TMA Members Among SSI SAMMY Award Finalists

Security Sales and Integration magazine announced the finalists for its 2020 SAMMY Awards, which recognize professionalism in dealer/integrator sales, marketing and installation efforts. The awards program marks its 25th anniversary this year.

Awards will be presented March 17th in Las Vegas.

Please join in congratulating the TMA members that made the list of finalists:

  • Acadian Total Security
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Display Ad
    • Sales Brochure
    • Vehicle Graphic Design
  • ADT Commerical
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
    • Newsletter or Content Marketing
    • Social Media Campaign
    • Vehicle Graphic Design
  • AvantGuard
    • Community Outreach
    • Website Design
  • Custom Alarm
    • Installer of the Year (Small to Midsize Company)
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Small to Midsize Company)
  • Guardian Protection
    • Promotional Video or Audio
  • Kimberlite (Sonitrol)
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Social Media Campaign
  • Securitas Electronic Security
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
  • STANLEY Security
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
  • Vector Security
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
    • Social Media Campaign
    • Website Design
  • Wayne Alarm Systems
    • Promotional Give-Away Item

View the full announcement of finalists.

TMA Releases Seven, Individual Operator Training Modules

TMA is pleased to announce that seven modules from its popular Operator Online Level 1 training program are now available for individual sale. 

The newly released single modules reflect the most current technology capabilities and customer service practices in today’s most effective monitoring centers. 

  • Module 1 – Introduction to the Monitoring Industry
  • Module 2 – Technology
  • Module 3 – Effective Communication
  • Module 4 – The Monitoring Process
  • Module 5 – False Alarm Prevention
  • Module 6 – Industry Readiness and Monitoring Center Security
  • Module 7 – Monitoring Center Operator Code of Excellence

Cost per module: $45 (Nonmember) | $30 (Bulk Member 1-4) | $27 (Bulk Member 5-9) | $24 (Bulk Member 10+)

Visit TMAtraining.org 

TMA Posts Pandemic Preparedness Resources for Members

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is now urging businesses to begin planning for what may evolve into a pandemic, as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) evolves in the United States.

To assist member companies and others in planning for the protection of their business, employees, and customers, TMA has compiled and posted several resources and posted them to our website.  

To stay up-to-date on COVID-19, please visit the CDC website often.

Arlington County, VA Goes Live with ASAP-to-PSAP

The Arlington County VA Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is the 65th ECC in the United States to implement ASAP and the 12th ECC in the Commonwealth of Virginia to implement ASAP.

Arlington County went live on Wednesday, February 12th at 9am EST simultaneously with Rapid Response and Vector Security, then followed by Security Central, Affiliated Monitoring, Alert 360, Richmond Alarm, the National Monitoring Center, Tyco (Johnson Controls), Vivint, Guardian Protection, AT&T Digital Life, and Brinks Home Security. ADT is scheduled to go-live with Arlington on February 18th. 

“In emergency situations seconds count.  The availability of call-takers to answer phones, dispatchers to give and receive critical information over non-congested radio airwaves, and responders to receive key information in the timeliest manner is paramount. It is imperative that emergency communications centers leverage every possible tool to ensure that information that can save lives and property is received and communicated in the most efficient manner possible.  With the implementation of ASAP, the Arlington County Emergency Communications Center has taken a significant step forward in maximizing technology to ensure the best possible customer service for our constituents and providing the best and most current information to our responders.  We are thrilled to be part of the growing community of ASAP users.”  – Dave Mulholland, Administrator, Arlington County Emergency Communications Center.

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

Registration for TMA’s Annual Meeting is Open

Register now to attend our 2020 Annual Meeting. Set for October 24-28 in Marco Island, FL, this annual event is one that TMA members look forward to taking part in every year. This year, we’ll be celebrating our 70th anniversary.

REGISTER NOW

Look for additional program details as they are confirmed.

If your company is interested in sponsoring this year, please contact John McDonald (meetings@tma.us or (703) 660-4917) for a copy of our 2020 Sponsorship Prospectus.  

Memphis Police Department Onboarded as 64th PSAP

The Memphis TN Police Department Emergency Communications Bureau is the 64th Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in the United States to implement ASAP and the 6th ECC in the state of Tennessee to implement ASAP.

Memphis PD went live on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 8am CST simultaneously with Vector Security and Rapid Response Monitoring then followed by Affiliated Monitoring, AT&T Digital Life, ADS Security, Alert 360, Guardian Protection, Brinks Home Security, Protection One, Security Central, Tyco (Johnson Controls), and Vivint over the course of the four day period ending on Friday, February 7th. ADT and the National Monitoring Center are expected to go-live with Memphis PD during the upcoming weeks.

“As Emergency and Non-Emergency Call volume increases annually in the City of Memphis, it was important for the Memphis Police Department to look for ways to reduce the number of incoming calls”, said Michael Spencer, Emergency Communications Administrator. “ASAP to PSAP  will reduce the number of voice calls from alarm companies while providing a more efficient and accurate way for us to process alarms in the City of Memphis. It frees up our Emergency Telecommunicators so that they may answer incoming emergency calls faster. We researched this solution and feel confident that it will continue our quest to improve emergency services for the public we faithfully serve.”

White House proposes 5G funding boost for NTIA

By John Hendel POLITICO

02/10/2020 01:59 PM EST

President Donald Trump is proposing that Congress provide an approximately 80 percent spending boost for the Commerce Department’s NTIA to help prepare the agency for 5G and other technological changes.

In its fiscal year 2021 budget request, the White House is asking for $72.2 million for NTIA, which has a lead role on 5G and telecom policy matters for the administration. That’s up from the roughly $40 million annually that the agency has generally received in recent years.

The request said $25 million would be slated for “modernizing spectrum management systems” and “proposes an increase to fund NTIA’s spectrum research for 5G and other evolving advanced communications innovations.”

The funding boost to spectrum management programs includes a focus on spectrum IT systems, which could help enable the government to identify federally held airwaves that could be freed up for commercial use.

The budget request is also in line with Trump’s crackdown on Chinese telecom companies like Huawei and ZTE, which the administration regards as a threat. NTIA would receive more money for efforts to “mitigate, and manage supply chain risks to our nation’s telecommunications infrastructure,” which it said would “enable NTIA to drive and support the nation’s efforts to promote and protect our economic and national security in the fast approaching 5G environment.”

Lawmakers will have to decide how much to defer to the budget request.

NTIA has lacked a permanent administrator since the sudden resignation of David Redl last May.

COPS Monitoring Strengthens Accounting & Finance Teams

COPS Monitoring announced the promotions of Michele Beckett to Vice President of Accounting, and Nicole Black to Vice President of Finance to strengthen its accounting and finance teams.


Michele Beckett is a graduate of Rutgers State University, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and recently celebrated 10 years at COPS Monitoring. In her role as VP of Accounting, Beckett is responsible for budgeting, forecasting, billing, cash management, accounts payable, and financial reporting. A lifelong South Jersey resident, Beckett is a hands-on leader and considers herself to be fortunate and says finding COPS in her “backyard” has made her feel at home.


Nicole Black graduated from Shippensburg University and began her career in public accounting at KPMG, LLP, a Big Four accounting firm. Her experience also includes Susquehanna International Group (SIG), a privately held global investment trading firm, and Comcast Corporation, where she held management roles in both accounting and finance departments. Nicole is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and has also earned the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) certification. As VP of Finance, Black will primarily be focused on financial compliance and Human Resource functions, while expanding in the areas of analytical tax and reporting compliance.

“The contributions Michele, Nicole, and their respective departments make are instrumental to successfully executing the complex financial matters associated with our strength and continued growth,” said Jim McMullen, President of COPS Monitoring. “As we approach a thousand employees across six locations and 4 million monitored accounts, their roles managing our financial affairs will be vital so we can continue to reinvest in our infrastructure and deliver the exceptional service for which COPS has become widely known.”

For more information about COPS Monitoring, visit copsmonitoring.com.

FCC Concludes Sharing of Consumers’ Real-Time Location Data Violates Federal Law

After an extended investigation, the FCC Enforcement Bureau has concluded that at least one wireless carrier apparently violated U.S. law by improperly disclosing consumers’ location data.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced the agency’s conclusion in a January 31 letter to Congress. While the letter did not identify any carriers by name, it confirmed that one or more Notice(s) of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture would be issued in the coming days in connection with the apparent violation(s). 

“I am committed to ensuring that all entities subject to our jurisdiction comply with the Communications Act and the FCC’s rules, including those that protect consumers’ sensitive information, such as real-time location data,” said Chairman Pai.

The security of consumers’ real-time location data is an issue that gained widespread attention in 2018 after press reports revealed that carriers including T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T were selling phone geolocation services to outside companies.  While it is common knowledge that law enforcement agencies can track phones with a warrant to service providers or through the use of IMSI catchers (also known as “Stingrays”), what

journalists found was that data made available to asset tracking and other legitimate enterprise location service providers was being resold to a host of different private industries, ranging from car salesmen and property managers to bail bondsmen and bounty hunters, with little or no oversight.  Compounding this already highly unscrupulous business practice, this data was then being leaked and/or resold to black market data brokers. An investigation by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) into the commercial relationships between Verizon and a pair of obscure data vendors found that one of Verizon’s indirect corporate customers, a prison phone company called Securus, had used Verizon’s customer location data in a system that effectively let correctional officers spy on millions of Americans.

Shortly after the reports surfaced, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint announced that they would no longer share customers’ location data with third-party companies who failed to adequately protect the data. The FCC took up the matter in early 2019 after FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to major phone companies to confirm whether they lived up to their commitments to end these location aggregation services.

Commissioner Rosenworcel criticized the agency for its delay in taking enforcement action in a written statement..

“For more than a year, the FCC was silent after news reports alerted us that for just a few hundred dollars, shady middlemen could sell your location within a few hundred meters based on your wireless phone data. It’s chilling to consider what a black market could do with this data. It puts the safety and privacy of every American with a wireless phone at risk.

Today this agency finally announced that this was a violation of the law. Millions and millions of Americans use a wireless device every day and didn’t sign up for or consent to this surveillance. It’s a shame that it took so long for the FCC to reach a conclusion that was so obvious.”

While the focus of this violation investigation is on provision of location information to third party aggregators, one can wonder whether the FCC’s crackdown will cause the cellular carriers to be more difficult to deal with on the new direct provision arrangement we understand alarm companies have worked out for location info.