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Police policy may push UK ahead in IPVideo

Security systems providers in the UK will gain a major opportunity to introduce mass-market IPVideo when changes in national police policy come into force later this year, British firm, IndigoVision has said.

The UK-based inventor of digital visual communications technology, says that the new policy - which makes a police response to new intruder alarms contingent upon the use of alarm confirmation technology - could allow the UK security industry to create the world's first national-scale proving ground for IP-based security surveillance when the provision takes effect on 1 October 2001.

The National Association of Chief Police Officers' (ACPO) security systems policy will require alarm calls from all new security systems in England and Wales to be confirmed before being passed to the police. Existing alarm systems that lose police response due to excessive false alarms - a condition of the present national policy - will also have to adopt confirmation technology before response is reinstated. Details of how the new policy will operate are being worked out by the police and the UK security industry but alarm confirmation is certain to include visual evidence from CCTV cameras, as well as audio and sequential technology to confirm the presence of intruders before the police are notified.

IndigoVision believes that by generating demand for more effective alarm confirmation the new policy could accelerate the start of mass production of next-generation systems such as digital security camera networks. "The police policy could be a significant opportunity for the industry," says IndigoVision's Chief Technology Officer, Dr Barry Keepence. "IPVideo will enable alarm monitoring centres to confirm intrusions or cancel false alarms instantly by viewing live pictures of the scene." He points out that the ability to monitor an unlimited number of camera systems from an existing centre creates a 'win-win' situation for the industry and its customers. "It offers potentially huge revenue savings for end-users and opens up major new sales and service opportunities for the industry itself," he concludes.

For more details contact: Clare Blair, IndigoVision on tel: (0944) 131 475 7200.

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