In the security market, pressure to reduce false alarms and the demand for one-stop monitoring of integrated systems has led Bold Communications to offer a new range of solutions for alarm and monitoring systems.
Bold Communications is a leading supplier of complete solutions for alarm receiving centres (ARC), central stations and control rooms.
Most ARCs realise there is no guarantee that police will respond to alarm activations, so they have added value to their services by offering other activities including CCTV remote monitoring and Lone Worker protection as well as service and maintenance monitoring.”
“We looked at changing our product line to develop products that would create efficiencies within our customer base,” said Brian Kelly, managing director of Bold Communications. “This was aimed to increase efficiency, enhance services without adding labour costs, to manage alarms on its own and monitor the widest possible range of different applications. Above all, this technological development must be able to reduce the level of unwanted alarms and extend the range of services which ARCs can offer to their customers.”
The Bold approach was put to the test when Coventry City Council, decided to construct a new high-specification £1.5 million ($2.5 million) ARC, built to British Standards 5979 specification. The centre is used for monitoring intruder alarms from council buildings such as schools, colleges, social services and day centres, as well as social alarms and private premises. In addition to installing two Bold RX2000 multi-protocol receivers and a Bold alarm management system, the company has also provided a round-the-clock service of support and backup, including a remote access facility for engineer intervention. This provides system entry, via modem links, for Bold technical and development staff, ensuring minimum downtime of the system.
The Council has used Bold equipment for over 10 years and is now working with the company to expand the original system to incorporate new requirements. These include an interface with an Adpro CCTV system to provide both alarm and visual verification through the one Bold system. “The latest Bold systems have proved to be superbly effective, providing Coventry City Council with noticeable cost and time savings,” said Bernard Jefferies at the Coventry Communications Centre.
Kelly points out that “an increasing amount of Bold projects had involved the integration of CCTV systems, very often the popular Video Central Adpro transmission systems, with alarm management packages, and market forecasts consistently identified many more.
Bold has worked with a range of communications suppliers to bring the benefits of IP monitoring to several projects. The Bold NetRX receiver interface was specially developed to support ARCs providing monitoring of the Ademco Microtech Galaxy Ethernet module and this has proved widely popular.
On lone worker monitoring, Kelly says most employees now expect to be able to work in an environment that is at least safe, and where the risks have been thought about and measured. For monitoring stations, Bold offers solutions for a variety of different circumstances.
The company trains thoroughly customer’s staff as well as its own staff on the same courses.
Bold supplies monitoring and communications products and services throughout the world, supporting many alarm receiving centres in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Africa. Its turnkey offering includes system design, communications equipment, installation, training, system integration and 24/7 technical support, integrating bespoke management and communication systems with industry standard, multi-protocol equipment and programmes.
Bold project managers are accredited Prince2 project managers.
