Confusion about cellular solns

Hi,

I've been trying to understand how cellular communicators work, and I have to admit, I'm a bit confused. From what I can tell from reading through the docs on the different suppliers (ie: Teleguard, Uplink, etc), they communicate via GPRS over GSM. Which sounds reasonable given that there really isn't a whole lot of data to transmit.

But here is where I get lost. For any device to communicate over GSM, it needs a SIM chip, which implies that every device would require a unique SIM chip. Who provides the SIM chip? Does that come from the central station? Does that also mean that every device have a unique telephone number? ie: if I knew the number, I'd be able to call the device directly? How is that profitable? The local companies here charge 15$/mth for cellular monitoring. Assuming that the alarm system makes a verification phone call every night to the CS, that would imply at minimum 30mins of usage a month (assuming per-min billing) not counting any additional alarms. The cheapest mobile phone plan I can find is $10 for 33mins. How can a CS offer a service like this and remain profitable?

Am I misunderstanding how these devices work? Do CS's get such better rates that the average joe consumer for his own mobile phone? Or do the CS's have a huge GPRS data plan and all devices share the total calculated bandwidth?

I'm sure I'm missing something simple, but can't seem to figure it out...

Thanks for the info!

Eric

Reply to
Eric B.
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Uplink doesn't use a SIM card.

Only limited data is sent...not full signals by zone...troubles, restores etc. Typically; Burg, Fire, AC Fail, Low Batt and weekly test, as such doesn't cost all that much, and typically we don't charge all that much extra since we are still monitoring and charging for the telco reporting.

I don't use Teleguard so cant speak to that.

Reply to
Crash Gordon

Don't confuse cellular with cellemetry (I hope I spelled that right).

Cellemetry is what is used by AlarmNet, Uplink, DSC GSM and others. With AlarmNet you have to pay the monitoring station for the service. AlarmNet will not deal directly with an alarm dealer, only central stations. The DSC GSM uses Connect24 as the carrier. Connect24 will deal with the alarm dealer or the central station. Uplink mostly deals with the alarm dealer but will deal with the central station.

With cellemetry devices the radio uses the data channel of the cellular network. It does not make a phone call. With cellemetry devices the sim card comes with the radio. The radio does not have a phone number.

I am not trying to advertise but I manage Monitoring America Alarm Co-Op. We do not charge any additional fees for Uplink. We only charge $1 per month for Connect24 if the dealer pays Connect24 for the service. We do offer to bill the dealer under our master dealer agreement with Connect24 and can save the dealer a little per month over Connect24. AlarmNet has so many dofferent services that we simply charge 25% more than AlarmNet charges us. Some AlarmNet dealers use 24 hour testing others use weekly testing. The fees differ on these services.

With cellemetry devices, the signal leaves the subscriber location via cellular communications. The carrier, AlarmNet, Uplink or Connect24 forwards the signal to the central station. We receive our AlarmNet and Connect24 signals via the internet, IP communications. AlarmNet calls our receiver via telephone as a backup. Connect24 uses a second IP address we get from another provider. We still receive our Uplink signals via telepnone to our receiver.

I have not used a Tellular system but I understand this is a cell phone at the subscriber location connected to the alarm panel. The alarm panel dials the central station via the Tellular device just like a regular phone call. I am sure this is how it used to work but it may be different now.

We have been very satisfied with the services we have used and I would recommend them to any alarm dealer. I personally believe the cellemetry devices are superior to straight IP communication at this time.

Ron Wies Monitoring America Alarm Co-Op

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Reply to
rwies

Wow - thanks for the info. Now I'm more confused than ever, however.

How do cellemetry devices know where to send their signal? Am I understand this correctly that all cellemetry devices are tied to their manufacturers? ie: they all transmit only to their own manufacturer's servers, who then, in turn, need to forward the information to the Monitoring Station? So that if I am paying 20$/mth for monitoring to my CS that i'll call Alarmco, my Uplink/Alarmnet/etc will actually "dial" out to the Uplink/Alarmnet central who will then, in turn, send the info over to Alarmco?

This many sound like a very newbie question, but how is the data connection made, if no actual phone call is made? How does the receiving cellular tower know where to forward the necessary information?

Given the variety of different cellular communication devices (Uplink, Tellular, AlarmNet, etc), how does one choose the "right" one for their own system/application? Or are they all essentially the same?

Thanks!

Eric

Reply to
Eric B.

Sigh..........

Reply to
Russell Brill

Yes, and no. It does dial just like a regular phone, but it does not work like a regular phone. The modern Telguard TG -X units take the data from the panel, and then transmits via data channel just like other cell backup units. It can be set at Telgurads center to either get the CS phone number from the panel or to use a default CS number.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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