Alarm system providing multiple network routing, interface module and method

1. In an alarm system, a method comprising:

sensing an alarm at a monitored premises;

initiating a telephone call from an alarm panel to a defined number, in response to sensing said alarm;

receiving called number information for said telephone call at an interface at said premises;

determining if a primary telephone network is available;

in response to determining that said primary telephone network is not available:

selecting one of a plurality of available secondary networks, based on said called number information;

placing a communication from said interface at said premises over said one of said plurality of available networks,

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number used to signal said alarm and stored at said interface results in a communication over a specific one of said secondary networks to signal said alarm; and

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number that is not stored at said interface results in a communication placed over a default one of said secondary networks.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a destination address for said communication based on said called number information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving data from said telephone call signalling said alarm, and re-encoding said data for transmission over said default one of said plurality of available secondary networks, to signal said alarm.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said call is received from an alarm panel, and further comprising providing a handshake signal to said alarm panel to receive said data from said call.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of secondary networks comprise a wireless voice network and a wireless data network.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said selecting comprises comparing said called number information to stored called number information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said default one of said secondary networks comprises a cellular voice network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said called number information is encoded using DTMF codes.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said data is received as encoded DTMF tones.

10. In an alarm system at a monitored premises, a method comprising:

trapping signals signifying an outgoing call at an interface at said monitored premises;

determining if a primary telephone network is available;

in response to determining that said primary telephone network is not available:

selecting at said interface one of a plurality of available secondary networks, based on called number information in said signals;

placing a communication from said interface at said premises over said one of said plurality of available networks, as selected

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number stored at said interface results in a communication over a specific one of said secondary networks to signal said alarm; and

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number that is not stored at said interface results in a communication placed over a default one of said secondary networks.

11. A network interface module comprising:

a line interface for receiving communications to initiate outgoing calls from tip and ring connections of an alarm panel;

a plurality of communication network interfaces, each in communication with a communication network;

a selector to select connection with one of said communication network interfaces;

a processor in communication with said line interface, and said selector, and operable to determine if a primary telephone network is available, and in response to determining that said primary telephone network is not available, select one of said communication network interfaces in communication with a secondary communication network, in response to received an outgoing call at said line interface, based on called number information in said outgoing call;

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number stored at said interface results in a communication over a specific one of said secondary communication networks to signal said alarm; and

wherein said called number information identifying a telephone number that is not stored at said interface results in a communication placed over a default one of said secondary communication networks.

12. The module of claim 11 , wherein said plurality of communication network interfaces include a GPRS interface, a PSTN network interface, and a GSM network interface.

13. The module of claim 11 , wherein said line interface comprises a loop current generator.

14. The module of claim 11 , further comprising a DTMF decode in communication with said processor to decode said called number information.

15. The module of claim. 11 , further comprising memory storing called number identifiers, and corresponding networks over which associated calls with said called number identifiers should be routed.

16. The module of claim 11 , wherein said processor and line interface are further operable to provide a handshake signal by way of said line interface to an interconnected alarm panel to data from said outgoing call.

17. An alarm system comprising a panel operable to generate outgoing calls in response to sensed condition, and the interface module of claim 11 connected to said panel to receive said outgoing calls.