Migration of monitored fire alarms and lift phones – Important information

It is important to ensure that lift phones or monitored fire alarms that are still connected to the legacy copper network are migrated to an alternative technology (such as a mobile network or the nbn™ network with a mobile network fall-back) before 18 March 2022 to keep them working.

As hard disconnections will occur shortly after 18 March 2022, the ability to register any new equipment on nbn’s Fire and Lift Register (FAL) will close on 25 February 2022.

nbn has provided the following information to assist you to transition your device.

Your next steps

Disconnection of almost all fire and lift services from the legacy copper network, including emergency lift phones and monitored fire alarms, will occur shortly after 18 March 2022. For these services to keep working, Fire and Lift companies, businesses, government entities, building and strata managers, body corporates and private users must take action to ensure these services are migrated to an alternative network before 18 March 2022.

If you become aware of any fire and lift services that have not yet been registered with nbn and are still in use over the legacy copper network, please register these services by 25 February 2022.

You can find information about how to migrate and register services at www.nbnco.com.au/learn/device-compatibility/lift-emergency-phone

Additionally, more information is available on the fire and lift good practice guide at www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-centre/publications/migration-monitored-fire-alarm-and-lift-phone-services-good-practice-guide

Please note, even if you have fire and lift services registered with nbn, it is still the responsibility of the user and/or manager of the equipment, not nbn, to ensure the service is properly migrated. Registration will help nbn support you with your migration, but it will not protect services from disconnection on 18 March 2022.

A working phone service is required under work, health and safety regulations for monitored fire alarms and lifts to be properly operated.

Frequently asked questions

Why is this happening?

nbn established its Fire and Lift Register in 2014 for the purpose of assisting customers and the fire and lift industry with the migration of monitored fire alarms and emergency lift phones off the legacy copper network and onto alternative technologies. This was especially important during the early stages of rolling out the nbn™ network.

Since then, the nbn™ network has been declared built and fully operational and many legacy fire and lift services have been successfully migrated to an alternative technology.

As part of the nbn™ network rollout, Telstra has an obligation to decommission the legacy copper network (other than in nbn’s Fixed Wireless or Satellite footprint). This means that Telstra is progressively disconnecting phone and internet services connected to the legacy landline network, including those used by monitored fire alarms and emergency lift phones. Staged disconnections started in April 2014 and are expected to be largely complete from March 2022.

A Disconnection Date of 18 March 2022 has therefore been set for registered fire alarm lift phone services from these areas, noting a very small proportion will remain serviceable in areas with disconnection dates after March 2022. Because of this, nbn will be closing the Fire and Lift Register and will no longer accept new
registrations on its FAL register after 25 February 2022.

I have noticed an active legacy fire or lift service that is not registered. How do I register it?

FAL services should be registered with nbn as soon as possible. nbn will not accept new registrations after 25 February 2022.

Body corporates and individual users can register services directly via the nbn website at www.nbnco.com.au/learn/device-compatibility/lift-emergency-phone

Providers of lift phones and monitored fire alarms can register services by getting in touch with nbn via FALengagement@nbnco.com.au

For the fire and lift service registration to be valid, it must contain a valid address and the Full National Number (FNN) for the service. An FNN is the 10-digit telephone number corresponding to a fire alarm or lift phone service.

Why should I register my fire and lift service?

Monitored fire alarms and lift emergency phones are safety-critical services. There are serious risks to public safety, personal injury and property damage if these services fail to operate in an emergency situation.

Registration is an important step to enable remaining active legacy FAL services to be identified and so that nbn can provide any required additional migration support to move the service onto an alternative network prior to the Disconnection Date.

What happens once the Fire and Lift Register is closed?

The opportunity to register any new equipment on nbn’s Fire and Lift Register will close on 25 February 2022. Any services registered with nbn by this date will continue to receive support for migration until the Disconnection Date for the service.

Is registration on nbn’s Fire and Lift Register ongoing?

The Fire and Lift Register is not an ongoing service. The assistance provided is limited to the migration of FAL services from the legacy copper network onto any alternative technology prior to the Disconnection Date.
Registrations are closed once migration or disconnection has occurred, the Disconnection Date has been passed and/or the registered equipment is no longer in use.

What happens to fire and lift equipment if there is a power outage?

Please be aware that services operating over the nbn™ network will not work during a power outage and that some existing fire alarms and lift emergency phones may not be compatible with the new technologies used on the nbn™ network. More information on device compatibility is available at nbn.com.au/compatibility.

nbn recommends contacting your alarm service provider or phone and internet provider for specific advice.

More information is available at Fire alarm and lift phone migration

 

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