In an era where safeguarding a business and staff is paramount, understanding the basics of remote security monitoring is essential. Whether you’re a business owner, facility manager, or security professional, mastering the basics of remote security monitoring is key to staying ahead of evolving threats and ensuring peace of mind.
- What is Remote Security Monitoring?
- What is an Alarm Receiving Centre?
- What are the Different Types of Remote Monitoring?
- Who Needs Remote Monitoring?
- How Secure is a Remote Monitoring Centre?
- How Does Remote Monitoring Work?
- Is Remote Security Monitoring Better Than On-Site Security?
- What are the Benefits of Remote Monitoring?
- How Much Does Remote Security Monitoring Cost?
- Remote Security Monitoring with RMS
What is Remote Security Monitoring?
Remote security monitoring is a proactive approach to safeguarding assets, properties, and people using remote technology and surveillance systems. Unlike traditional security measures that rely solely on physical presence, remote security monitoring uses advanced technologies such as video surveillance cameras, motion sensors, and alarms to monitor and protect assets from a remote location. Most commonly remote monitoring is carried out by a third-party remote monitoring provider.
What is an Alarm Receiving Centre?
An Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), also known as a Central Monitoring Station (CMS) or Alarm Monitoring Centre, is a secure facility equipped to receive and respond to alarm signals from various security systems and devices. The primary function of an ARC is to monitor and respond to security events and emergencies in real-time, ensuring the safety and security of people, properties, and assets on site.
For businesses looking for the highest level of security assurance, partnering with an ARC that holds NSI Gold accreditation is vital. This prestigious standard, overseen by the National Security Inspectorate, ensures that the ARC operates to the industry’s most stringent technical and operational benchmarks, including compliance with updated standards like BS EN 50518. An NSI Gold-approved ARC demonstrates continuous resilience, mandatory staff vetting, and robust disaster recovery protocols, which is often a requirement for favourable insurance policies and is covered in detail in our guide on what NSI Gold means for your business. Moreover, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within these certified centres is becoming essential for improving monitoring efficiency, helping to filter out the high number of false alarms reported annually, which allows human operators to focus on genuine threats.
What are the Different Types of Remote Monitoring?
Remote monitoring generally falls into two categories. Below are some of the services offered firstly, for Security Monitoring and secondly for Non-Security Monitoring.
CCTV
CCTV stands for closed-circuit television and when professionally monitored allows a site’s system to be completely monitored 24/7 for any activity, often particularly useful when out of hours. CCTV monitoring can also be combined with other technology such as video analytics to monitor for other more advanced event triggers, as highlighted in the latest trends in surveillance accuracy. This ability to verify an incident quickly, often through visual confirmation, significantly improves police response times where an Alarm Receiving Centre has the correct protocols in place.
Fire & Intruder Alarms
Having a remotely monitored fire or intruder alarm reduces risk to employees and a site due to not having to rely on a person to physically activate or raise an alarm. If an intruder or fire has been detected on the relevant internal site system, then a signal will be automatically sent to the alarm receiving centre whereby monitoring operatives will act accordingly, either notifying the appropriate person or calling the authorities. For instance, apparatus-related fire false alarms in England are seeing a gradual increase, reaching around 183,115 incidents in the last year according to UK Government fire statistics, demonstrating the critical importance of effective verification before escalating to emergency services. This process is a key function of reliable intruder monitoring and fire alarm monitoring.
Remote Site Access
Remote site access monitoring ensures only authorised individuals are allowed access to the site, therefore providing protection from unwanted guests and reducing employee risk. This is particularly valuable for protecting high-value assets and managing operational flow at sites like commercial offices or manufacturing facilities.
Remote Arm/Disarm
Remote arm/disarm monitoring negates the need for multiple staff members to hold vital security information as all alarms can be activated or deactivated remotely. This service is a game-changer for businesses with flexible hours or multiple keyholders, offering efficiency and an audited record of system status. For facilities that rely on a secure closure process, like a retail showroom, the ability to remotely verify and correct a failure to arm the system is invaluable.
Air Conditioning Monitoring
If an AC unit is detected to be offline or not working properly, then the monitoring team will receive the notification and will either resolve the issue remotely or contact the site key holder. This non-security monitoring is often crucial for sectors housing sensitive IT equipment, where unexpected downtime can lead to significant data loss or operational failure, a risk that extends across various industries including commercial offices.
EV Charge Point Monitoring
EV charge point monitoring enables sites to keep on top of their electric vehicle charging points to ensure no one gets caught short with an offline or out-of-order charger. Sites will be contacted if there are any issues with their charge points and maintenance can be scheduled. As the UK accelerates the transition to electric vehicles, the reliability of public and workplace charging infrastructure is paramount, making reliable EV charge point monitoring a growing requirement for property owners.
Fridge/Freezer Monitoring
If a site relies on fridges or freezers working overnight, remote monitoring services can keep an eye on things and make sure no unexpected power cuts or electrical faults cause unnecessary wastage and financial loss. This is especially important for the healthcare and food service sectors, where maintaining strict temperature compliance is critical for safety and regulation. Monitoring services can detect a temperature breach almost instantly, allowing a rapid remote response to prevent stock loss or compromised health and safety standards.
Who Needs Remote Monitoring?
Remote monitoring can be beneficial for a wide range of individuals, businesses, and organisations. It’s estimated that the threat to physical assets remains high, with business property robberies in the UK increasing by a significant 50% in the year ending March 2025 compared to the previous year, according to the Office for National Statistics. This unsettling trend, alongside the continued issue of theft and vandalism, shows how all types of sites could benefit from remote monitoring.
For example, commercial businesses and residential properties can benefit from remote monitoring to protect their premises, inventory, and sites against theft, vandalism, and unauthorised access. The integration of technology in modern business security is further supported by the need to combat a wider range of threats, including sophisticated cyber-attacks that can target security systems themselves, making a secure, professionally monitored solution essential, as discussed in our article on cybersecurity in monitoring.
Healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes can employ remote monitoring systems to enhance patient safety, protect sensitive medical equipment and monitor restricted areas such as pharmacies and operating rooms. This is often coupled with lone worker monitoring services to ensure staff welfare during out-of-hours shifts.
It can also be beneficial for educational institutions to enhance campus security, protect students and staff, and prevent unauthorised access to classrooms and halls of residence. Furthermore, industries like manufacturing and waste recycling rely heavily on remote monitoring to prevent theft of raw materials and machinery, and to ensure environmental compliance by monitoring waste levels and critical equipment function. The operational efficiency gains from remote oversight, as detailed in our piece on improving facility management efficiency, are equally important as security.
Additionally, government and law enforcement agencies can utilise remote monitoring to enhance public safety and monitor public spaces.
How Secure is a Remote Monitoring Centre?
Remote monitoring centres are typically housed in secure facilities with controlled access and surveillance cameras. Physical security measures such as biometric access controls, perimeter fencing, and alarm systems help prevent unauthorised entry and protect sensitive equipment.
Along with this, all communications between remote monitoring centres and client systems are encrypted using industry-standard encryption protocols, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS). This ensures that sensitive data transmitted over the network remains confidential and secure from interception or tampering. The focus on cybersecurity is now more important than ever, given the rise in economically motivated cyber crime; a recent Economic Crime Survey from the UK Government estimated that the mean cost of frauds experienced by UK businesses in a 12-month period was over £2,000, underscoring the need for robust digital security in all business operations, including monitoring.
For additional security, remote monitoring centres often have backup power systems and data backup procedures to minimise data loss in case of hardware failures or power outages. This resilience is a core pillar of a reliable monitoring service, ensuring that vigilance is never compromised, regardless of external circumstances, a concept we explore in our article on key backup protocols.
How Does Remote Monitoring Work?
In remote security monitoring, trained security professionals remotely monitor live video feeds and data from surveillance cameras and security systems installed at client sites. These professionals use advanced monitoring tools and software to detect and assess potential security threats, unauthorised access, suspicious activities, or emergencies in real time.
When an abnormality or security breach is detected, remote security monitoring personnel can take immediate action, such as notifying on-site security personnel, dispatching law enforcement or emergency responders, or triggering alarm systems to deter intruders and reduce risks. A primary function of this is alarm verification. By checking CCTV feeds or audio from the site, operators can determine if an alarm is genuine before contacting the police, which saves valuable emergency service time and helps maintain the site’s Unique Reference Number (URN) status, a system supported by Police Crime Prevention Initiatives to ensure an appropriate response. This is a crucial differentiator from unmonitored systems, which often suffer from high rates of costly and disruptive false alarms.
Is Remote Security Monitoring Better Than On-Site Security?
The effectiveness of remote security monitoring versus on-site security depends on the specific security needs of the organisation, the nature of the assets being protected, and the available resources. Both approaches have their advantages and limitations, and a combination of both is likely to be the best solution to providing the most comprehensive security for a premises.
Remote services excel at 24/7 vigilance and rapid, verified response, while on-site guards provide a physical presence and immediate localised action. For larger or high-risk sites, such as industrial warehouses, blending the physical deterrent of a patrol with the remote eyes of an ARC offers an unparalleled level of protection, a strategy explored in our guide on improving warehouse security.
What are the Benefits of Remote Monitoring?
Enhanced Security & Better Visibility
Remote monitoring enables organisations to monitor their assets, properties, and facilities in real time, detecting and responding to security threats or emergencies promptly. This helps to lessen risks, prevent losses, and ensure the safety of people and assets. It also provides better visibility into security at events enabling better decision-making and risk management.
Cost-Effectiveness
Remote monitoring can be more cost-effective than traditional on-site security measures, as it eliminates the need for dedicated security personnel and infrastructure. Businesses often find that remote monitoring, especially when compared to the overhead of round-the-clock physical security teams, provides a superior return on investment for core functions like perimeter security and after-hours checking.
24/7 Surveillance
Remote security monitoring can provide continuous surveillance and monitoring services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including during non-business hours and holidays. This ensures that security is maintained around the clock, even when on-site personnel are not present.
Scalability
Remote monitoring can be easily scaled to accommodate multiple locations or sites making it suitable for organisations with diverse security needs or distributed operations. Whether monitoring a single site or a network of facilities, remote monitoring can adapt to the size and complexity of the organisation. This is a significant advantage for growing retail chains or multi-site commercial landlords.
Rapid Response
Remote monitoring centres can provide swift and coordinated responses to security incidents, detecting and verifying alarms and coordinating with authorities to reduce risks and minimise damage. This helps organisations respond effectively to security threats and emergencies, reducing response times and enhancing overall security. The fast verification process of a monitored alarm system is key to achieving a priority police response, a benefit not afforded to unverified, stand-alone systems.
Data Analytics & Insights
Remote monitoring systems often include advanced analytics and reporting tools that provide valuable insights into security trends, patterns, and vulnerabilities. By analysing data collected from surveillance cameras and other security devices, organisations can identify potential risks, improve security protocols and optimise security operations. The integration of Smart Building Technology is also rapidly advancing, turning raw data into actionable intelligence for long-term risk mitigation, a development covered in our exploration of monitoring in the age of smart buildings.
Remote Access & Control
Remote security monitoring can enable organisations to remotely access and control security devices and systems, such as surveillance cameras, access control systems, and alarm systems, from any location with an internet connection. This allows security personnel to monitor and manage security operations efficiently, regardless of their physical location. This control can extend to managing remote patrol systems and implementing quick site lockdown procedures.
How Much Does Remote Security Monitoring Cost?
The cost of remote security monitoring can vary depending on the size and complexity of the security system, the installation process and the number of sites or locations to be monitored. Generally, it can range from a few hundred to several thousand pounds per month, but the best way to get an accurate price is to go directly and get a quote. Considering the potential financial losses from an unmitigated fire or burglary—which, for example, can see the mean cost of business fraud incidents alone reach over £2,000 as per recent UK government data—the monthly fee is an investment in risk management and business continuity.
Remote Security Monitoring with RMS
In essence, remote security monitoring is a brilliant way to safeguard a site or property and ensure peace of mind when it comes to out-of-hours and overall safety and security.
RMS promises to save you money, time and effort in the process. Whether you are looking for CCTV systems or fire alarms, air conditioning, freezer or flood monitoring, our NSI Gold certified Alarm Receiving Centre is equipped to handle your unique needs.
Get a quote today and be on your way to a safer tomorrow.
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