Honeywell IP and cellular fire alarm communicator receives GSA approval

NORTHFORD, Conn., April 19, 2012 - Honeywell announces its IP (Internet Protocol) and cellular fire alarm communicator has been found to be compliant with GSA (Government Services Administration) security policies following an extensive evaluation by its PBS (Public Building Service) IT Security Team. This assessment authorizes the use of Honeywell's IPGSM-DP communicator on the IT networks of U.S. Federal Government facilities.

With GSA as the main purchasing agent for the U.S. Federal Government, a successful security evaluation for the IPGSM-DP opens countless opportunities for this technology's increased reliability and cost-saving benefits within Federal Government facilities throughout the world. Brian Sheely, president of Innovative Life Safety Solutions, LLC, a Georgia-based integrator, first approached the GSA with this solution to eliminate the costly phone lines traditionally used to monitor fire alarm systems.

"We documented their current expenditures using their own data and were able to show the positive impact these upgrades would have on their operational budget," exclaims Sheely. "The savings start to snowball pretty quickly for a Federal Agency who operates and maintains over 3,500 government buildings worldwide. If pursued, the annual cost-savings would prove to be in the millions!"

The IPGSM-DP offers three selectable communications pathways: cellular only, IP only, or IP primary with cellular backup and SMS (Short Message Service) text as secondary backup. Utilizing IP and cellular/GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology together improves the reliability and speed of reporting over single path technology devices while verifying the connectivity of the primary pathway every five minutes, as opposed to once-a-day when phone lines are employed.

According to a GSA Information Systems Security Team Member, "The Honeywell IPGSM-DP will be placed on our internal list of products that have completed our assessment and remediation process. GSA project managers often look at the list to see which devices will present the least hurdle to moving their projects forward."

By simply connecting to the existing ports of a fire alarm control panel's DACT (digital alarm communicator transmitter), the IPGSM-DP can provide full Contact ID data reporting for virtually any brand of control panel.

"This IP/GSM solution would easily dovetail with several new GSA 'Smart Buildings' programs, which include billions of dollars worth of IT Network, VoIP and energy management upgrades for all federal buildings," says Sheely. "We'll be installing the first IPGSM-DP unit in a federal building in downtown Atlanta within the next few weeks."

More comprehensive information and technical documentation on Honeywell's IPGSM-DP fire alarm communicator is available on www.honeywellpower.com.