Topps hope that installing the Iris system from Chiron Security Communications at its 274 branches will substantially cut security costs.
Introducing the Iris system should allow Topps Tiles to use its existing Wide Area Network (WAN) for secure communications between each branch. Secom, the installers behind the project, are providing a central monitoring centre.
“This innovation allows us to replace our Redcare signalling and save some 60-65% of our previous monitoring and associated telephone costs, which amounts to a substantial saving each year,” said Topps Tiles’ Head of Security and Loss Prevention, Ken Pettengale.
“By changing to alarms-over-IP we’re also adding value to our IT network as well as future-proofing our system with the latest alarms technology, so there are clear benefits all round.”
The main communications route between alarm panels in each store and Secom’s receiving centre uses Chiron’s Iris 840 dialler to convert the analogue signal to IP and send alarm signals across the WAN.
Chiron say back-up paths for dual signalling are available via both GSM and GPRS paths, as well as low-cost regular polling of the alarm panel at each site.
Pettengale also said he has been impressed with Chiron’s level of technical support and its liaison with Secom:
“One of the other important benefits that’s resulted from the introduction of the Iris system is that it’s brought the company’s security and loss prevention department much closer together with the IT department, which has enabled us to resolve issues much more quickly than before.
“The IT Director can now see that Iris is making substantial financial savings to his budget, as well as the system giving us the ability to add value to our WAN, and these factors have helped us in a very valuable way indeed by facilitating a much greater degree of internal trust and cooperation.”
Keith Donovan, Managing Director at Chiron Security Communications said that no specialist IP knowledge is required to install the Iris diallers.
“Iris is supported by over 60 monitoring centres across Europe and is applicable to all systems, from high security to residential. Many alarm panel manufacturers are now offering Iris technology embedded within their panels and the system is independently certified to EN50131 and 50136 – approved to Grade 4 ATS-6.”
Alan Blake, Secom’s National Accounts Manager, said that IP signalling is a significant advance in alarm monitoring:
“IP signalling is a development of broadband technology that gives us the potential to achieve huge cost savings for our customers, while offering a wider range of services. IP signalling eliminates the costs of dedicated dial-up line rental and the daily open and close signals from each store to the monitoring centre.”
He continued, “With the addition of dual-path signalling, Iris provides added reliability, ensuring uninterrupted alarm monitoring if the customer’s network is down for any reason. This overcomes insurers’ concerns and, as a result, we expect IP signalling will soon become the norm in remote alarm monitoring.”
High St retailers Halfords and Thomas Cook have also installed the Iris systems at stores around the country.
