Changing security providers shouldn’t automatically mean ripping everything out and starting again.
Many homes and businesses across Gibraltar already have CCTV cameras, intruder alarms and other security equipment installed.
The equipment itself may be perfectly serviceable, but perhaps the original installer is no longer available, support has become difficult to obtain, maintenance has stopped, or you simply want to move to a different security provider.
At Fortify Security Systems, we can assess existing security installations and, where suitable, take over their ongoing maintenance and support.
You Don’t Necessarily Need a New Security System
One of the first things we want customers to understand is that contacting a new security company doesn’t automatically mean buying an entirely new system.
If your existing equipment is working, compatible and appropriate for the property, there may be absolutely no reason to replace it.
Our approach is simple: we assess what you already have first.
We’ll identify what’s working, what isn’t, whether the system is still suitable for your requirements and what, if anything, should be upgraded.
That can potentially save a considerable amount compared with unnecessarily replacing an entire installation.
Why Would You Change Security Provider?
There are plenty of reasons why someone may find themselves with a security system but no reliable company looking after it. You may have:
- Purchased or moved into a property with CCTV already installed
- Taken over a commercial premises with an existing alarm system
- Lost contact with the original installer
- Experienced poor or slow support
- Never had the system professionally maintained
- Forgotten passwords or lost access to the system
- Changed your internet connection and lost remote CCTV access
- Inherited a system that nobody fully understands
- Discovered cameras that aren’t recording correctly
- Decided you’d simply prefer your security to be supported by a local provider
Whatever the reason, Fortify may be able to take over without requiring you to start from scratch.
What Does a Fortify Security System Takeover Involve?
Every installation is different, so we’ll begin by assessing the existing system.
For a CCTV installation, this could include checking the cameras, recorder, hard drives, network connectivity, recording configuration, timestamps, playback and remote access.
It’s surprisingly common for a CCTV system to display perfectly good live pictures while having a problem with recording.
And unfortunately, the worst time to discover that is after an incident has occurred.
For an intruder alarm, we’ll review the control equipment and compatible devices, check sensors and contacts, test sirens and signalling where applicable, and assess the general condition and configuration of the installation.
Once we’ve completed our assessment, we can explain what we found and recommend the appropriate next steps.
We Can Take Over CCTV Systems
If you already have CCTV installed, Fortify can assess whether we’re able to support it. Depending on the equipment and its condition, we can potentially help with: Camera testing and maintenance – making sure cameras are operational, correctly positioned and providing usable images. Recording checks – confirming footage is actually being recorded and retained correctly.
Hard drive health – checking the condition and operation of CCTV storage.
Remote access – helping restore or configure secure viewing from compatible mobile devices.
Network configuration – resolving connectivity issues affecting IP CCTV systems.
Camera replacement – replacing individual failed or outdated cameras rather than necessarily changing the entire system.
Recorder upgrades – upgrading an NVR or DVR where appropriate while retaining compatible cameras.
System expansion – adding additional cameras where the existing infrastructure allows.
And with Fortify’s cloud CCTV offering, we can also assess whether compatible installations could benefit from off-site cloud recording.
We Can Also Assess Existing Intruder Alarm Systems
The same principle applies to alarm systems. Perhaps you’ve moved into a property with an alarm installed but don’t know how to use it.
Maybe the previous security provider no longer maintains it, or the system hasn’t been serviced for years.
We’ll assess the installation and determine what can reasonably be supported.
Where equipment remains suitable, we’ll aim to work with what’s already there.
Where something genuinely needs replacing, we’ll explain why.
What If the Existing System Is a Mess?
We’ve seen plenty of security and network cabinets where equipment has been added over many years by different people.
Cables become tangled, power supplies accumulate, unused equipment gets left behind and nobody is quite sure what connects to what.
A takeover can therefore also be an opportunity to properly understand and tidy the installation.
Where required, Fortify can identify equipment, trace connections, remove redundant hardware and improve the overall organisation of the security infrastructure. This can make future maintenance significantly easier.
What If We Can’t Take Over the Existing Equipment?
There will inevitably be some systems that are too old, unsupported, proprietary, inaccessible or simply no longer reliable enough for us to recommend maintaining. If that’s the case, we’ll tell you.
We won’t pretend an ageing system is reliable if we don’t believe it is.
Instead, we can explain which elements could potentially remain and which should be upgraded or replaced.
In many cases, upgrades can also be carried out progressively rather than replacing everything simultaneously.
Moving Into a New Home or Commercial Property?
A security takeover assessment can be particularly useful when moving into an existing property.
You might see cameras on the walls and an NVR in a cupboard, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the system is properly protecting you.
Questions worth answering include: Are all the cameras working? Is footage actually being recorded? How many days of recordings are available? Does somebody else still have remote access? Have the administrator passwords been changed? Is the system running current, supported equipment? Are the cameras positioned appropriately? Is the alarm fully operational?
These are things we’d recommend checking rather than simply assuming an inherited security system is secure.
Security System Takeovers for Gibraltar Businesses
Our takeover service isn’t limited to residential properties.
Fortify can also assess existing installations in offices, retail stores, restaurants, salons, warehouses, apartment blocks, construction sites and other commercial premises across Gibraltar.
For businesses with several locations, we can also look at ways of simplifying management and bringing security systems under a more consistent support arrangement.
This can be particularly useful where different systems have been installed at different times across multiple premises.
Ongoing Maintenance & Support
Taking over a security system isn’t just about getting it working today.
Security equipment needs to continue working when it’s actually required.
Cameras become dirty or move out of position. Hard drives eventually fail. Network settings change. Batteries deteriorate. Sensors can develop faults and mobile applications or connectivity can require attention.
Fortify can provide ongoing maintenance and support for suitable systems, helping identify problems before they become critical.
A Local Security Company You Can Call
One of the main reasons we’ve introduced our Security System Takeover service is simple.
We regularly encounter people who already have security equipment but don’t have anyone reliably looking after it.
We want Fortify to be able to help those customers too.
You don’t need to have purchased your original system from us.
You don’t need to replace everything just because another company installed it. And you don’t need to wait until something goes wrong before having it checked.
If we can responsibly support your existing installation, we’ll tell you. If improvements are needed, we’ll explain the options clearly.
Thinking About Changing Security Provider?
If you already have CCTV, an intruder alarm or another security system installed and would like Fortify to take a look, get in touch.
We’ll assess your existing installation and advise whether we can take over, maintain, repair, upgrade or modernise it.
Learn more about Fortify's Security System Takeover service https://www.fortify.gi/security-system-takeover-gibraltar