NOTE: Scan-Alert will be eliminated on July 25, 2004, in the following states: AZ, CO, IA, ID-S, MN, MT, ND, NE, SD, UT and WY. The service is only available in OR and WA.
Scan-Alert is a monitoring service that detects changes in the status of a partnering alarm company's warning device or sensor located on an end-user's premises.
Scan-Alert is referred to in the Qwest tariffs as the Alarm Signal Transport (AST) Service. Additional information about resale of Qwest's retail services can be found in the Resale-General, Qwest Local Services Platform® (QLSP®) - General Information.
Qwest's retail telecommunication service, Scan-Alert, is available with the following products for your end-users:
Qwest provides a scanning device in the Central Office (CO) that monitors a sensor (Subscriber Terminal Unit (STU)) located at your end-user’s premises. The scanning occurs on a 24-hour basis. If the sensor fails to respond to the scanner poll or transmits an alarm signal, the alarm company is automatically alerted. The alert notification is sent through the scanner to the alarm company. Once notified, the alarm company will take whatever action has been agreed upon with their end-user, e.g. contacting the proper authorities (police, fire, etc.) or the end-user.
This PCAT describes the Scan-Alert service as provided to the patron/end-user of the alarm company and does not address the network support system provided to the alarm company. If an alarm company comes to you to request the alarm support system provided by Qwest for the alarm service on a resale basis, contact your Qwest Sales Executive.
Scan-Alert uses an existing telephone dial tone line. Qwest recommends that the line selected is not a high usage line, such as the first line in a hunting sequence, high usage lines can cause a delay in the Scan-Alert signal. If restrictions prevent the use of Scan-Alert on an existing telephone dial tone line, a separate Scan-Alert alarm line can be used. This option provides for the service over a non-dial tone circuit. This option also allows Qwest to offer the service to large Centrex or PBX end-users with remote locations.
The Scan-Alert Monitoring System is made up of the following components:
Agency Terminal Unit (ATU)— A two-way interface provided by the alarm company and located at their premises. The ATU converts the data received from the STU to an output display terminal or to a receiver at the monitoring station. Most ATUs have backup redundancy service terminals.
Alarm Company — Provides the monitoring of the alarm panel status and notifies the proper authorities/end-user.
Alarm panel — Provided by the alarm company and is connected to the STU. It acts as an interconnection/access point where the STU responds to the physical stimulus of heat, light, motion, etc.
Dial-tone Service, or Dedicated Alarm Line — the facilities used to get from the CO to the Patron Location Network Interface.
Dual Message Switch (Host)— Provided by Qwest and located at the Qwest Computer Center, it routes the alarm monitoring data between the patron and their selected alarm company, with built in redundancy to serve as back up protection.
Patron (End-user) — This is the alarm company’s customer that has requested Scan-Alert service.
Scanner — Located in the CO, it is a dual microprocessor that checks for switch hook status of a line and the status of the STU. It sequentially and/or on demand polls each assigned patron and has built in redundancy to serve as back up protection.
STU— An electronic device provided by the alarm company that is connected to the alarm panel or on a stand-alone basis at the end-user’s premises. It is connected to the telephone line as a non-ringing extension through a standard jack. It serves as an interface between the alarm panel/sensors and the alarm-reporting network. The CO scanner polls the STU to check status and for any change in state that may indicate an alarm condition. It constantly transmits either an all clear or an alarm signal.
Additional information can be found in your Interconnection Agreement.
Additional information can be found in your Interconnection Agreement.
Scan-Alert is provided over metallic (copper) facilities and universal pair gain equipment. If integrated pair gain is used to provide the end-user dial tone service, then Scan-Alert can only be provided on the dedicated Scan-Alert Alarm Line. The Interconnection Service Center (ISC) will reject your request if it is determined that integrated pair gain equipment exists on the exchange line.
Scan-Alert is not available with the following services; however a dedicated Scan-Alert Alarm Line may be used to provide the service:
Analog Data Transmission, e.g., fax, computer dial-up lines, credit card validation
Designed services
Split copper wire, referred to as Another Main Line (AML)
Facilities with integrated pair-gain
Ground start lines
Multi-party exchange lines
Non-continuous property, different CO
Qwest Digital Subscriber Line (Qwest DSL™)
Suspension of service
Unbundled Switch Ports (UBS)
Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS)
The Resale - Scan-Alert Alarm Line can be used on copper or non-integrated pair gain and is:
The alarm company performs the following as part of their regular activities:
The end-user or CLEC on behalf of the end-user performs the following as part of their regular activities:
Contacts the alarm company to establish Scan-Alert
Orders and maintains a compatible line at the premises where the STU is located to allow for the connection to Scan-Alert
Qwest retail rates, rate elements, and how they apply to Scan-Alert can be found in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.
Wholesale rates for this product or service, including tariff references and any applicable discounts, are provided in your current Interconnection, Resale, Commercial, or other governing agreement.
Tariff, regulations and policies are located in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.
No optional features are available with this service.
| Features | Benefits |
| Security Monitoring Abilities | A reliable 24 hour secure and monitored system |
| Low Cost | Uses the existing telephone line for both conversation and monitoring |
| Compliance | Meets insurance, State Regulatory and Fire Department occupancy rules. |
See Features / Benefits.
If you are a new CLEC and are ready to do business with Qwest, view Getting Started as a Facility-Based CLEC or Getting Started for Resellers. If you are an existing CLEC wishing to amend your Interconnection Agreement or New Customer Questionnaire, additional information is located in the Interconnection Agreement.
General pre-ordering activities are described in the Pre-Ordering Overview.
Requirements for pre-ordering are described in Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG) Pre-Order.
It is important to understand the Resale - General or Qwest Local Services Platform® (QLSP®) - General Information procedures before ordering Scan-Alert.
General ordering activities are described in the Ordering Overview.
You may:
Follow the service interval guidelines provided for the product with which the Scan-Alert will be provisioned. When ordering the Scan-Alert Alarm Line, use the dispatched intervals. When ordering the Scan-Alert option on an existing telephone line, use the non-dispatched feature intervals. Follow the LSOG rules, or the instructions in the following paragraphs to issue your request.
When you request new voice service with Scan-Alert, two service requests are required. The first service request is to establish the voice service. The second service request is for Scan-Alert. When two service requests are required, relate the requests by including an entry in the RPON field of the second LSR form.
When requesting Scan-Alert, enter the appropriate USOCs from the table below in the FEATURES field of the RS, PS, or CRS forms. The Scan-Alert request requires an entry of 'Y' in the MANUAL IND field and in the REMARKS field, include the name and telephone number of the alarm company.
The following forms are required when requesting Scan-Alert on a voice line:
LSR
End User (EU)
Resale Service (RS), Port Service (PS) or Centrex Resale Service (CRS) form
Detailed information describing field entry requirements are available in the LSOG.
The following forms are required when requesting the Resale – Scan-Alert Alarm Line:
The Resale Scan-Alert Alarm Line follows the field entry requirements for Private Line Resale – Non Switched product described in the LSOG.
Generally Network Channel/Network Channel Codes (NC/NCI™) are entered on the LSR to identify the service type and some of the related optional features being requested. This product does not use NC/NCI; therefore the following information is required on the service request.
On the LSR form include a ‘Y’ in the MANUAL IND field and the following information in the REMARKS field:
| State | Resale Scan-Alert Alarm Line |
| OR |
ASP and 1DC2X |
| WA |
ASP and W1P9M |
On the RPL form include a ‘Y’ in the MANUAL IND field and in the following information in the REMARKS field:
Include an entry of "2-wire Scan-Alert Alarm Line"
In PRILOC field include the Common Language Location Identification (CLLI) code of the Qwest CO.
Complete the Secondary Location Service Details section with the end-user name and address.
| State | Scan-Alert Feature USOC |
| OR |
ASP |
| WA |
SNK (for the Central Security Alarm Company) or ASP(All other alarm companies) |
Scan-Alert service requests are manually processed. The service requests should be placed using the Interconnection Mediated Access (IMA) Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), IMA Graphical User Interface (GUI), or faxed to (888) 796-9089.
General provisioning and installation activities are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.
The Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) will include some or all of the following:
General maintenance and repair activities are described in the Maintenance and Repair Overview.
Qwest will not dispatch for repair until verification is made that the condition is not due to a security problem (burglary, fire, etc.). Qwest Repair Center is not the initial contact upon receipt of an alarm report.
Qwest will take trouble reports only from you. Qwest will not take repair reports from second or third parties including the end-user. If an end-user attempts to report maintenance trouble, Qwest will advise the end-user to call you to report the maintenance trouble. If available, Qwest will provide your name and telephone number to the end-user.
On a monthly basis, Qwest will provide you with billing information that will provide summary account information as well as end-user account information.
Customer Records and Information System (CRIS) billing is described in Billing Information - Customer Records and Information System (CRIS).
View Qwest courses in the Course Catalog.
Qwest contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.
This section is being compiled based on your feedback
Last Update: May 27, 2009
Scan-AlertSM is a Service Mark of Ameritech.
NC/NCI™ is a Trademark of Telecordia Technologies, Inc.
