suite of products meets the most secure Grade requirements of EN 50131/PD6662. redcare is compliant with Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4 (except Option D) where single path is applicable.

For its part, redcare GSM is compliant in relation to Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4 where dual path is applicable. For dual path, redcare GSM has a rating of ATS 5 on the primary (landline) path, and a rating of ATS 4 on the secondary (radio) path – the secondary path becoming fully ATS 5 if for any reason the primary path is unavailable.

Also, redcare’s signalling system is not a dial-up technology as Ian intimates. Our signalling uses only the copper line, over which we then generate our own secure signalling from the STU at site and continuously monitor via our scanning equipment in the telephone exchange building.

The article also implies – erroneously – that redcare takes over 20 seconds to report a given security event to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). redcare delivers alarms in under 10 seconds, with No Response messages transmitted in less than 40 seconds. The 40 seconds is by design in order to filter out transient line conditions that may cause spurious No Response signals at the ARC.

Elsewhere, the article presents what we believe to be a rosy view of the degree of protection offered by IP-based signalling systems. This is to be expected, perhaps, given that the author is the managing director of Chiron Technology – a company producing such systems solutions.

While it may be said that IP-based systems could offer low cost, flexible solutions to alarm signalling, they achieve such advantages by (in essence) ‘piggybacking’ on pre-existing networks and products – specifically by using IP networks and the Internet as the core for their signalling path.

Whereas the redcare signalling network is a true end-to-end alarm signalling system – whereby if an alarm message leaves our STU we take full responsibility for delivering it to the ARC across our dedicated network – the same cannot be said of any IP-based alarm system deploying signalling across IP networks. At present, there are no British or European Standards for IP-based alarm signalling.

We believe that there is an uncomfortable compromise being made when it comes to the EN 50131 Grade conformity claims of some IP-based alarm systems. They are being Graded (either via manufacturer self-verification or as a result of independent testing) as complete alarm transmission systems (ATS) when, more properly, we believe that they should be regarded as alarm transmission equipment (ATE) components and viewed as just one part of the transmission path.

Properly, the IP networks that they make use of, the Internet Service Providers, routers and network components used by the system all comprise separate elements in the overall alarm system. As such, they should also require to be Graded in their own right within the EU Standards.

However, since there is presently no obvious way in which to establish the EN Grade of the Internet part of the signalling process, it has become common practice to assume – for the purposes of the Grading process – that the IP network element of the signalling path will always be performing at 100%.

As regular users of the Internet will readily attest, this is not something that can always be relied upon. Exactly how does one certify performance against an Internet Denial of Service attack? Incidentally, the US Senate Sub-Committee on Crime concluded that there is presently no reliable defence for such attacks.

Or how might you certify performance against the fact that some Internet Service Providers, perhaps not even within the UK and subject to UK law, were temporarily out of action in the middle of the night simply because a given maintenance engineer has decided this would be an opportune moment to carry out a software upgrade?

It is most certainly not “curious” – as Ian Tredinnick suggests – that many end users, installers, insurers and ARCs continue to use redcare. On the contrary, it is entirely natural and understandable that these communities would continue to support end-to-end solutions such as redcare (and its direct competitors) until such time as there are European or British Standards for IP signalling alongside secure, reliable products and systems that meet these requirements.

For its part, BT redcare has always been at the forefront of helping to develop and set operational and performance standards within the security industry, and the area of IP signalling is no exception. We maintain representations on the Cenelec European Standards Committee that is now tasked with defining these standards.

Rather than being “slow to adapt”, as Ian suggests, BT redcare is actively working on a secure signalling solution that will operate across IP networks. We are finalising the details of this offering, which will be made available for scrutiny by SMT’s discerning readership.

When that time comes, BT redcare will be in a position to offer clients a solution that – like our other products – will set the industry benchmark for the highest levels of security, resilience and reliability.

Steven Alton, Chief Executive BT redcare Fire and Security