Can a Security System Still Work if a Phone line is Cut?

Yes, a security system can still work if a phone line is cut. This is true as long as the system is not using a phone line for communication with a central monitoring station. If the system is using an IP or cellular connection, then a cut phone line will not affect the system in any way.

Alarm monitoring works by having a security system send out an emergency signal in the event of an alarm. These signals can be sent to a central monitoring station for automatic emergency dispatch. One way for an alarm system to communicate with a central monitoring station is through a phone line. This is commonly referred to as "phone line monitoring" or a POTS (plain old telephone service) connection.

Unfortunately, there are many disadvantages to phone line monitoring. One important disadvantage is the lack of security associated with a phone line connection. If an intruder were to successfully cut the phone line, then the system would be unable to communicate with the central station. In other words, the security system would not work properly. Since phone lines are relatively easy to access, this is a major concern when using a POTS connection with an alarm system.

But just because a phone line is cut does not mean that an alarm system will no longer work. Most security systems today use either an IP or a cellular connection. These connections offer faster speeds, better reliability and greater security than phone line connections. If a user is using an IP or a cellular connection, their system will continue to work properly if a phone line is ever cut.

While both IP and cellular connections are superior to POTS connections, it is important to mention that cellular is the better option of the two. Cellular connectivity offers greater reliability overall than an IP connection. Cellular service almost never goes down, and it is not affected by power outages. In other words, a system with cellular monitoring will continue to remain monitored when the electricity is out.