Experienced Call Blocking? Tell us!

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The FCC is seeking comment on any call blocking issues experienced by consumers, including central station alarm companies, in connection with the implementation and effectiveness of carrier opt-in and opt-out call blocking services.  Previously, we informed you that the FCC clarified in 2019 that carriers may block calls to consumers based on analytics, without the customer’s up-front consent, as long as customers can opt-out of such blocking.  We are aware that a number of carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, are providing opt-out and/or opt-in call blocking to their customers and in some cases, calls from a central station have been blocked or mislabeled as fraud. 

We seek to provide information to the FCC concerning any issues alarm companies have experienced in connection with call blocking with the goal of ensuring that calls from central stations responding to an alarm are not blocked or mislabeled.  Accordingly, if calls made by your central station in response to an alarm to either the customer or the PSAP have been blocked or mislabeled, we ask that you send such information to us no later than February 12, 2020 to allow us to present this information to the FCC.

Contact:

Celia T. Besore
Executive Director, TMA
cbesore@tma.us

Metro Nashville Davidson County – 63rd PSAP

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The Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County TN Department of Emergency Communications is the 63rd Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in the United States to implement ASAP and the 5th ECC in the state of Tennessee to implement ASAP.

Metro Nashville Davidson County went live on Tuesday, January 21st at 7am CST with Nashville-based ADS Security, Vector Security at 7:05 am CST and Rapid Response Monitoring at 7:10 am CST, then followed by Security Central, Alert 360, Guardian Protection Services, National Monitoring Center, AT&T Digital Life, Affiliated Monitoring, Protection One, Brinks Home Security, and Tyco (Johnson Controls) over the course of the three day period ending on Thursday, January 23rd.  Vivint and ADT are expected to go-live with Metro Nashville in the upcoming weeks.

Learn more about TMA’s ASAP-to-PSAP service.

See the TMA Members Exhibiting at ISC West This Year

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ISC West 2020 is just weeks away (March 18-20). As you make your plans to meet with potential service and product partners there, be sure to take a look at the TMA members who will be exhibiting on the show floor or attending and open to meetings. 

Members of TMA’s staff, including Executive Director Celia T. Besore, will be attending the exhibits, as well. 

Be sure to check back often, as the list is growing each day.

See the current list.

TMA Opens Annual Awards Competitions – Apply by April 17th

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TMA is pleased to announce the opening of it two prestigious annual awards competitions for security monitoring centers and the professional staffs – TMA Excellence Awards and TMA/SSI Marvel Monitoring Technology Award (Marvel Award).

TMA’s Excellence Awards recognizes the achievements, performance, and dedication of both listed monitoring centers and key individuals (from any listed or non-listed monitoring centers) who work for monitoring centers. SDM magazine sponsors this award and offers editorial coverage for winners. Learn more about these awards.

The Marvel Award was established in 2018 to identify a monitoring center (listed or non-listed) for introducing new innovations in terms of internal processes, customer service, or new services. Our industry is rife with innovation! Enter the competition and show us what you proud of your team! Learn more about the Marvel Award.

The deadline for both award competition submissions is April 17, 2020. Awards will be presented at ESX 2020 in Nashville this June.

Questions? Call or email Leigh A. McGuire (703-660-4916). 

Speak at ESX 2020

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Apply online now through January 21st to speak at ESX 2020 in Nashville. Preview the session topics or submit a one of your own. Speaking to your peers is one of the valuable ways you can give back to the industry. Additionally, by sharing your experience and expertise with industry professionals, you’ll raise your professional and company brand. It’s a winning proposition!

Submit your application online

Tech Systems Inc. Earns Five Diamond Designation

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Join TMA in congratulating Buford, GA-based Tech Systems, Inc. for attaining TMA’s Five Diamond designation! 

TMA’s Five Diamond designation provides a competitive edge for monitoring centers who demonstrate a commitment to excellence in their operations and customer service.

The designation is granted annually to monitoring centers that satisfy all of the requirements of the five points of excellence:

  1. Commitment to random inspections and quality criteria standards by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL and UL.
  2. Commitment to the highest levels of customer service.
  3. Commitment to ongoing job-related education and testing by having 100% of its monitoring center operators certified using the TMA online training series.
  4. Commitment to raising the industry standards through TMA membership and participation in its activities.
  5. Commitment to reducing false dispatches.

In 2019, TMA launched a special designation for dealers who are serviced by Five Diamond designated monitoring centers. 

Learn more about the Five Diamond designation.