Is the DSC Impassa Compatible w/ Alarm.com?

Yes, the DSC Impassa is compatible with Alarm.com. The system must be receiving active cellular monitoring service to function with the Alarm.com platform. This requires an active cellular communicator and a cellular alarm monitoring plan. The DSC Impassa must be running firmware version 1.3 or higher.

Alarm.com is an interactive service platform that a user can access to control their alarm system. By accessing the service, a user can arm and disarm their system, check the current status of any programmed sensor, control Z-Wave home automation devices, view the feed of security cameras and more. The service can be accessed through almost any web browser or through the Alarm.com Mobile App on iOS and Android devices.

The DSC Impassa is a relatively older alarm system that isn't necessarily recommended for alarm monitoring service today. Users are better off upgrading to a newer Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS with PROTAKEOVER Module or a 433 MHz Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. Both of these systems can support the 433 MHz wireless sensors that you would use with a DSC Impassa. The biggest difference between the PROA7PLUS and the IQ Panel 2 Plus is that the IQ Panel 2 Plus uses the same Alarm.com Interactive Notification and Automation Platform as the DSC Impassa, while the PROA7PLUS uses a completely different platform called Total Connect 2.0. For a more in-depth comparison between the PROA7PLUS and the IQ Panel 2 Plus, please see this FAQ.

However, it is technically possible to use an Impassa with Alarm.com. A DSC Impassa System will need to be receiving active cellular monitoring service before it can be used with Alarm.com. This has a few requirements. First, a compatible cellular communicator will need to be installed. Second, the user will need an alarm monitoring plan that includes cellular monitoring. For Alarm Grid customers, these are the Gold and Platinum level plans. Third, the DSC Impassa System must be running firmware version 1.3 or higher. Any Impassa that is running a lower firmware version will not be able to support a cellular communicator and can not be upgraded. Older DSC Impassa panels will need to be replaced. For more information on installing an Impassa Communicator, check out this FAQ.

It is worth mentioning that cellular monitoring provides more than just simply allowing an alarm system to work with Alarm.com. In fact, most security experts agree that cellular monitoring is the ideal communication path for an alarm system. Cellular service is extremely reliable, and it is almost never down or unavailable. It is also unaffected by typical power outages, so the system will still receive monitoring when the electricity is out. Modern cellular service also provides very fast speeds that are on par with most WIFI connections. All of this makes cellular monitoring an important upgrade for any DSC Impassa user. The only LTE cellular communicator for the DSC Impassa listed on the Alarm Grid website is the DSC TL8055LTVZ, which is listed as discontinued.