Migrating monitored fire alarm and lift phone services from the existing fixed line networks over which they currently operate to a new telecommunications network is not simply a matter of moving a service over ‘from A to B’. Rather, it is a complex process involving technical, regulatory and policy considerations, as well as multiple parties.

Monitored fire alarm and lift phone services are safety critical services and it is crucial that service continuity be supported for them during their transition from the existing networks. A key challenge was identifying which existing phone lines have a monitored fire alarm or lift phone service running over the top of them, so that these services did not get caught up in the business-as-usual disconnection process intended for business and residential services.

The NBN remains a suitable platform over which to deliver a wide range of telecommunications services; however the decision as to which telecommunications network to migrate to is influenced by factors specific to users’ needs and the availability of relevant products to support the transition. The most appropriate migration solution for monitored fire alarm and lift phone services—whether it be a single telecommunications network, or a combination of networks—needs to be determined by the end user of the service, in conjunction with the provider of the service.

Issues and challenges for migrating monitored fire alarm and lift phone services will also differ depending on the state or territory in which services are located. For example, some jurisdictions will be less affected by the need to migrate their monitored fire alarm and lift phone services, subject to the degree to which they have already implemented alternative migration solutions for these services.

This Good Practice Guide sets out the roles and responsibilities of each party involved in the migration process, the actions required to identify and successfully migrate services, and associated migration solutions to support these migration processes. The Guide is intended as a handbook for use by the fire protection and lift industries, building owners, building managers, and bodies corporate, application service providers (ASPs), telecommunications retail service providers (RSPs), equipment providers, and regulators and government agencies, to assist them in carrying out their roles and responsibilities in the process.