Can I Upgrade an Older Qolsys System to LTE?

No, you cannot upgrade an older Qolsys System to LTE. On Qolsys Systems, the cellular communicator is built into the panel. As a result, there is no way to replace the communicator for a Qolsys System. If you have an older Qolsys Panel with a non-LTE communicator, you must replace the panel.

The very popular Qolsys IQ Panel 2 and Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus Systems are built with LTE cellular communicators. These panels are expected to last for many, many years, as cellular service providers have promised to support their LTE networks well into the very distant future. But it's possible that you may come across an older original Qolsys IQ Panel System with a 3G cellular communicator. These systems cannot be activated for alarm monitoring service, and they must be replaced with a completely new panel.

In June of 2019, the Alarm.com platform stopped allowing 3G activations. Since Alarm.com is the monitoring platform used with Qolsys Security Systems, this made it impossible to activate a Qolsys Panel with a 3G communicator for monitoring service. Additionally, if you have an original Qolsys IQ Panel with a 3G communicator that has already been activated, then you can continue to use it for monitoring service until the associated cellular network is shut down. The actual time the network is shut down will depend on the cellular service providers that is being used. Most cellular service providers have stated that they plan on shutting down their 3G networks sometime in 2022.

For anyone with an older Qolsys System using a 3G communicator, it is recommended that you replace the panel as soon as possible. This is an upgrade you will need to make sooner or later as 3G networks are eventually shut down. The logical replacement panel for these users is the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. This system serves as a great upgrade over the original Qolsys IQ Panel, as it offers new and exciting features like automatic Bluetooth disarming, the ability to live-stream compatible Alarm.com Cameras, partitioning, and so much more. Make sure to get the 319.5 MHz version if you are replacing an older Qolsys Iq Panel, as you will be able to bring over all of your existing sensors and use them with your new Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus.