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Swift Fire & Security selects Vista SmartTel
Oct 7 2003
Swift, the nationwide fire and security specialist, has selected Vista SmartTel as the key transmission platform for its new Video Receiving Centre (VRC), based at Salford, Greater Manchester. The Video Receiving Centre provides sophisticated 24/7 remote monitoring services for companies based throughout the UK. As part of a new initiative to boost remote monitoring, Swift will supply new users of the VRC with SmartTel transmission units free of charge.
SmartTel is a cost-effective product that facilitates the transmission of video images over ordinary telephone lines (PSTN), ISDN, TCP/IP (Broadband Internet), or GSM (mobile/wireless). When an alarm is triggered at a monitored site, SmartTel is automatically polled and video transmission started to provide visual evidence of intrusion. Operators can also ‘visit’ sites remotely as required.
Each installation of SmartTel’s SmartControl 4 receiver software can accommodate up to 2000 transmitters, receive images from up to four sites simultaneously and view live pictures in full, quad or 10 camera multi-screen modes, will archive all received pictures to the PC based receiver’s hard disk, provide an audit trail of all alarm calls and alert the user to an incoming alarm via the PC’s sound card.
Andy Carter, Swift’s IT & Technical Director, explains that SmartTel was the obvious choice for the company’s new VRC initiative:
"SmartTel is extremely effective and easy to use and available at a very affordable price. Perhaps most important of all, the software accepts any video input (domes and PTZ cameras) and comes with twenty different telemetry protocols meaning that it is already compatible with the vast majority of end user installations. The adoption of remote monitoring can eliminate the need for manned guarding altogether. When integrated with audio and access control our VRC operators can communicate directly with intruders via the customer’s PA system or communicate directly with legitimate visitors, such as night time delivery drivers."
Derek Ward, Swift’s Group Sales and Marketing Director, believes that demand for remote monitoring services has very significant growth potential:
"Evidence of effective remote monitoring is becoming a requirement for insurance cover and police authorities are equally keen to know that alarm notifications are supported by visual evidence of an intrusion. We believe remote monitoring will become a standard requirement for most medium to large sized organisations in the future."
Swift’s Video Receiving Centre is staffed 24hrs a day, seven days a week. Duplicate, redundant systems ensure continuous monitoring in the unlikely event of a system failure. Now in its 21st year, Swift Fire and Security is the country’s largest independent CCTV installer with a projected turnover for 2003-4 of £23m.
