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It was very recently that you announced the DualCom Pro range was extended to include two new EN54 Fire products. What can you tell me about these products in question?

We recently extended our DualCom Pro range to include two new EN54 certified products for Fire. DigiAir Pro Fire is the totally wireless single-path solution, whilst the GradeShift Pro Fire offers dual-path signalling via two separate radio modules. Both solutions come with multiple 4G WorldSIMs, providing the most reliable fire signalling systems ever. We were delighted to announce them to the market and so far, the feedback has been excellent.

What makes the EN54 so important for you as a company?

EN54 certification is the most important aspect in terms of signalling for fire detection and alarm systems. Over the past few years, we have seen an increased industry demand for EN54 (Fire) certified signalling products that offer flexibility of installation, increased reliability and cost-effectiveness. We are confident that all criteria have now been satisfied with the new DualCom Pro Fire products.

One thing mentioned was that the overall cost of fire products can be problematic for companies – how important is it for the new DualCom Pro Fire range to be affordable?

The cost of products has always been an issue. Older EN54 certified signalling solutions were very expensive, leaving most fire systems having no monitoring at all – despite many fires occurring when the premises are empty. DigiAir Pro Fire offers an ideal solution here, as a totally wireless, cost-effective, single path option.

The wireless capabilities of DigiAir Pro Fire mean that no installation is limited by the infrastructure of the premises or the need for a wired connection. It is also a great option for upgrading non-monitored fire systems or futureproofing those that are using legacy communications like digis.

Something that the company have stressed is the ease of installation for these products – just how much of an advantage does this give you?

DualCom Pro Fire offers installers an easier and faster installation of professional fire signalling systems. The solutions are totally wireless, meaning there is no need to delay the install to configure a wired connection.

They are plug and play – you simply power the device up and it will automatically download its configuration. The device can be installed wirelessly, meaning it can be located in whatever position provides the best signal.

All of this is backed up by the My Base App and CSL Live portal, which allows remote maintenance and access to the installation once the engineer has left the site.

In terms of research and development, how much investment and resource goes into that side of the company?

At CSL, we are always listening to the market and our installers share their challenges, frustrations and opportunities with us. This allows us to deliver products and services to the industry and maximise their success. We also ensure they tick all the boxes for our customers to allow them to provide the highest level service to end users.

When it comes to innovation, what would you say separates you from other competitors?

We are the experts in both alarm signalling and secure connectivity. We have been delivering market leading solutions for over 25 years and continue to bring in expertise from across the wider telecommunications markets to bolster our team.

With hundreds of thousands of alarm signalling connections in the field, we are constantly learning about how technologies behave and how we can improve them. We are also challenged daily but our installers and ARC partners, so together we can provide better innovations and service.

Whilst we have grown, we remain the agile and flexible company we have always been, allowing us to react to industry demand or maximise a new innovation – for the benefit of our customers.

I’d also say what separates us is our focus on support and customer service. This underpins everything we do, from our products, to technical support, sales and finance. We strive to ensure that every interaction with CSL is a positive one.

On the topic of customer service, you also have a 24/7 service – how much of a company priority is it to ensure that customers come first?

It is number one in everything we do. Our customers have placed their trust in us and we are committed to repaying that with top level products and service.

We work in partnership with our customers – installers and ARCs – to continuously improve what we do and provide better service.

Our platform handles over four billion events each month and securely collates data ready to push to our portals which provide real-time visibility on the status of a connected device.

This is all backed-up by our 24/7 managed support services to ensure maximum availability, reliability and customer service.

A lot has changed since you got the ball rolling in 1996, but what would you say the particular landmark moment for CSL?

I would describe right now as one of those landmark moments! Providing dual or single path EN54 signalling, with multiple roaming 4G SIMs, all at an affordable price. This is a landmark moment for Professional Fire Alarm Monitoring.

What made the company want fire monitoring to be part of the mantra?

We have been providing fire monitoring for many years, however we have seen some elements of this limited due to the expense around EN54 and the prioritisation of other aspects of fire installation. Today, we believe we have the ideal solution for the market and we look forward to Installers benefitting from our latest offering.

While the pandemic has naturally been tough on everyone, how have CSL dealt with it?

We have been busy supporting installers in making plans to upgrade older systems to the newest technologies that include:

• Totally wireless signalling
• Remote access/maintenance
• Upload/download

Installers who have this in place already have seen the benefits and it is now about getting everyone to upgrade to the ‘new normal’!

Moving forward, where would you like to see the company in the next five years?

We would like to see that we have helped more and more installers add Professional Fire Monitoring to their estates to improve the reliability of their systems, grow their recurring revenue opportunities and provide a better service for their customers.

We are excited about the journey ahead and hope installers will join us!

For more information about DualCom Pro Fire please click here.