Showing posts with label Video Verification. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Video Verification. Show all posts

Monday, November 15, 2021

Should I Upgrade My Existing Security System?

Should I Upgrade My Existing Security System? 

A security system is designed to do one thing: keep you, your property, and those you care about safe. However, if you are using a security system that is ten or more years old, it may not be able to provide you with the level of security you want or need. Not only are older systems susceptible to malfunction, but since they are less sophisticated than systems available today, they put you at risk of malicious activities by tech-savvy thieves.

Unsure how to decide whether it is time for your upgrade? Below are three reasons that you should consider installing a new security system today!

Here are four signs it is time to upgrade your security system:

1. Dated technology
Security systems are not a once-in-a-lifetime investment. Like any piece of technology that you purchase, they have to be frequently updated and maintained to optimize their functionality. Your security system is like a phone — it requires periodic investment and replacement over time, not to mention that since technology changes so quickly, your device could soon become obsolete.

2. Alarm safety
Before the days of wireless data, security systems were operated via land lines with wires that could be easily manipulated by unwanted intruders. Luckily, since modern alarm systems operate using cellular transmitters to send and receive messages, they provide a safer alternative for homeowners.

At Video, Intrusion or Fire Monitoring in India, we have partnered with Netra Monitoring to provide customers with specialized Interactive Alarm Monitoring services, including home automation, remote arming and disarming, thermostat control, video surveillance and much more. Unlike an outdated security system, the Alarm Monitoring service feature can be managed centrally for one location or multiple locations through an app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android-powered device.

Your safety is of the upmost importance, but with Netra Monitoring, it doesn’t have to be an inconvenience.

3. Transmission
The biggest reason security systems become obsolete is that technology becomes outdated. Since most modern security devices use the same towers as cellphones to send and receive alerts, it is most likely that the reason your product will be unusable is that, much like a cell phone, the network it uses to operate is no longer available.

The good news is that there is often quite a bit of overlap in what networks are available. For instance, 2G technology is being phased out, but 3G, 4G, and 5G are still available and often work interchangeably.

What is great about a system that works on this kind of network is that while 2G will soon be unavailable, you don’t have to replace your entire system to still use it. Often, you will need to replace a small component to keep it running.

4. Protecting Your Investment
The best way to ensure that you are getting the most out of your investment is to purchase your new security system from a company that is dedicated to making your experience with their product the best one possible. At Fire Monitoring at India, we perform regular service and maintenance on your products and make sure you are informed of any upgrades that your system requires and technology changes or your system ages.

We think of keeping an alarm system up-to-date as being similar to maintaining a car. Just because your car gets old doesn’t mean it is useless — if something breaks, you fix it and keep on driving. By working with one of our technicians, you will get more life out of your equipment than you ever imagined and be able to enjoy the safety you deserve for years to come.

When your security system becomes an afterthought – and eventually an outdated afterthought – it leaves your building vulnerable.

Netra Monitoring installs custom-designed, scalable, user-friendly usable commercial intrusion alarm systems, and we feel that even the least experienced user will be able to use our systems with the proper training. Netra Monitoring also work for Central Alarm Monitoring with Video Verification services in India.



Friday, January 1, 2021

Upcoming Trends in security & surveillance for 2021

Upcoming Trends in Security & Surveillance for 2021 

It’s fair to say 2020 has not been the year any of us were expecting. It has been challenging, we have all made sacrifices, and there are still further obstacles in our path as we try to get back to “normal”. SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus strain that causes COVID-19, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that is affecting lives worldwide. Epidemics and pandemics have been threatening the human race time and again. SARS, H1N1, Ebola, and more have shown their teeth in the past, but with each such outbreak, we are learning new ways of fighting and managing such unexpected diseases that can potentially kill millions of people. Technology cannot prevent the onset of the pandemics; however, it can help prevent the spread, educate, warn, and empower those on the ground to be aware of the situation, and noticeably lessen the impact. The pandemic of 2020 has certainly changed the landscape for us all, not just the security industry. It has made us a lot more aware of touch points, crowded gatherings and personal space. It is inevitable that technology will adapt as our lives do. We have already seen manufacturers race to bring us solutions such as body temperature management, face mask detection and crowd control etc. It’s time to change. It’s time to get better. It’s time to learn more and sharpen our skills.’

During pandemic Webinar is boom through Zoom. Google meet, Gotowebiner etc in security safety automation industry. System Integrator, End Users, professionals are learn many things through OEM direct Webinar. US already ban China made surveillance product. In india Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) is the vision of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi of making India a self-reliant nation. The first mention of this came in the form of the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' or 'Self-Reliant India Mission' during the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic related economic package on 12 May 2020. Known china CCTV OEM are thrown out. Yes, it’s true, India don’t have much infrastructure to generate Camera manufacturing plant, it will take time at list 5 year. Within this time, we can follow BIS website to get information about selected camera / NVR model are china factory make or not. Low cost and high cost both option camera you can found. If you found that model belongs to china factory immediately change with Closest or Alternative Substitute. Now we check what will be next in 2021 for Security Safety & Automation.

OSHA new Policy:

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused almost all firms to deploy the work from home practice for employees. While some may be used to this, others may feel lost in the exercise. While not all Indian are able or fortunate enough to work from home, many have transitioned to telecommuting and virtual work over the last week or two.

While employers’ responsibilities for the safety and health of their at-home workers is less than those in the office or onsite, some do still exist. OSHA distinguishes between home offices and other home workplaces.
OSHA’s compliance directive on home offices is pretty clear:
·     “OSHA will not conduct inspections of employees’ home offices.
·     “OSHA will not hold employers liable for employees’ home offices, and does not expect employers to inspect the home offices of their employees.
·   “If OSHA receives a complaint about a home office, the complainant will be advised of OSHA’s policy. If an employee makes a specific request, OSHA may informally let employers know of complaints about home office conditions, but will not follow-up with the employer or employee.”
What about recording injuries while working at home? If an employee is working at home, when could the injury be considered work-related? OSHA answers the question:
How do I decide if a case is work-related when the employee is working at home? Injuries and illnesses that occur while an employee is working at home, including work in a home office, will be considered work-related if the injury or illness occurs while the employee is performing work for pay or compensation in the home, and the injury or illness is directly related to the performance of work rather than to the general home environment or setting.

Video Intercoms:

One of the newer phenomena we’ve faced in the world has been the concept of physical distancing, brought to light by the global coronavirus pandemic. This has created challenges not only socially, but for technologies that were not designed to accommodate what may be the new norm. Video intercoms are really going to be playing a bigger part in the way facilities are organized and processes are organized. We’re seeing some customers that are using this to limit having to actually go inside a room in a healthcare facility, for example, to limit the chances of transmitting something all while maintaining that frequency of checking. One of the main benefits of door intercoms is, simply put, the ability to limit — or even eliminate — human contact at the door. In this pandemic, an immediate need is providing [the customer with] a way to create physical distancing upon entry. This can also be applied to healthcare workers. Integrators have to understand this greater demand for security at the door and deliver solutions to their customers. Everybody is having food, groceries and other things delivered to their door. Demand for that is very high right now. Additional security at the door or the gate is something people want and need.

Home Over IP:

Amazon, Apple, Google and the Zigbee Alliance announced a new working group that plans to develop and promote the adoption of a new, royalty-free connectivity standard to increase compatibility among smart home products, with security as a fundamental design tenet. Zigbee Alliance board member companies such as IKEA, Legrand, NXP Semiconductors, Resideo, Samsung SmartThings, Schneider Electric, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), Silicon Labs, Somfy and Wulian are also on board to join the working group and contribute to the project. The goal of the Connected Home over IP project is to simplify development for manufacturers and increase compatibility for consumers. The project is built around a shared belief that smart home devices should be secure, reliable and seamless to use. By building upon IP, the project aims to enable communication across smart home devices, mobile apps and cloud services, and to define a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.

Video Surveillance:

The global CCTV camera market is anticipated to generate substantial revenue of more than to USD 38 billion till 2021. Asia Pacific and America holds the largest share of the global market and act as one of the main driver for the market. According to “India CCTV Camera Market Outlook, 2021”, the India CCTV Camera market is expected to grow with a CAGR of more than 26 % in the period from 2016 to 2021. Technology wise non-IP dominates the Indian market but in the coming years IP is expected to take the lead soon. Non -IP technology constitutes of analog and HD CCTV cameras. Analog is technology which is in a depleting stage and it share is expected to be taken by the IP technology and the HD type CCTV camera. Dome typed cameras are the most widely used cameras in any sectors. Commercial segment is the driver of the CCTV market in India with the increasing count of SOHO’s and SME’s. With the increasing security concerns, residential sector would also be one of the factors for the increasing market. As criminal activities are more in the northern region of India, North dominates the market in terms of revenue.

Facial Recognition:

Facial recognition is the common theme of the week’s top digital identity news with retail applications, new edge servers, and biometric border control deployments around the world. A new software partnership on biometric cryptography has also been announced, a report shows the importance of selfie biometrics in fraud reduction published, and the industry, as well as society more broadly, continues to contend with the issue of algorithmic bias. Facial recognition solutions identify a person by forming a unique code built on algorithms from multiple points on a person’s face, including nose, chin, lips, eyes and jaw. However, when a person wears a mask, many of these key points are not visible. Faces were often completely missed, and unsuccessful or false identifications were high. Those are know this wearing masks can reduce the accuracy they avoid to take Facial recognition

Video Verification:

The city currently has over 1,000 video surveillance cameras deployed across the metropolitan area and is expected to reach over 1,700 security devices. Now it’s very difficult to watch every moment on comment control center. It’s very important to see what camera saw. Through Video Auditing software the task are easy. Day by day its increase.

Rise of Mobile Credentials:

There has been a tremendous uptick in the popularity of mobile credentials. Research firm IHS Markit has reported that mobile-based credentials are the fastest-growing access control product. Globally they have experienced nearly a 150 percent growth between 2017 and 2018. Estimates show that more than 120 million mobile credentials will be downloaded in 2023 by end users. A 2019 survey by HID estimated that 54% of businesses had upgraded or would upgrade to a mobile access control system in the next three years. Though access cards still play a powerful role in the access control market, we are seeing a strong shift towards mobile access control like various companies. The use of mobile-based credentials is the logical next step for the physical security and access control industry. The fact that people are always with their smartphone helps popularise this trend. Phones aren’t just phones anymore. They play a bigger role in day-to-day life and this also includes access control. Mobile credentials can revolutionise the industry, eliminating the need to carry and wipe a card. Instead, a phone’s technology can be used to authenticate identity and grant entry. This gives greater flexibility, improves privacy and can also lower the maintenance costs of credential management for end users. Additionally, a clear advantage is that employees are more likely to carry their smartphone with them and less likely to lose them compared to NFC transponders.

The advantages of using virtual access control cards, which are stored on smartphones, are obvious: less logistics when distributing, revoking or replacing cards and many more ways to integrate with technology on the phone or other hosts and devices in the network. Often also the user experience of mentioned as a benefit of mobile access: users do not have to fill up their wallets with a pile of RFID cards but can conveniently carry them around in their phone. The networking capacity of smartphones would even be a great way to overcome the limitations of offline access control installations where access rights would be stored on smartphones instead of cards.

Security in the cloud:

After the entrance of IP-networking in security around twenty years ago, it is one of the major current trends in our industry: cloud based security systems. In the context of physical security one could define cloud based systems as those systems with a topology that looks like this:
·       A server that is ‘in the cloud’ and can be accessed from virtually anywhere;
·       Devices that connect over an IP-network to that central server;
·       Web based administration of the system;
·       Commercially based on a service or transaction model with recurring fees.
Variations exist. But in general this pretty much sums up what to expect when reviewing a cloud based system.
We see this set-up currently already in several categories:
·               Video Intercom Systems, like the systems from Akuvox, which are based on video intercom stations that connect to a cloud based server, which also enables use of apps as virtual door phones.
·   Mobile access systems that enable the use of virtual credentials on smartphones. and that are managed from a cloud based server.
·               Video management software now also is offered by several vendors as a cloud service, for example: 3dEYE, Open Eye, and VIVOTEK.

IoT security topologies:

The Internet of Things idea has been around for ages. It was predicted over a decade ago that billions of device will connect to the Internet. Sensors all around us will deliver data to the cloud. Feeding data into ‘big data’ processing applications that will give us access to a wealth of information. Devices also connect the cloud. To be part of applications that can be used and managed from virtually any location. For security it would mean that it very much is related to cloud based security applications. The additional step here would be that camera’s, readers, intercoms, intrusion detection sensors and biometric stations would connect directly to the cloud based service. Installations would be easier and more scalable. Access control systems could be deployed at any door and still be real online access control systems. Video surveillance would be available at any location that would require security monitoring. Security sensors and devices can be rolled out everywhere.

Smartphones and wearables

Using smartphones or other wearable devices in security has been a popular idea for many years. Smartphones and tablets often can be used to access the administration Interface (GUI) of the access control, video management or PSIM systems. That hardly is considered an innovation. Smartphones can also be used as virtual access control and identity cards in mobile acess systems. In addition it appears that also biometrics like facial recognition and fingerprint identification are now available on smartphones. It appears logical that smartphones with their native connectivity features are an interesting extension of security systems.
Mobile credentials enable both multimodal and multi-factor authentication. Multimodal means proving identity and/or gaining access using at least two separate biometrics, or permitting access through any one of various credentials, such as a smartcard or PIN. Multi-factor authentication involves proving identity and/or obtaining access via at least two methods or credentials. Multi-factor authentication is widely used in digital access. For example, when an employee logs onto a company’s system, he or she must use a secondary method to verify identity via a one-time token via SMS or other app. It is also burgeoning in physical access applications. Although two-factor authentication has been mandated in regulated industries, it is emerging in unregulated verticals as well. The development of multimodal readers will continue to fuel this trend.
Believers say that people prefer carrying around their smartphone over additional cards. They refer to the technical possibilities that smartphones offer in areas like user convenience and integration of systems.

Identity analytics and AI

A relatively new field in security is identity analytics. Seeing through identity and security related data in an automated way. To monitor use of access priviliges and consequently alter those access rights. The idea comes from the IT industry and that is where you will see it deployed mostly now. Recent research indicates that this is an emerging market with high anticipated growth potential. It would make sense to include physical security into these applications.
Believers will say that, like with video analytics, many more security related events can be actively monitored, more incidents can be detected and a tighter security regime can be implemented without hindering users unnecessarily.
It remains to be seen what the future will bring exactly. But intelligent security related data analytics certainly will have a place in modern enterprise security management applications.

Centralized Control of Fire Detection:

The principle of networking involves connecting several panels together to form a system. Inputs on one panel may activate outputs on another, for example, or the network may allow monitoring of many systems. Networking is often used in situations where one panel is not large enough, or in multiple-building situations. Networking is also an effective way to decouple systems to reduce the risk of a large portion of a facility going offline at any time due to system failure or maintenance requirements. Sub-Networks can be created using either hardware or software architectures. Networked systems normally are more costly and involve additional training and system configuration for successful implementation.


From this year many customer implement centralised monitoring & controlling of Fire Panel through creating WLAN communication with Graphic software. Due to cost effective graphical monitoring control software only industrial & Enterprise business implement the same. Also it will possible if same brand panel is there in all location.

BMS Workforce:

The growth of IBMS market is observing hindrance due to lack of availability of skilled workforce. The Intelligent building management systems are usually complex and require skilled personals to operate. The cost of training operators to handle complex equipment such as HVAC control, outdoor controls, security and access control, energy management systems and smart meters is quite high. Owing to which, small scale companies cannot afford to invest large capital to train their operators. This factor is likely to affect the growth of the IBMS market in the country.
But due to COVID-19 many OEM & society presence webinar program to educate more. This will be effect in this 2021-22. The region segmentation for the IBMS market has been done by South IndiaWest IndiaNorth IndiaEast India. Which include general lighting controls, communication systems, security controls, HVAC controls, access controls, outdoor controls entertainment controls and others. The India IBMS market is segmented by application into: hospitality, residential and retail, life science, office space, manufacturing, and energy and infrastructure. All these segments have also been estimated on the basis of geography in terms of revenue (USD Million).

The goal of building management systems was—and still is—to help optimize building performance by

·       Providing data on core building operational systems, specifically HVAC. 

·       Enabling the automatic control of a building’s main operating functions. 

IoT for buildings has the same goal of performance optimization (and by extension, saving money) through data and automatic control, but advanced technology takes these aspects many steps further than a traditional BMS system can. 

We wish you all the very best for 2021 and we look forward to working with you for many years to come.


Friday, November 1, 2019

Video Auditing and False alarm issue

Video Auditing and False alarm issue

False alarms are a major problem plaguing the intrusion alarm and remote monitoring services industry. Between 90% and 95% of alarms reported to the central monitoring stations turn out to be false.

Most large organizations depend on triggers/alarms raised by video analytics/ICCC/ PSIMs. It is a known fact that a high percentage of these alarms are ‘false’, leading to false reporting, frustration and disbelief in the alarms, eventually leading to turning them off (‘cry-wolf effect’). In fact, according to a recent news report, the CISF (a para military force in India) who monitor New Delhi's IGI Airport are plagued with over 100 false alarms on a daily basis. Experts say that this leads to an absolute waste of time, and this is a major concern, because a real threat could go unnoticed whilst dealing with false alarms.

In fact, according to a recent news report, the CISF (a para military force in India) who monitor New Delhi IGI Airport are plagued with over 100 false alarms on a daily basis there.

The origin of false alarms can vary, but many can be attributed to the following causes.
·         Faulty equipment is cited as the cause of 20% of false alarms.
·         Poor installation comes in at 20% of the reason for false alarms.
·         Inadequate employee training leads to 40% of false alarms.
·         Other culprits (20%) include sensitive motion detectors, sensors set off by the wind, leaves, etc…., and human error.

These false reports cost service providers, as they must send out a response team to verify each and every alarm. It also strains local police resources unnecessarily and could even increase the financial burden on end users, depending on local alarm response regulations and potential fines. Video verification solves these issues, offering an undisputed remote confirmation of the nature of the alarm in the shortest possible time, which helps speed the operator’s response process. Video images can be transferred in real time to the operator, so it can be assessed almost immediately, and so a response team or police forces can be sent with a much shorter delay.
In countries like Spain, alarm verification became mandatory by regulation, aimed at reducing police response costs.

Video Auditing services use a low-frame-rate camera, typically with battery backup, in order to verify the source of a triggered alarm. The video verification device incorporates a PIR sensor to trigger the alarm and will capture a short video or set of images when the alarm is triggered to send to the monitoring station. This allows the monitoring station to better evaluate the cause of the alarm and coordinate an appropriate response from law enforcement or other responders. The presence of video verification classifies the call as a “crime in progress” for responders and as such will receive higher priority than other alarms, resulting in much faster response times, which in turn increases the chance of apprehending the intruder. Customers and their insurers place a high value on this service and customers are often willing to pay an increased monthly fee for the addition of video verification services.

Traditionally this concept has been driven by central monitoring stations (CMS) and has been adopted in the residential market where single-direction wireless systems were installed. Video verification has become required because of the wireless systems adopted did not have a way of confirming alarms in a reliable manner. For example, when there is an alarm in the single-direction wireless detectors, they activate once and then enter the battery-saving mode. This will not give enough information to the CMS to confirm the alarm.

The operational costs involved in attending unverified alarms by monitoring stations or police are enormous. Due to ever-increasing competition, monitoring stations are making all possible efforts to reduce operational costs, hence adding alarm verification capabilities to the alarm monitoring centers.

The popularity of video verification solutions is boosted by the influence from the DIY security market, smart home market and consumer video market, as follows:
DIY: Consumer video cameras are typically high-resolution IP cameras and allow users to check on their home and review footage of past events at their convenience. All this can be done through a dedicated intruder alarm mobile phone application, which adds to the peace of mind.
• Smart home: Smart home/building automation systems are becoming more popular with end users in all sectors. Cameras are usually advertised alongside smart plugs or smart lights, which gives users an extra level of control over what is happening in the house. Some cameras also offer smoke detection features, to support traditional smoke detectors, while providing surveillance of self-monitoring and auditing to users. With alarm monitoring stations increasingly offering smart home monitoring services, the video verification market will receive a boost from this side of the industry.
• Consumer video: The number of consumer video devices available on the market is growing rapidly, providing a much broader choice of solutions at various price points. End users can add an IP camera to their home systems and enjoy low-cost self-monitoring and self-verification functionality.

Many central monitoring stations now offer video verification for an extra fee added to their basic monitoring services. Adding video verification to the monitoring package reduces the likelihood the subscriber will cancel their contract or choose another provider offering more comprehensive services. Video verification can also benefit installers and dealers that want to offer a broader range of services to their customers. Cloud hosting and support for video self-monitoring delivers greater value to end users.

Reduction in cost of equipment and improvements in automation through software has decreased the end user cost to a point where it is affordable as an upgrade to alarm monitoring services for small commercial businesses and residential customers.

Installers may also find themselves closer to their customers than some remote monitoring companies, which makes it easier to increase customer awareness about new offerings. In any case, partnerships between installers and remote monitoring stations can increase revenue per user and provide a more stable annual income. Subscriptions generated by installers could offset normal attrition rates experienced by remote monitoring companies.

A few tips to help reduce false alarms:
·         Be sure all alarm systems use standard and up-to-date equipment.
·         Ensure proper installation by reputable companies or technically good technician.
·         Install video cameras that can visually verify an alarm.
·         Engage an outside security company to monitor the establishment through video surveillance. 

Barriers to Broad Adoption
The main barriers to broad adoption of video verification are the following:
Cost: The current challenges are mainly the costs involved with the video alarm detectors/cameras and the fact that most alarm vendors do not have a proper visual verification solution triggered by the alarm system. Even though the benefits of including video verification with intruder alarm systems are clear, many end users – particularly those in the residential sector – may struggle to afford video devices. Passive infrared (PIR) camera detectors can be three times more expensive than non-video-based PIR detectors.
Privacy and cybersecurity: Residential users’ concern about privacy of video verification and video cameras is high. The main worry is that a hacker will use the device to watch and listen to the private lives of residents. There have been media reports of attackers successfully compromising consumer video IP cameras, and these kinds of reports can delay the decision to buy these kinds of devices. Another concern is that alarm-monitoring operators could be watching residents in their homes, outside of the authorized time. Providers of video verification solutions must make sure their systems are designed with privacy protections built into the system set-up, giving the user the ability to restrict access to video devices, whenever they want to.
Self-monitoring: Increasing availability of consumer video devices, and DIY security systems that incorporate video products into the offering, have led to the emergence self-monitoring and self-video verification. Such systems usually come pre-configured to handle video files, which makes adding a consumer video camera much easier and lowers the barriers to adoption related to the complexity of the system set up

Benefits to Video Auditing 
With video verification capabilities, businesses can reap the following benefits:
1.      Ensure police and/or fire departments are dispatched to a "real" alarm.
2.      Prevent the assessment of heavy fines for false alarms.
3.      Prevent being on the "suspended" list for police or fire response.
4.      First responders typically respond quicker when they know an alarm has been verified. This may help limit the losses incurred by unwanted incidents.
5.      Use as evidence for a legal case or proof of claim for an insurance report.
6.      Every day Video observation / auditing is help to reduce false alarm.
7.      Correct & certified product should be used for CCTV, Fire Alarm and Intrusion etc.
8.      Correct & certified installer required for system installation.
9.      Protect employees, customers and property using the best technology available. 


Who Can Use This?:
- Multi-tenant residential communities
- Planned unit development (PUD)communities
- Public recreation facilities
- Elder care and assisted living facilities
- Hospitals and clinics
- Corrections facilities.

We solve so many of your pain points,
  • We make it easy for you to ‘see’ what the cameras ‘saw’
  • We make it easy for you to report and share with ease
  • We help you create data redundancy with huge storage savings
  • We make it easy for you gain business intelligence from standardized reports
  • We help you take corrective and preventive action based on hard data.

Friday, December 19, 2014

Value of Video Verification

The Value of Video Verification

Alarm systems have been a part of security since the beginning. We all know that when an alarm goes off, police are called to respond, but how many of those alarms are false? To just one person or business it seems reasonable for police to respond to even the false alarms, but multiply that by hundreds and thousands of businesses in each city and imagine all the false alarms police are required to respond to each day. Unfortunately, police cannot respond to every alarm call within a fair amount of time. Staffing, policies, and priorities often conflict with these calls. With no way of knowing whether the alarm is real or fake, police have to make a best effort, which sometimes results in the real crimes remaining unsolved.
Today systems are being designed to allow video verification of alarms. This means that when an alarm is tripped a monitoring company is alerted and begins remote viewing the facility through installed CCTV security cameras. The monitoring company can then verify if a crime is occurring. Police departments respond faster to a crime in progress rather than an unknown situation. What does this mean to security customers? Well, it will require a higher monthly premium for monitoring your alarm system. With the higher price comes a quicker response rate from local police. In additional, customers with video verification systems will also have the peace of mind in knowing that even when they are unable to, there is someone watching over their property.
Many cities require fees to be paid for false alarm calls. Recently in Glendale, Arizona the city passed an ordinance that requires citizens to pay steep fines when police respond to false alarms. These fines range from $100 to $400 depending on the amount of previous false alarm calls received.
The equipment for a video verification system can be costly, but for some customers the price is worth the result. When you compare the potential loss of property if police are unable to respond in time to a real call or the increased risk of fines for false alarm calls, the setup and maintenance fees are well worth the investment.

How Video Verification Works
To those who are unfamiliar, video verification documents a change in local conditions. When a sensor goes into alarm, cameras record clips or open a feed to live video at the premise. The video and/or notification to view the live feed are sent to a central station where operators survey the situation.
With video evidence and other means of verification, such as audio or cross-zoning, central station operators can tell dispatchers more about what is happening at a property. As such, the quality of the process improves, raising the priority for dispatch and hastening response. This is in line with the protocol followed by most law enforcement agencies across the United States.
This is the procedure that the Central Station Alarm Association’s (CSAA) existing ANSI standard for video verification prescribes and it is an excellent starting point from which the industry can advance with input from law enforcement and the insurance industry. It is important for installing security companies to know that video verification is completely dependent on central station service.

Road to Making Gains
For video verification to truly gain acceptance by all ancillary industry stakeholders — from end users, police and the insurance industry — there must be uniformity in how it is applied. With several years of field experience gained by industry stakeholders, some of the advancements for the next generation of verification are being implemented.
Differentiations can be made for residential, commercial and high-value commercial, as well as interior and exterior applications. Within the commercial realm, there are different risk levels to be accounted for, such as the potential loss at a big-box electronics store compared with a sporting goods store that has a stock of weapons and ammunition.
Fortunately, one distinction everyone agrees upon is that professionally installed and monitored systems will garner prioritized response that DIY, self-monitored systems will not enjoy. That alone gives alarm contractors a tremendous selling point to current and prospective customers, especially as some of the largest technology companies enter into the smart-home market with automation systems and smoke/CO detector devices.
While the industry works on these issues, whatever the final form of this standard ends up being, video verification will deliver value for every stakeholder in the battle against property crime. Alarm system owners will get a fast police response and installing contractors will benefit from satisfied customers. At the same time, police remove criminals from the streets and the insurance industry cuts down on claims they have to pay out now and in the future.

The new video verification standard will be a win for everyone involved.