Dual-path audio alarm monitoring, explained
AMCO's LiveTalk audio-response monitoring doesn't just rely on a single connection to reach the monitoring centre. Here's why having two independent paths - not one - is the part that actually matters.
Three things dual-path is actually doing
"Dual-path" isn't a brand name - it's a design principle. Here's what each part of it is protecting against.
Two-way audio, not just a signal
A silent alarm signal only tells the monitoring centre that something triggered. LiveTalk's audio-response monitoring goes further: a trained operator can listen into the property and speak directly into it - issuing a verbal challenge to an intruder - rather than just relaying a signal.
Two independent paths, not one
The system connects over broadband as its primary path, with an independent cellular (GSM) connection running alongside it. If broadband drops - a router fault, a cut cable, a local outage - the GSM path keeps the audio monitoring link alive, so the property is never left silently unprotected.
The system checks itself
Rather than only being discovered when something goes wrong, LiveTalk's connections are checked with regular automated health checks, so a failing path can be flagged and dealt with before it's ever needed in a real emergency.
Still on a single-path or landline alarm?
If your alarm only has one way of reaching the monitoring centre, it's worth understanding the risk - and what needs to change.
The same dual-path link covers more than burglary
Whatever triggers the alarm, the underlying dual-path audio connection works the same way.
Intruder detection
An operator listens in, verbally challenges anyone on-site, and escalates to police with confirmed audio evidence.
Medical emergencies
The same two-way audio link lets an operator talk directly to someone who's triggered a personal or medical alarm.
Fire
A triggered smoke or heat detector reaches the monitoring centre the same way, over whichever path is currently available.
Electrical failures
Power and equipment faults are picked up and reported through the same monitored connection, not just intruder events.
Want the full activation-to-response sequence for a break-in specifically? Read how LiveTalk works, step by step.
Dual-path monitoring - frequently asked questions
It means the alarm has two separate, independent ways of reaching the monitoring centre - typically broadband as the primary path and a cellular (GSM) connection as the second. If one fails, the other keeps the system connected, so a single point of failure can't take the whole alarm offline.
This page covers why dual-path redundancy matters. For the full step-by-step of what happens from a sensor triggering through to police response, see how LiveTalk works.
Yes. If your current alarm only signals over a phone line, it's directly affected by the UK's PSTN switch-off. Moving to a dual-path (broadband + GSM) setup like LiveTalk solves that and adds redundancy at the same time, rather than just swapping one single path for another.
Costs vary by property and existing equipment, so rather than quoting a fixed figure here, see our current pricing or speak to the team for a free, no-obligation quote.
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