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Security System Trouble

Although I contacted Verizon prior to FIOS triple play installation, and checked with installer on day of install regarding compatability of FIOS and my home security system, I neglected to actually test it before allowing the installer to leave. I now discover that my system reports a "communicator failed" message to me when trying to contact the monitoring company. I verified this with the monitoring company while trying to test the system. The company that installed the system (it's ten years old) has told me that the problem is FIOS is not compatable with the type of 2-way voice system I have. It's an APEX Desitny 6100 which uses a 2-way voice keypad to allow me to communicate with the monitoring company when the alarm is activated. Not even sure who to contact at Verizon for support on this. Do I have any options other than replacing the entire security system. The existing network interface box which was used prior to FIOS has been replaced with the new ONT unit and is inside my basement. Is there someway to go to a copper line for the security system only? Appreciate any help the experts in this forum can provide. I am reluctant to spend several hours fighting the voice activated support system until I at least have a little information to work with.

Thanks.

Comments

BrianMcD

When they did my Installation the FIOS ONT box was mounted in my basement and the installer ran a Cat5 Cable from the ONT to the Existing NID outside my house to connect to the Telephones in my house. They just disconnect the wires in the NID that came from the old Verizon system and use the new wires that they just ran from the ONT to feed your phone system.

FIOS then does POTS Emulation to make your phones believe that they nothing has changed. The phones inside you house still run on the same copper wiring that they used before FIOS.

Was your alarm wired directly to the NID or did it have a separate phone jack ?

I have seen some post where ADT was replacing the phone connection with a newer cellular connection for communications back to the monitoring station perhaps that could be an option for your current provider as well.

dbrennan

In my case the nid was inside the basement, not outside, and the installer removed it completely. From what I can tell, the alarm system control box is plugged into a jack that was installed near the box and not directly into the nid. Because my system is more than 10 years old, the existing company that installed it does not seem interested in messing with it. As you said, I had been told that alarm systems should not notice any difference with FIOS. The company is telling me that the fact that this is a two-way voice unit somehow makes it different from the standard alarm unit. It wasn't installed by one of the major companies - this was a model house and the unit was installed by a company called Eastern Security. I've talked to ADT and Brinks but they only want to replace everything with their equipment.

jmcohen231

I have read on Verizon's website that you can get the copper line for next to nothing (you would pay per call like $0.10); and i think you can keep the FIOS for your home phone. but you'll have them to find out more.

Telcoguru

Where exactly is the phone wire from the ONT connected to? The alarm needs to be the first thing connected to the phone line, then it needs to return from the alarm jack RJ31X and connect to the rest of the phone wires in the house to function correctly. If it is not done in this manner the alarm company can not test your system because the alarm is not seizing the telephones in the house.

dbrennan

My house has a "smart home" distribution panel" at the opposite end of the house from the FIOS installed boxes. The security system jack is located near that panel, and, I assume interacts with it at some point. I believe the FIOS cables were connected to an end of the cable that runs from where the FIOS boxes are to the distribution panel (this in where most of the wiring in the house originates). In other words, I'm not really sure what I'm talking about as you can probably tell.

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