AlarmLink Inc., Topanga, Calif., unveiled a new cost-saving service to alarm dealers and central stations. The company can now test receiver phone lines and/or fire panels with dedicated phone lines every four hours, 24/7, or on any other schedule that’s preferred. A different schedule may be chosen for each line.

“Having AlarmLink test phone lines will free up hardware assets and PRIs for alarm dealers and central stations,” said Michael Hansen, founder and president of AlarmLink. “And, we’re pleased to offer this new service at a cost lower than alarm dealers and central stations would spend to do it themselves.” 

Specifically, AlarmLink will call each phone number provided for testing based on the schedule indicated. A test every four hours generates 180 phone calls each month. While central stations typically test their own phone lines, they don’t usually test the lines that their dealers own and call forward to them, AlarmLink stated.

Any result other than a successful call, such as a busy signal, no answer, no tone, etc., will be considered a failure and the number will be re-tried three times, one minute apart. In the event of three failures, AlarmLink will create a failure alarm event. Any failure of a test will be transmitted as an alarm event in Contact ID format, account number, event code and zone number. Zone numbers 1 thru 999 will be associated with a phone number. As an alternative to sending an alarm message, an e-mail message can be sent to the central station supervisor or the alarm company owner.

AlarmLink will provide customers with an electronic file monthly, showing all activity that occurred as well as an e-mail notification with a link to the log file. Billing will be done on a per-line basis at an incredibly low price per line, the company said.

AlarmLink founder and president Michael Hansen has served the security industry since 1965, and has been designing and operating reliable central station computer systems and multi-site radio networks for the electronic security industry since 1972, the company indicated.

To learn more about AlarmLink call (800) 833-2144.