Re: Cox ARRIS Touchstone

["Roland Moore" <roland@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know how anyone else does it, but on any panel we install I always
use the 30 day (as a minimum interval) test timer and with the automation
software at central station there is always a flag when the system fails to
check in. We have discovered some DSL, digital phone and other issues that
way. The billing letters go out to but you're right Jim, too many people
fail to notice.

"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1168134575.927400.292570@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Crash Gordon wrote:
>> Here's what we found;
>> Its a black box, powered by nearest ac outlet and plugged into nearest
>> telco
>> jack and nearest coax outlet. They cut the feed from the old SNI so only
>> dial tone is coming from their interior feed. In doing so they cut us out
>> since we are feeding from the old SNI.
>>
>> The box is called Arris Touchstone "Telephony Modem" and has two RJ11
>> telco
>> jacks on it, one USB (the small side of USB like what would be on a
>> camera)
>> a RJ45 that is labeled Ethernet (but is not used) and it has a small
>> battery
>> backup inside. The whole unit looks like an overgrown cable modem.
>>
>> When we backfed their signal back out to the SNI and fed everything that
>> way
>> through our alarm, we got our seizure back and the alarm transmits
>> without
>> any problems. BOTH jobs we did today were like this.
>>
>> PITFA though. My clients will collect from Cox especially since Cox said
>> they did NOTHING to effect the alarm system when they did by cutting the
>> wires at the SNI.
>>
> Hi Crash.
>
> Just to let you know, we had the same experience here when Cablevision
> started installing their version of VoIP. Of course they, at least,
> where calling it that.
> But they were just cutting the lines and then when they got a rash of
> complaints that the alarms were being disconnected, the alarm
> association and reps from the Cable company got together and some
> training courses were set up. A whole new procedure was instituted
> where the cable company first asks if the subscriber has an alarm
> system when they inquire about the service. This way, the cable company
> knows which technicians to send to do the installation. They know about
> line seizure and will ask the end user to test their alarm system
> before and after the install. I'm not so sure all the systems are line
> seized, but at least they're working until the next time we get out for
> a service call.
>
> I've been sending notices out to all my clients, for about two years
> now, regarding the downside to VoIP, Vonage, etc. and about getting
> filters on DSL lines. I had forgotten all about DSL, until I went to
> one client for a service call on another matter,  and just as a routine
> tried to send a signal to central and it didn't go through. I asked the
> client if she'd tested the system lately and she said yes, but they
> were slow in responding. I put the butt set on the line and heard the
> DSL carrier and asked if she had DSL installed since the last time I
> was here and got a yes. She had no idea that she should have called me
> to get some filters. From that time on, I've continuously sent out
> notices in all my billings about DSL and VoIP.
>
> Compared to other alarm companies I've spoken to, I have relatively few
> VoIP conversions. But, then again, I can only presume that there are
> those clients out there that would need a rabid mongoose to jump out of
> the billing envelope with a " READ ENCLOSED NOTE" sign around it's
> neck, before they'd read a newsletter or warning notice.
>