microfilters & Broadband interference

[nick]

Ok
I have a dedicated line just for broadband. This is becasue we also have an alarm system wired to a monitoring centre (ADT).
I have ben led to believe that is is not possible to have ADSL and the alarm on the same phone line - hence the dedicated one.

Following a superb burst of incompetence and confusion I have just discovered that Sky have installed their broadband, not on the dedicated line as requested, but on the one that has the alarm and the telephones connected.

So far the broadband is working (hence this posting) and the phones seem to work - though are a bit crackly, probably because I have not installed the microfilters yet. I'm a bit woried about the alarm system though - before I enter the hell that is ADT customer services to ask them, I would be grateful if anyone could help with these questions:
1) Is there really an incompatability between alarm monitoring and ADSL systems?
2) What do microfilters actually do, since my phones are working without them. is it just a crackle reducing function or is it something more useful?
3) should I put a micro filter between the alarm system and the phone line now?

If necessary I could get Sky to install the broadband on the line that it was requested for, but I would prefer to avoid the hassle that this would entail if at all possible.
Thanks in advance

 

[Crispy]

Your connection is working right now without microfilter. Try making a phone call on the same line and see how happy you make it (ie. not very) - The microfilter keeps the voice and ADSL signals seperate. You should always use one.

As for the ADT system, I have no idea. Try putting "ADT ADSL compatibility" into gooogle?

 

[Mapped]

3) should I put a micro filter between the alarm system and the phone line now?

I would have thought so. I'm not an ADSL expert, but when I was setting up my mum's I read up and found out that you need to put microfilters on anything that uses the same phone line as the broadband, including sky boxes etc. So I would have thought you'd need one for your alarm.

 

[oicur0t]

we use adt in all our 21 sites. you must have a dedicated phone line. A microfilter splits the signal between the part of the dynamic range tha voice uses and the higher pitched noise that adsl uses for its signal. If the adsl filter is not fitted then all the noise is lumped together.

 

[subversplat]

Why not just put the ADT on the dedicated line?

 

[sojourner]

Is your alarm connected to Redcare? Presumably it is, if you have a dedicated line for it.

I'd be extremely wary of continuing the situation. You might find activation attendance/warranty problems with the alarm and/or insurance company if a problem arises.

Shouldn't take long to get it switched over

 

[nick]

thanks all

Managed to get adt to fit a micro filter today - so I guess if they do it it must be ok.

25 quid seems a bit steep, but being able to cancel the old line means it will pay for itself quickly enough.

Have just conneted up teh sky modem to the (now filtered) line with teh alarm system on it - so we will see what happens

 

[NostalgiaBytes]

Glad to see you got a solution in the end mate.

 

[keybored]

we use adt in all our 21 sites. you must have a dedicated phone line. A microfilter splits the signal between the part of the dynamic range tha voice uses and the higher pitched noise that adsl uses for its signal. If the adsl filter is not fitted then all the noise is lumped together.

Halfords use Redcare/ADSL on the same line at all their big stores.