How Does the Contact ID Protocol Work?

Ademco Contact ID is the most popular protocol that allows alarm systems to communicate with Central Stations. When an alarm was tripped, the alarm panel would capture the phone line and dial the number of the central station automatically.

After the Contact-ID handshake is received by the alarm panel, it will send the Contact-ID message comprising 16 DTMF digits to tell what's happening and the location. After a successful reception of a message, the central station sends a kissoff signal. If the alarm system does not receive the kissoff tone in time, the alarm panel will retransmit the message.

Contact ID Protocol

Compatibility Between VoIP And Alarm System

POTS lines have been the primary means of communication for alarm systems for decades. Many alarm systems still work well with existing POTS lines as they behaved in the past decades, but what about the future? How many years can these alarm systems be maintained?

Due to the complexity of upkeeping POTS infrastructure, many telecom providers have announced their plans to discontinue support for copper lines. While the fire alarm manufacturers still struggle to compatible IP-based communication, the old and deployed fire alarm systems need to find an alternative media to replace POTS lines as soon as possible.

VoIP is an alternative solution for POTS line replacement, however, when the POTS lines are replaced with VoIP, alarm signals can become unrecognizable to the central stations. Because VoIP converts analog signals into digital signals, how VoIP compresses and uncompresses signals can dramatically affect the attempted messaging. The central stations almost always stop receiving signals from the alarm panel. It's a challenging task for all service provider, but we could help you to turn this into your opportunity.

Flyingvoice Unique Technology to Handle Contact ID Properly

Contact ID Relay Mode

The receiver could not receive the alarm signal properly because the DTMF message is very sensitive to touch-tone frequency and time-line. In order to solve those major issues with the IP network, the Flyingvoice ATA gateway will enhance the DTMF detection and transmission under Contact ID reply mode. This can effectively improve the communication success rate of contact ID.

In Contact ID relay mode, the ATA gateway enhances the DTMF transmission under the software application layer, and the alarm message is sent to the central station directly. This case is suitable for most scenarios and make no different as regular SIP setting. Just one Flyingvoice ATA gateway could solve the headache issue of alarm Contact ID compatibility for years.

ATA Gateway Enhances the DTMF Transmission

Contact ID Store & Forward Mode

Contact ID Store & Forward mode is a new technology model for alarm systems. The alarm panel is reserved with the same dialer communication method as ATA gateway but the Contact ID message is ended by the ATA gateway rather than the center station.

The communication path from the ATA gateway to the central station is changed. A middleware server is needed for handling the alarm signal with the central station. And ATA gateway converts the original Contact ID signal to HTTPS format to communicate with the middleware server.

In this case, Store & Forward mode is suitable for the customer who has the capability to bridge middleware service with alarm companies.

Contact ID Store & Forward Mode

No matter in what way with Flyingvoice products, you don't need to change your customer's original panel and their usage habits.

Flyingvoice Suitable Products

All-in-one Router LM152, PR08 ATA gateway and regular ATA G504 or G508 are compatible with above unique Contact ID feature.

LM152

PR08 8 FXS ATA Gateway with UPS

G504 4 FXS Gigabit VoIP Adapter

G508 8 FXS Gigabit VoIP Adapter

After more than 10 years of development, Flyingvoice has gained rich industry experience in VoIP and POTS solutions. We understand well that customers' needs for POTS replacement. If you have the technical ability to build your own POTS replacement solution, Flyingvoice will be the best choice for your hardware products.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, feel free to visit our website at https://www.flyingvoice.com/.