Reason for Alarm Signalling Equipment (ASE) replacement and associated cost
- Why is this change happening?
- What legislation requires the need to upgrade Alarm Signalling Equipment?
- Why is 4G being used and not 5G (Cat M1)?
- The ASE at my site is or has been recently upgraded to work on the NBN, does it need to be replaced?
- What will the ASE replacement cost?
When and how Alarm Signalling Equipment will be replaced
- When is this change happening at my premises, and how will I know when to provide access?
- What if I cannot attend to provide access at that time?
- What if I forget the date/time of my appointment?
- What if there has been an issue with the appointment? Who do I contact to provide feedback or make a complaint?
- How long will my ASE be offline during the upgrade?
- What if a fire panel alarms while the technician is present, while the fire installation is offline?
- How do I know if my premises requires ASE replacement?
- I have multiple sites within Queensland. When I receive a notification about an upgrade, how will I know which site is being upgraded and when?
- I received a blank email about Alarm Signalling Replacement – what is this about?
- What does an ASE look like and how does it operate?
- If I receive a booking from CV Services/Johnson Controls Inc. for Alarm Signal Equipment (ASE) replacement, but our Fire Indicator Panel (FIP) requires an upgrade, what do I do?
Contacting the technician
- What if work to complete the ASE replacement requires a technician to visit out of standard business hours?
- What if our premises has specific site requirements such as site induction, access approvals, or required work notice periods?
- What if there is an issue with an ASE after replacement?
- Are the personnel coming to our premises vaccinated against COVID-19?
- How will I know who the technician is, and that they represent you?
- Who do I contact if a technician left equipment onsite?
Fire Alarm Connection Notice (FACN)
- How do I obtain a copy of a Fire Alarm Connection Notice?
- What do I do if I did not receive a Fire Alarm Connection Notice?
Why is this change happening?
The 3G mobile networks that the Alarm Signalling Equipment (ASE) uses to transmit alarm events are being decommissioned. Further, the copper landline network (often used where mobile coverage is insufficient) is being superseded by the NBN. To ensure that fire safety installations can continue transmitting alarm events, existing ASE units must be swapped out for new units that can make use of 4G mobile networks, and NBN landline alternatives where appropriate. There is a hard deadline to replace ASEs because the Telstra 3G mobile network is being decommissioned by 28 October 2024.
What legislation requires the upgrade Alarm Signalling Equipment?
Within the Fire Services Act 1990, sections 146M and 146N states:
“The occupier of a building must maintain at all times every prescribed fire safety installation to a standard of safety and reliability in the event of a fire.”
The occupier is legally bound to keep the fire safety installation (which includes the ASE) in current working order; it is not an optional upgrade. Without this upgrade, after June 2024 the 3G telecommunications networks and the copper landline network will be shut down, meaning the fire safety system can no longer transmit alarm events to the fire monitoring centre. This situation would risk your premises, not being compliant with the National Construction Code and may render it unlawful to occupy.
Why is 4G being used and not 5G (Cat M1)?
The equipment we are installing uses a technology known as LTE CAT M1, that can work on both, the 4G and 5G networks. This will future proof the equipment up to and theoretically beyond 2030.
The ASE at my site is or has been recently upgraded to work on the NBN, does it need to be replaced?
Yes. Existing ASEs rely on the 3G network for primary communications. Due to the 3G shutdown in June 2024 your ASE will need to be replaced to remain compliant with the Fire Services Act 1990.
What will the ASE replacement cost?
If there are site specific conditions for accessing your premises other than site inductions, charges will apply.
If changes to the confirmed booking are required, such as access to premises outside of business hours, charges may apply.
There will be no cost to you if the system is compliant, serviceable, and accessible at the allocated time.
When is this change happening at my premises, and how will I know when to provide access?
Before the technician visits your premises to undertake the ASE replacement, you (i.e., property manager, occupier or owner) will receive an email from us advising that this will be occurring. You will then receive an email or a phone call from our partner CV Services with a proposed appointment date and time between now and 28 October 2024.
You will also receive a reminder SMS about one week prior to the technician’s arrival at the premises. The SMS is for information only (no reply); but it will contain contact details for further information.
What if I cannot attend to provide access at that time?
If the ASE is in the Fire Indicator Panel in a publicly accessible foyer, or a designated site entry point, where access is readily available, you are not required to be present for the appointment and the upgrade can happen in your absence. However, we require you to acknowledge that a technician will be present and will not be prevented by onsite personnel from carrying out their work.
As you can appreciate, there is severely limited scope to reschedule appointments due to schedule demand and project timeframes. We suggest ensuring an authorised person can provide the technician access if required, for the scheduled appointment, in your absence.
If there is a safety issue at your premises that you believe would prevent safe access for our technician on the day, you must inform us on 13QGOV immediately.
What if I forget the date/time of my appointment?
Please check your emails, including junk folder. CV Services send an appointment confirmation via email, search for "cvservices.com.au".
What if there has been an issue with the appointment? Who do I contact to provide feedback or make a complaint?
Please call 13QGOV and give the details of your issue to the customer service representative, who will put you in touch with the appropriate party to action your enquiry.
How long will my ASE be offline during the upgrade?
The technician will ensure system downtime is minimal. It is expected the system will be offline for 10 to 15 minutes, however, individual scenarios may vary.
What if a fire panel alarms while the technician is present, while the fire installation is offline?
If the technician detects an alarm while they are present and the system is offline, they are required to immediately call Emergency Services on 000. As always, you are encouraged to call Emergency Services on 000 if you observe any fire related incidents at your premises during this time.
How do I know if my premises requires ASE replacement?
Only certain classes (and some subclasses) of buildings, require monitored fire alarm installations. If your premises does not already have alarm signalling equipment, or if it is a new construction and already has equipment with 4G mobile or NBN connectivity, it will not be in the scope of this project. We are working closely with the alarm signalling equipment supplier to ensure that the premises requiring an upgrade, are identified and scheduled accordingly. You do not have to proactively contact us or your fire protection contractor for this, as we will contact you if your premises requires upgrading.
I have multiple sites within Queensland. When I receive a notification about an upgrade, how will I know which site is being upgraded and when?
Communications from the ASE Replacement project such as emails and SMS messages will have the address of the premises as our records. This will include additional information such as the level or tenancy of the building, if applicable and known. You can search within your email client or email portal on the address information to find the relevant email for a particular site and its scheduled upgrade date. As each premises is individually scheduled, you will be contacted.
I received a blank email about Alarm Signalling Replacement – what is this about?
Try viewing the email in your desktop app, instead of your browser. If you still cannot view the text in the body of the email, please reply to the email and request the email content to be resent to you.
What does an ASE look like and how does it operate?
The below shows the face plate of the ASE unit, a Fire Indicator Panel (FIP), and an ASE unit with local antenna receiving signal from Telstra and Optus.
The replacement works are an upgrade from the 3G network signal to the 4G network signal.
A basic ASE replacement involves replacing the ASE face plate and internal componentry technology to receive Optus and Telstra 4G network signals. To meet compliant signal strength and quality levels, antennas are installed on the ASE within the FIP or on the outside of the FIP.
A complex ASE replacement is required when the Optus and/or Telstra signal does not meet compliant signal levels. Antennas may be required outside (not local to the FIP) in an area where the signal can be received by the ASE such as an open foyer area, or outside of the building. Additional resources such as cabling, and larger antenna types may be required. This will be determined when the technician is on site and can undertake signal readings.
If I receive a booking from CV Services/Johnson Controls Inc. for Alarm Signal Equipment (ASE) replacement, but our Fire Indicator Panel (FIP) requires an upgrade, what do I do?
Fire Indicator Panel upgrades do not impact ASE replacement works. In fact, it is ideal to have the ASE replaced prior to any FIP upgrade.
Please proceed with confirming the booking with CV Services or Johnson Controls Inc. At this time, please flag that you are also expecting FIP upgrade works to happen and advise of any known dates, this will ensure CV Services or Johnson Controls Inc. and your fire contractor can coordinate any cross over dates with planned works.
What if work to complete the ASE replacement requires a technician to visit out of standard business hours?
Please provide any site-specific requirements to CV Services when confirming your appointment. If the appointment needs to be rescheduled to out of standard business hours 7:00am – 5:00pm charges will apply.
What if our premises has specific site requirements such as site induction, access approvals, or required work notice periods?
Please provide any site-specific requirements to CV Services when confirming your appointment.
What if there is an issue with an ASE after replacement?
Please contact Johnson Controls on 1300 360 575, option 3.
Are the personnel coming to our premises vaccinated against COVID-19?
All technicians are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and hold valid Blue Cards.
How will I know who the technician is, and that they represent you?
The technician will hold a Photo Identification Card indicating that they are a contractor with CV Services. You may request to see their identification and if you have any concerns call 13QGOV, between 8 am and 6 pm business days. In addition, the technician will have a letter from us to show evidence of the appointment.
Who do I contact if a technician left equipment onsite?
Please call 13QGOV and give the details of your issue to the customer service representative, who will action the issue to the appropriate representative.
How do I obtain a copy of a Fire Alarm Connection Notice?
To obtain a copy of a Fire Alarm Connection Notice (FACN), please complete this form.
What do I do if I did not receive a Fire Alarm Connection Notice?
Please submit the following form to request a Fire Alarm Connection Notice.