NextAlarm announced at The Cable Show support for two-way voice monitoring. NextAlarm’s two-way voice service, unlike that of other alarm companies, is compatible with VoIP and digital phone service. NextAlarm offers this feature for a minimal surcharge.

Using NextAlarm’s patented Alarm Broadband Network – the industry’s first low-cost broadband solution for security system monitoring – two-way voice gives subscribers many advantages. For example, when an alarm system sends a signal, two-way voice makes it possible to patch in a dispatcher who can listen in on the home through microphones in the keypads and/or speak through the keypads and pass information on to authorities. In addition, anyone at the site can easily speak with the dispatcher without having to reach for a telephone. This is especially helpful in the event of a medical emergency.

ABN allows customers to enjoy the benefits and cost savings of VoIP service, while still allowing their alarm systems to accurately communicate with monitoring centers. ABN operates over a standard cable adapter or DSL connection and works with any alarm system capable of sending signals using the contact ID format. In addition, ABN requires no changes to a subscriber’s existing alarm system. All a subscriber has to do is simply plug the ABN adapter into their home network and plug their alarm panel into the adapter rather than into a regular phone line.