

Higher levels of service also include range of services, and a separation from companies with conflicts of interest who may be owned or operated by entities that in fact compete with the central station's customers. "UL listed" companies typically offer higher levels of service and reliability because they are mandated to follow certain regulations. UL conducts annual audits of these listed facilities to ensure compliance. UL Standard 827 must be adhered to in order to maintain a UL issued central-station listing. In the US, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is a leader in inspection and certification of central-stations. Some facilities are certified by independent agencies. Not all alarm companies monitor the systems they install and may outsource these services to another company.

Because quality and experience can vary greatly among alarm companies, prospective customers are well advised to do their own research before making a final choice. Typically, there is a monthly fee for services rendered. Ĭentral monitoring stations use special telephone and mobile lines, radio channels, computers, software and trained staff to monitor their customers' security systems and call the appropriate authorities in the event an alarm signal is received. "It functions as a support system for critical event management devices, such as: security alarm panels, gas and temperature gauges, PERS devices, crash detection devices, integrated video systems, and even mobile applications." When a genuine alert is confirmed, the monitoring team may immediately contact the relevant emergency service. The Central Monitoring Station may also provide watchman and supervisory services.
