scope:

Executive Summary

The North American communications infrastructure is quickly changing. Over the last ten years, technology has changed more than the previous one hundred. Technology's rate of development is expected to continue escalating such that the next ten years will bring more change than the past ten. This technological explosion directly impacts the fire alarm industry in many ways including: fire detection, notification, panel operations, and alarm signal transmission via a rapidly evolving global communications infrastructure.

The requirements of NFPA 72 for fire alarm system communications between a protected premises fire alarm system and the supervising station have kept up with technology in some ways and have been left behind in other ways. This publication discusses today's options for fire alarm system communications.