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By Michael Dunning
Portfolio Manager, Commercial and Rural
10 May, 2017
The world is moving faster these days and to keep up, New Zealanders are choosing to upgrade their home or business to ultrafast broadband (or UFB).
But what many people don’t know is that switching to UFB can have an impact on some of the systems they’ve put in place to protect themselves.
Switching to ultra-fast broadband can affect your systems
One of the best tools to help protect you, your belongings or your business is a monitored intruder alarm system – they often also include fire detection.
We encourage our customers to identify and manage their risks before things go wrong, and you’ll often get a discount on your premiums if you have a monitored alarm system. If something happens while the system isn’t working or is turned off, it could have an impact on your insurance claim.
Because older monitored analogue intruder alarm systems use copper telephone cables to communicate with a monitoring station, they aren’t compatible with the new digital UFB system. If you’re getting UFB installed, you’ll need to arrange an alternative way to allow your alarm system to send its signals to the company monitoring the alarm.
Tips to make sure you’re ready for UFB
| 1 | If you decide to switch, talk to your telco and alarm company and they can help you work out a solution that will keep you connected. |
| 2 | You could use solutions such as ‘integrated wiring’ or cellular transmitters, to maintain the connection of your current alarm. |
| 3 | Alternatively, you could upgrade your alarm system to one that is UFB compatible. |
| 4 | Remember that monitoring through an internet router requires power, so check whatever system you choose will work in an outage, or arrange a backup power source. |
If you can, it’s definitely better to think about the implications for your alarm systems before you make the switch to UFB. Retrofitting systems can be costly, so start the conversation early.
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The information in this article has been compiled from various sources and is intended to be factual information only. Full details of policy terms and conditions are available from Vero Insurance New Zealand Limited or your financial adviser. For advice on product suitability, please contact your financial adviser. While we take reasonable steps to ensure that the information contained in this article is accurate and up-to-date, it is subject to change without notice. Vero Insurance New Zealand and its related companies does/do not accept any responsibility or liability in connection with your use of or reliance on this article.
