NFPA 72 in CT question

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CT Tom

Member
Location
Connecticut USA
I do fire and security systems. According to NFPA 72 2010, call station dialers need to be run through a Managed Facilities Based Voice Network, ie POTS, VOIP via DSL or Cable companies, or cellular transmitters.

Had a sales lead rip into me saying I didn't know what I was talking about, and that his Vonage box was perfectly fine for his alarm system, and that his last house used it without issue. (current and former house had smokes, carbons and security)

Am I missing something, I tend to review and reevaluate when I lose bids to see if I screwed up, and I'm 99.9% positive I'm right, but code is all about interpretation.




FYI Vonage phone service provides you with a box that you plug into your high speed internet after the router, and the end user is responsible for it's connectivity.
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
I do fire and security systems. According to NFPA 72 2010, call station dialers need to be run through a Managed Facilities Based Voice Network, ie POTS, VOIP via DSL or Cable companies, or cellular transmitters.

Had a sales lead rip into me saying I didn't know what I was talking about, and that his Vonage box was perfectly fine for his alarm system, and that his last house used it without issue. (current and former house had smokes, carbons and security)

Am I missing something, I tend to review and reevaluate when I lose bids to see if I screwed up, and I'm 99.9% positive I'm right, but code is all about interpretation.




FYI Vonage phone service provides you with a box that you plug into your high speed internet after the router, and the end user is responsible for it's connectivity.

You are correct, Vonage is not a MFVN, and they have a big ol disclaimer on all their paperwork saying do not connect any alarm to it. Yes, it will work, but who knows if the last panel had the phone line monitor enabled and he was just lucky, its not an approved method of communication, period. I would refuse to hook up to that.
 

CT Tom

Member
Location
Connecticut USA
You are correct, Vonage is not a MFVN, and they have a big ol disclaimer on all their paperwork saying do not connect any alarm to it. Yes, it will work, but who knows if the last panel had the phone line monitor enabled and he was just lucky, its not an approved method of communication, period. I would refuse to hook up to that.

I walked from it. Even after sending him the code reference, he still said I was trying to railroad him. Some people.
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
You don't need customers like that. Just the way he is adamant about Vonage, if you did connect him up and there was a loss because a fire or burglary wasn't reported to the central station, you know you will be the first person named in a suit.

-Hal
 
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