Sunsets, Communicators, and Free Upgrades
Three astounding things come together at His Security & Technology
Sunsets are often wonderful, colorful things. Who doesn’t love watching the sun melt into the horizon with a brilliant burst of the hues of the spectrum across the sky?
The kind of sunsets we are experiencing here at His Security & Technology are more pragmatic than visually dramatic. A “sunset” in our world of technology is the shutdown of a communication network. It’s a planned decommissioning of different components that make up the network, sometimes replacing those with more modern alternatives, thus rendering the old system obsolete.
Several years ago, the FCC gave telecom companies the approval to sunset POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service). In many instances, because nearly everyone had switched to cellular or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), it was no longer financially viable to keep land lines across large areas well maintained for the very few that still used the service. Did all POTS go away? No, but infrequently utilized lines that become damaged are very rarely replaced, and often not repaired due to the cost and complexity. Hurricane Sandy took out large swathes of cable and telephone lines in New Jersey. Much of that infrastructure has never been rebuilt. The service itself got replaced with newer technology, which is not dependent on the landlines that are now gone.
Right now, when you here about “sunsetting”, it mainly refers to 3G cellular networks, as 2G has been discontinued already. Just like a real sunset, these are on the horizon and occur over a period of time. They represent the process of wireless carriers phasing out their 3G services to make room for upgraded connectivity. At the end of this process, all devices that are not 4G (LTE) compatible or higher will no longer receive cellular service.
Though it’s reported that these sunsets won’t happen until the end of 2022, 3G is being phased out already in certain parts of the country, including here in East TN. The timeline differs depending on the cellular carrier/provider. As more ports are switched over to 5G, fewer will be available for 3G; leaving connections from older technology uncertain. Everyone is hearing about 5G and how fast and efficient that will be. But, since the full rollout of 5G for widespread use will take at least 5 to 10 years, 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) is filling the gap. Both are expected to run side by side for the next 15-20 years.
Does this just affect security systems? No! Any device that uses a cellular communication path to reach the internet or a supporting service (such as a monitoring station) would need to be upgraded. Devices in vehicles that allow fleet telematics, personal alert devices, emergency call boxes, etc. are at risk of failure of function at any time. Although, for our systems, this upgrade does not require all new equipment, the radio does need to be replaced with an upgraded LTE communicator.
Our customers aren’t asking Scotty to “beam them up”, but each one’s system communicator is vitally important to their safety, security, and automation technology. For us, that means some of the communicators in our customers’ interactive security systems need to be swapped out as soon as possible to ensure consistent communication with the internet and/or monitoring station for years to come. We want to make sure all our customers do not experience an interruption in monitoring services, reporting that leads to alerts and notifications, or interactive smart device functionality.
Are we the only company making these upgrades? Absolutely not. But, this is where the difference between His Security & Technology and other security alarm companies becomes very apparent. We are taking care of the issue proactively and in a timely manner. We are contacting our customers and scheduling the upgrade to the equipment FREE OF CHARGE. Why not charge for the upgrade and/or require a new long-term contract extension like the other guys? Because it’s the right thing to do.
Scott and Doug started this business over 10 years ago to better serve home and business owners in our community. They decided on a business model different from the standard security alarm company. His Security & Technology provides more than a typical one-size-fits-all alarm system package. No door-to-door sales guys knocking in the neighborhood, no high pressure sales pitch with a limited-time-to-sign offer, no fear-based selling tactics, no seasonal or sub-contract staff… so many differences! Our focus is to find the best, affordable solution for our clients, whether that means using existing equipment when it’s still viable or allowing customers to buy without a long-term contract. That contract is the catch for most homeowners. The business model of company valuation based on RMR (recurring monthly revenue) has been the standard in our industry for years. It has not held up well lately, because it puts the consumers’ best interests way down at the bottom of every transaction.
And that’s just security systems… and how we have decided to serve our clientele through a major shift in the technology that serves their needs. We offer a myriad of other products and services that can bring your home or business into the modern era with technology that makes life easier, safer, more secure, and more efficient. Surveillance cameras, smart automation, audio and video (both interior and exterior) including home theaters and conference rooms, access control (doors and gates), and in-building distributed Wi-Fi networks are all services and products we can bring to you to solve issues you may be experiencing. Plus, we have dealer status with some of our partners that give our customers longer than normal warranty periods.
Sometimes a free upgrade is the right thing to do. It guarantees clients to be safe and secure through this technological shift; upholding our dedication and commitment to our mission statement: “His Security is dedicated to providing our customers with the best in-class service, while utilizing state-of-the-art equipment.”
If you want to work with a locally owned and operated company that is truly committed to serving their customers with those same customers’ best interests as top priority, contact His Security & Technology.
His Security & Technology
His Security, LLC TN Lic # 1545
“In God we trust, all others we monitor.”
Photo by Aaron Munoz on Unsplash
Want to know more about the cellular sunset schedule? Check this out https://www.lightreading.com/5g/goodbye-3g-heres-when-t-mobile-atandt-and-verizon-will-shut-it-off-/d/d-id/763362
What’s the difference between 4G and LTE? Check this out https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/4g-vs-lte/
What other technology is affected by this need to upgrade? Check this out https://www.techrepublic.com/article/millions-of-iot-devices-running-on-3g-need-to-make-the-move-to-5g-before-the-older-networks-disappear/