WHIRC Year in Review — 2024
WHIRC celebrates 32 consecutive years of UL certification
Rockford, Minn. (February 10, 2025), WH International Response Center (WHIRC), a leader in technology and monitoring solutions, proudly announces that its alarm monitoring center has successfully achieved UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification for the 32nd consecutive year. This milestone underscores WHIRC’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance in security monitoring.
UL certification is a globally recognized mark of excellence that signifies compliance with stringent industry requirements for alarm monitoring centers. Maintaining this certification for more than three decades demonstrates WHIRC’s unwavering dedication to continuous improvement and superior service quality.
“For 32 years, our team has remained committed to upholding the highest industry standards,” said Ashley Raisanen, WHIRC Technology and Sales Manager. “This achievement reinforces the trust our dealers and customers place in us, knowing that we provide reliability and security.”
The certification process included an in-depth assessment of WHIRC’s monitoring center, evaluating key factors such as power redundancy, response times, cybersecurity measures, and compliance with industry best practices. By meeting these criteria year after year, WHIRC ensures that its dealers receive rapid and dependable alarm monitoring services 24/7.
For more information about WHIRC and its UL-certified alarm monitoring services, please visit WHIRC.com.
WHIRC is a leading provider of security and alarm monitoring solutions, dedicated to help protect homes and businesses with state-of-the-art technology and expert monitoring services.
Know it! See it! New visual alarm monitoring from WHIRC
WHIRC is proud to introduce professional visual alarm monitoring for business security accounts. This advanced service seamlessly integrates security systems and video cameras through the CHeKT video bridge, creating a direct connection to WHIRC’s monitoring team.
Here’s how it works:
When an event is triggered, WHIRC’s dispatchers are immediately alerted and provided with the corresponding video feed with no extra logins. The business representative will then receive a text notification with the video feed. If the event is confirmed as a threat, the customer can verify it with a click. This verified alert prompts WHIRC’s team to contact emergency services with high-priority, verified dispatch information, helping law enforcement respond quickly to prevent potential crimes or apprehend suspects.
This streamlined process minimizes false alarms, saving time and resources for businesses and emergency responders. This innovative solution is compatible with existing and new security systems, provided the cameras meet Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) standards. Call WHIRC to get started today.
WHIRC appointed to prominent industry committee
The Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), part of The Monitoring Association (TMA), recently welcomed WHIRC as its newest member. The AICC includes representatives from national industry associations and alarm companies from across the country. It coordinates with the Federal Communications Commission, regulatory bodies, and Congress to address telecommunications issues affecting the alarm industry. The AICC maintains a presence in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the industry’s interests. They also manage a Political Action Committee (AICC-PAC) to engage in the legislative processes.
As a member of the AICC, WHIRC is actively involved in furthering our industry through technology and legislation.
Highlights from the June meeting
At the most recent meeting, held in June, Ashley Raisanen and Shane Clary from Bay Alarm were invited to discuss the topic of POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) replacements. The discussion centered on the industry’s efforts regarding National Fire Protection Association code compliance, and the potential requirement for supervision of POTS replacement devices. Additionally, they addressed other issues such as communications, network stability, and standby power.
Other AICC updates
- 3G network decommissioning: AT&T and Verizon Wireless continue to phase out 3G towers. AT&T still operates about 30% of its towers with 3G technology, which will be transitioned to 5G or extended LTE.
- Telephone carriers: These carriers will continue to shut down circuits, focusing on fiber and network buildouts.
- Dial tone: The “dial tone” customers hear is now a recording played by the provider when the phone is off the hook, rather than a true dial tone.
- Signal transmission checks: Using a butt set is not a reliable method for investigating signal transmissions unless specifically listening for receiver tones.
- Network buildouts and outages: With ongoing network expansions, more outages and communication issues may occur, as these companies are not regulated by the FCC and can schedule outages without notice.
WHIRC joined AICC to provide our dealers with the latest industry information, connect with other committee members, and advocate for our industry. We will continue to communicate updates to you throughout the year.
2023 Year in Review
Thanks for attending the Symposium!
On behalf of all of us WHIRC, we would like to thank all our customers, dealers, manufacturers, and peers that attended our 13th annual Partner Symposium, which was held at Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, MN on July 20, 2023.
If you were unable to join us this year, here is what you missed.
We focused on the theme Reliability You Can Count On. One of the many highlights of the day-long event was the four-person dealer panel, which gave guests the opportunity to discuss several topics including how technology sunsets impact our business, labor and staffing, and technology integrations. Industry peers shared best practices and discussed changes in the industry.
Guest speakers from OneTel, Alula, Bongo Technologies, and Telguard presented their latest products and shared insights on navigating the POTS sunset. Vendors answered questions and provided additional information on a variety of topics including products, platforms, technology, and regulatory standards.
For the first time, WHIRC was able to deliver continuing education credits to its attendees. Scott Gobbi from Telguard presented a Certified Class on Alarm Communication Technology.
Some dealer comments heard throughout the day included: “Great event;” “Thank you so much for all the information;” and “We will be evaluating how to implement this new technology.”
Some other positive feedback we heard came from Chris Walsh from Stone Security: “We pass any increased costs onto our customers through our monitoring pricing because we monitor with the best.”
WHIRC is proud to host a space for dealers, manufacturers, and industry partners to come together and exchange ideas, connect, and learn about the latest technology. If you missed the opportunity this year, we hope to see you in the summer of 2024!
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