The Monitoring Association Welcomes its 50th FirstNet® Certificant

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the addition its 50th FirstNet certificate, systems integrator Convergint Technologies, LLC. (Renton, WA). FirstNet is the nationwide public-safety wireless broadband network platform, built and deployed through a first‐of‐its‐kind public‐private partnership between the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and AT&T. The FirstNet Authority is an independent authority of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In April 2019, under an agreement with AT&T, TMA began issuing a Certificate of Verification to qualified alarm companies for the use of FirstNet services for alarm transport communications.

For companies to obtain a who meet accepted alarm industry standards that result in the transmission of public safety related alarms from systems designed primarily to protect life and/or property (e.g. robbery, burglary, unlawful intrusion, fire, emergency medical) to a Central Station Monitoring Facility that confirms and verifies the authenticity of the alarm and notifies a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for relay to a public safety agency for the purpose of initiating an emergency response.

Public‐safety related alarms are critical to alerting first responders of emergencies requiring their urgent response.

As we mentioned above, for an alarm services company to apply to use FirstNet services for alarm transport communications as an extended primary user in support of public safety, it must first verify compliance through receipt of a TMA Certificate of Verification.

The alarm services company can then seek approval for eligibility to use FirstNet services by presenting the TMA Certificate of Verification to AT&T along with their contract(s) and/or service order(s), or to another alarm services company who will be providing FirstNet services from AT&T.

The TMA Certificate of Verification must be renewed every 12 months from when the initial TMA Certificate is issued.

For more information, please contact Tara Compher at 703‐660‐4913 or tcompher@tma.us.

ASAP-to-PSAP receives ANSI approval

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The APCO/TMA ANS 2.101.3-2021 Alarm Monitoring Company to Emergency Communications Center (ECC) Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) has received final approval from ANSI and has been published on the APCO website.

Read it here: www.apcointl.org/standards/standards-to-download/.

10-digit Dialing Guidelines – Set to take effect 10/24/21

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There are 82 area codes currently permit 7-digit dialing and also use 988 as a central office code. Starting on October 24, anyone that attempts to call a local number in those area codes by using only seven digits will instead be connected to a recording that tells them to hang up and redial using the area code. This change impacts all landline phones, cell phones and VOIP calling systems.

 

Ten-digit dialing will soon be necessary to make sure that calls to 988 get directed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 hotline was established by the FCC in July 2020 to make it faster for people to connect to crisis counselors and get help without having to remember a longer toll-free number.

 

If someone has a seven-digit number that starts with 988, the phone switch will not know whether this call needs to go to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline or to the seven-digit number. By requiring 10-digit dialing, the North American Numbering Plan Administrator is able prevent any confusion to the system.

 

We wanted to make sure that our members with clients in those areas are aware of this upcoming change.


Additional Resource:
Area Code Overlay Approved for the Virginia 757 Area Code (PDF)

AICC Submits Petition to Postpone 3G Sunset

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The AICC’s Petition for Emergency Relief regarding the 3G Sunset was submitted to the FCC on May 10th.

A special note of appreciation to those TMA member companies who contributed to the petition.

Look for future updates.

READ PETITION

UL Releases Update on 2021 Audits

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The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 brought the concepts of remote inspection, virtual audits, and working from home into full-fledged practical use, at a speed few would have predicted. The experience was a dramatic demonstration of the value of collaborative problem solving and clear communications. In that spirit, UL would like to share plans for 2021.

Read the full update.

TMA will also be hosting a webinar to present and discuss these updates on April 26, 2021 at 11:00AM/ET. Please refer to our calendar for registration.