NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/comp/dcom/telecom/11865

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-15 | 8.8 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!news.miami.edu!wupost!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!telecom-request
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 92 01:00 EST
From: fmsys![e-mail] (Macy Hallock)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Advice Needed on Telephone Security Systems
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Organization: F M Systems, Inc.  Medina, Ohio 44256 USA
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In article <[e-mail]> is Kamran Husain writes:

> Lately there's been a rash of robberies in our area where the mode of
> operation has rendered most home security systems useless.

OK, I'll give you the perpective of someone who has been actively
involved in the alarm industry for fifteen years.  I also have been
involved in telecommunications for over twenty years.  Combining this
knowledge has resulted in some interesting solutions.

> Most houses hit have the breakers outside the security zone. Crooks
> snip the phone lines and cut the power off. If someone's home, the
> owner goes out to turn the power on and the alarm off. (S)he then
> walks back in with the crooks. If they are not home for (say for the
> weekend) crooks come back after 24 hour when the battery back up is
> drained for the siren. The alarm monitoring company is NOT notified
> since the phones are dead and that's the only lifeline back.

First, not all states require an external power disconnect.  However,
the same effect can be gained by removing the electric meter ... you
should lock the disconnect if you can.

This mode of compromise has been performed by "clever" intruders in
the past.  Our company discovered a similar scenario during a local
rash of intrusions several years ago.  We ended up catching them in a
house, as they had become very bold and decided to ignore a siren that
sounded when they cut the phone lines (this was in a rural area).
They were very surprised when the sheriff's cars pulled up ...  (See
item four below for the method that caught them)

Once the perpetrators are apprehended, the problem is lessened
somewhat.  Nonetheless, the general trend is increasing sophistication
on the part of many intruders.  Generally speaking, the common
everyday thief is not using techniques such as these often ... yet.
Its wise to consider this when designing a residential security
system.

When a homeowner decides to cut the cost of a residential system,
extra measures such as the ones below are often dropped.  Many alarm
companies are so sensitive to price competition that they do not
propose some type of line/transmission security unless specifically
asked to do so.

> My house was hit day before yesterday but we stayed indoors and used a
> mobile phone (luckily!! inside the house!) to call the sheriff.  No
> theft, but scared us witless when the both our regular POTS phones
> were dead.

Very smart move.  You may have saved yourselves from physical harm.

> Also, we found on later examination that our cable TV coax was cut.
> (Why cable???)

There are a few areas in which alarm transmission services are
avaiable via cable TV.  It sounds like the intruders are trying to be
thorogh ... or are just plain paranoid.

> a) Is there a secondary way of notifying a monitoring station that AC
> power is out AND that the phones are no longer functoning? Is it done
> on cable TV? or is there a wireless (radio/CB/cellular) transmitter
> for those people who do not have mobile phones?

There are several alternatives:

1. Cellular transmission.  That's what we use for those who want the
most effective solution.  Its also rather costly.

2. 900 mhz or other type of mid range radio transmission.  Ademco,
Radionics and others make such systems.  They are generally sold only
by a few alarm companies.  Some of these work reasonably well, but few
alarm installers are able to cope with the complexity of properly
installing RF transmitters and antennas.  If installed well, and
favorable propogation/location characteristics are present (with
respect to the receiving antenna), many brands work well.  Note that
many of these systems are unable to warn you of an antenna failure,
except by frequent testing.

3. Short range radio transmission (to a neighbor's location) ... also
called "buddy system" radio.  Uses a low power transmitter to signal a
telephone line failure to a nearby receiver, usually in a neighbor's
location, which then calls the alarm central station to report the
failure.

4. Decoy wiring and good batteries.  We often will arrange for a
customer's phone lines to enter underground with no appearence on the
outside of the customer's premise.  A decoy telephone interface box,
complete with exposed cable going into the ground is installed, and
wired to a tamper alarm circuit in the alarm system.  24 to 48 hour
standby power is also installed in the alarm.  This method has saved
several customers, and has also frightened a couple of telephone
repairmen [grin] ... but they were GTE employees and seemed to survive
the experience.

The telco also don't mess with our customers anymore.  They now call
us and ask when they see our alarm stickers on a premises.  Serves
them right for all the RJ31X's they miswired and disconnected on us
over the years.

5. Subcarrier telephone connections.  In a few areas of the country,
telephone companies installed special equipment to allow alarm
signalling to occur "under" the regular voice use of a phone line, and
was monitored in the central office just like a dedicated leased line
(like jewelry stores use).  This worked reasonably well, but was more
expensive that digital dialers.

These methods have had a noticable effect on our customers security.
We have far less attempts against our alarm systems now that we did
ten years ago.  Not so for most of our competitors, it seems
(according to casual conversations we've had with law enforcement
personnel).

The extent we go to secure our communications link (as opposed to most
of our competitors) is one of the small differences in our system
installations.  It does add to the cost of installing a system.

Remember, the best alarm benefit is to deter, not capture.  Sorry to
say, would-be intruders do not leave "Sorry, we missed you" cards on
your doorknob when they decide not to break in after looking around.

Once they enter or, worse yet, confront you, the chances of a loss or
tragedy increase dramatically. (BTW: NEVER, EVER CONFRONT AN INTRUDER.
That's how people get hurt or killed.  If you hear them coming in,
call 911, or better yet, leave quickly.)

The theory here is to "harden the target" to an extent that
discourages the would be intruder.  Unfortunately, you may never know
if you actually succeeded.

> b) Any recommendations on such devices out there?

See above.  All work.

> c) Why were cable connections cut? Do some monitoring stations use
> cable coax for communications back to the head node for purposes other
> than cable TV channel $$$ monitoring?

Yes, but very few cable companies do it anymore.  It seems as though
the cable plant designs of years gone by did not accomodate two way
operation well.  (I'm thinking of Warner's QUBE in Columbus, Ohio)
There were some TOCOM based systems that worked better, I'm told.

Now that fiber is starting to be deployed by cable operators, this
might change.  Don't know if the economics will work.

> d) How can I hide the phone connections at my house or make the
> snipping a less than trivial process?

See item four.  Remember to examine the "pedestal" terminal the phone
company keeps nearby for local connections.  It should be either
bolted shut with a security bolt, or locked.

IMHO, this is a point of failure common to several premises, but the
phone company does not take securing these very seriously until they
encounter repeated vandalism.  Oddly enough, we have not had problems
with tampering in these terminals...except by seasoned pros after high
value goods.  (You don't stop the real pros that easily ... that's why
we use cellular for high security.)

I could easily write another lengthy article on what we have gone
through to obtain telco cooperation in securing residential telephone
lines.  The telco is not very interested in security.  We have to do
all the work for them.

In alarm systems, like other things, a bit of knowledge and working
with an organization of high integrity makes a difference.  Try and
buy a cheap alarm system, and that's exactly what you might get.

Note: I've intentionally not given out names of manufacturers or model
numbers in an attempt to be fair ... and non-commercial.  All
operational descriptions are general in nature.  Your milage may vary.
Engage common sense before operating.


Macy Hallock  +1.216.723.3000  Fax [phone]  [e-mail]
F M Systems, Inc.  150 Highland Drive  Medina, OH USA     [e-mail]