Transcript AHJ ISSUES

SCFPA Symposium
July 28, 2010
Fire Alarm Communication
Technologies
LeRoy McNulty
Lynnwood Fire Department
2003 IFC
Discussion Topics
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Codes vs. Standards
Plain Old Telephone Systems (POTS)
Public Switched Telephone Network
(PSTN – Legacy Phone System)
Managed Facilities-based Voice Network
(MFVN – Contemporary Phone System)
Non-Managed Facilities (VoIP)
AHJ ISSUES
2003 IFC
AT&T Before 1984
The Bell System
•Regulated Monopoly
•Regionally Centralized
•Internationally Connected
•Leased Equipment
•Copper Wire
•48 Volts
•Direct Current (DC)
•Batteries & Chargers
2003 IFC
Telecommunications Act of 1996
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Intended to Foster Competition
Between the Same Technologies
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Instead Developed Competition
Between Different Technologies
2003 IFC
Companies Providing
Communications for Fire
Alarm Monitoring
2003 IFC
Public Switched Telephone
Network (PSTN)
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Almost Entirely Digital/Fiber after
1990
Still Regulated to Some Degree
Provides Interconnect Hub
Long-lasting Power Back-up
Still 48 Volts of Direct Current
100 year old technology
2003 IFC
Managed Facilities-based
Voice Network (MFVN)
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All Digital/Fiber/Packet
Switching/IP
Not as Strictly Regulated
Decentralized Network (Nodes)
Terminates calls on PSTN network
8 Hours of Back-up Power
Requires a Modem for Connectivity
(EMTA) Simulates Bell Core
standard loop current
2003 IFC
Non-Facilities Based Providers
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Voice transmission is Acceptable
Data transmission is Variable and
Latency is as well
When the Internet is Slow, Signal
Failures occur Regularly
No Reliable Back-up Power
Internet Service Providers have
Variable Back-up Power
Connects voice calls to PSTN
2003 IFC
FCC Committee Report
December 21, 2009
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AT&T Requested that PSTN
Technology Sunset
– 700,000 POTS Lines Terminated each
month in Favor of Broadband or Wireless
– Higher Costs to Maintain System
– Less Profitable for Investors
– The Final Decision Will Likely be Left to
the States
2003 IFC
National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA)
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NFPA 72 is a Standard
Provides Guidelines for AHJ’s
Can be adopted or modified
Sets “Best Practice” for Fire
Alarm Installations
2003 IFC
NFPA OBJECTIVES
√Indentify clear accountability for the
reliability of the voice service
√Preserve the ability for the alarm
panel to “seize” the phone line, even if
telephones are in use
√Preserve the PSTN service interface
(to assure backwards compatibility)
√Preserve carriage of alarm signals
across the network
√Operate during power outages and
disasters
2003 IFC
DACT - Section 26.6.3.2.1
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Digital Alarm Communicator
Transmitter
– DACT’s are required to be used on a PSTN
– Need to be specifically Listed for use on an
MFVN
– Line seizure required
– Maximum 90 seconds for transmit and
receive confirmation of signal
2003 IFC
Changes to NFPA Code 72
Managed Facilities-based Voice Networks are now
required in all cases for Digital Alarm Communicator
Transmitter (DACTs)
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MFVN defines the minimum performance requirements
for voice lines used with DACTs in commercial and
residential fire alarm applications
MFVNs include traditional POTS, as well as cable
digital voice and telco VoIP services
Telco lines must conform too (never before required)
2003 IFC
Embedded Multimedia
Terminal Adapter (EMTA)
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MFVN Connection
Network Bridge
Cable Modem
Battery Back-up or
UPS (8 hours)
UL Listed for FA
Service but not same
standard as Panel
2003 IFC
Transmission Channels
Section 26.6.3.2.1.4
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1 Dedicated Line with any of the
following:
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2nd Phone Line
Cellular (Different Carriers if 2 Cells)
1-way Radio
1-way Radio Private
Microwave Radio
2-way Radio
As approved by AHJ such as line monitor
• AES, Scan, DLC, DSL, etc
2003 IFC
Communications Methods –
Section 26.6.3
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One Means of Communication
– Communication Loss Shall be annunciated
at the supervising station within 5 minutes
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2 or More Means of
Communication
– Integrity Shall be Monitored
– 1 Line Loss Shall be annunciated at the
supervising station within 24 hours.
2003 IFC
What is Cable Digital Voice
(CDV)?
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Delivers voice service over a managed facilitiesbased broadband network
Provides PSTN equivalent service at the service
demarcation point (the phone jack)
Digital end-to-end
Designed to PSTN standards of availability and
reliability
Based on PacketCable™ specifications
Complies fully with E911
Utilizes carrier-class redundant systems
Provides PSTN-equivalent backup power
Targets 99.94% availability (equivalent to PSTN)
Used by millions of alarm systems today
•17
•17 IFC
2003
•PSTN Interconnection (IXC)
•Alarm Monitoring Facility
Cable Digital Voice (CDV) Technology
•Backup Powered
•This is an example of a
“Managed Facility Voice
Network”
•Copper
•Pair
•Trunks
•Softswitch
•PSTN
•Gateway
•Cable CDV Network
•Managed
•IP Network
•F •C •C
•Hybrid
•Fiber/
•Coax
•Cable VoIP
•Telephone
•Adapter
•Alarm
•10’s ft •Panel
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•Optional Cell
•))) Backup
•For Added •18
Reliability
•End to end facilities owned and operated by a single Cable Provider
2003 IFC
AHJ ISSUES
Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN
Modem
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Outside and inside building
equipment for MFVN and possibly
same for PSTN (FIOS/T-1 MUX’s)
Fire Alarm tech has no access to
MFVN premise equipment to
check continuity
MFVN phone technology is fairly
recent and speed of repair is
varies widely
2003 IFC
AHJ ISSUES
Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN
Modem
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MFVN modem has built in “battery
gone” notification/PSTN ability
unknown
MFVN EMTA has 8 hour
backup/PSTN may have unlimited
or may not.
MFVN modem may have lines on it
that also has phone system lines
2003 IFC
AHJ ISSUES
Differences between PSTN modems and MFVN
Modem
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No smoke alarm requirements
specified in area housing MFVN
equipment/If there is PSTN
equipment it is the same
UL listing for MFVN not the same
as for FP/PSTN equip has same
issue
Customer can install MFVN and
Monitoring Company would not
know it
2003 IFC
AHJ ISSUES
OTHER ISSUES??
2003 IFC
Thanks For Coming
Time for More Discussion
and Questions
Steve Howard
2003 IFC