We are working with our customers that continue to use BT Redcare intruder alarm signalling to ensure they take the necessary steps to move to our advanced IP-based signalling solutions. These alarm upgrades have become more necessary following the announcement in February that BT Redcare is to close all its operations on 1 August 2025.
We had contacted clients using BT Redcare previously because the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is due to be switched off by BT by the end of 2025. At that point everyone will need to have switched to the Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) that allows your telephone service to be delivered across the internet. This impacted those with intruder alarm signalling that was still taking place over traditional phone lines.
BT Redcare provides monitoring of BT telephone lines linking commercial alarm systems to an alarm receiving centre (ARC) and the company is the UK’s largest provider of alarm signalling. The announcement of its closure therefore led to concern across the security industry.
BT Redcare closure accelerates alarm system upgrades
The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) estimated that approximately 120,000 live systems need to be upgraded before the BT Redcare operations ceased. However, the BSIA estimated that out of these, 90,000 were legacy products, reliant on PSTN, that would have needed to be upgraded anyway.
In its email to alarm receiving centres and security system installers BT said the closure of its Redcare business “has been driven by our new strategy, which is focused on doing fewer things, but better. This includes reducing product variants, enabling us to focus and invest in the core products and services that will deliver for our customers.”
Responding to the BT Redcare news, internet of things (IoT) alarm signalling provider, CSL, said, “We are currently reviewing our stock management processes alongside our supplier partners to ensure we can adjust our plans to deal with an increase in demand. We would encourage Installers to review their engineer resources and processes around performing any required upgrades as part of a structured programme alongside maintenance visits.”
CSL added “We are committed to extending our current operation to ensure the alarm signalling ecosystem continues to receive the highest levels of service and support, and that end-users are not negatively impacted by these changes.”
As our parent company, Ecl-ips, is an IP-driven business, all the new intruder alarm systems we install connect to its ARC across the internet, but we have customers on legacy systems prior to our acquisition in 2020. Our intruder alarm partners, Orisec and HKC Security, both manufacture panels that fully integrate with CSL’s range of alarm signalling solutions. Additionally, Orisec is a CSL Connected partner, which allows us to offer full communication with the ARC and access to Orisec’s Control Plus app.
We design advanced bespoke intruder alarm systems
We design bespoke intruder alarm systems that, if you need added peace of mind, can connect to our fully compliant ARC. When the ARC receives a signal that your intruder alarm has been triggered the monitoring team will carefully filter activations to sort which alerts are false alarms and which alarms require a response.
The remote monitoring centre team can provide a response to:
- notify nominated keyholders
- notify a linked keyholding service and/or
- notify the Police in the event of a confirmed alarm signal although you may choose not to have this option.
If you are based in south west England and need an intruder alarm upgrade, or are affected by the closure of BT Redcare and would like to know more about the alternative alarm signalling options we can offer, please get in touch to find out more.
