Commercial Security FAQs

About Us

How long has Altec Systems been in business?
Altec Systems has been in business since 1994. Our office is located in Marietta, Georgia

What types of systems does Altec Systems offer?
Altec Systems offers state of the art access control, closed circuit television, fire and intrusions alarms to commercial clients

What areas does Altec Systems service?
Altec Systems services commercial clients in the state of Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, North and South Carolina. Through our affiliation with the PSA Security Systems, we also service multi-location accounts throughout the continental United States.

Does Altec Systems offer a warranty?
Altec Systems’ standard warranty is one year on most equipment and one year on labor. Additionally, we will pass on the manufacturer’s warranty, which may extend the warranty on the equipment.

Can I purchase a service agreement after my warranty expires?
Altec Systems offers several levels of service agreement. Each level is designed to meet different customer requirements for response-time and coverage.

Closed Circuit Television

What is the difference between IP cameras and Analog cameras?
Analog cameras are typically connected via a coaxial cable installed directly from the camera to the recording device. An IP camera is typically connected to a network via Cat5 cable.

IP cameras can reduce the cost of installation by leveraging an existing network. IP cameras also provide much higher resolution resulting in a greater ability to identify people and events on both live and recorded images.

How much video can I store on my closed circuit television (CCTV) system?
There are many factors to consider when determining the amount of available storage. Some of these factors would be the number of cameras, the type of cameras, the number of frames per second that are being recorded, the size of the storage device, etc. A general rule of thumb is that you want to have at least 30 days of video archived on your system. Some industries have higher storage requirements.

Can I view my CCTV system remotely?
Yes, both analog and IP cameras can be viewed remotely. Typically this is accomplished via the customer’s network, or in some cases a high-speed internet connection is used.

My closed circuit television system (CCTV) has been installed for a few years and I’d like to upgrade to the latest technology. Do I need to replace all my equipment and start over?
No, your existing analog CCTV system can be incorporated into the new system. This is typically done with the use of encoders.

I have a closed circuit television system (CCTV) that was installed by another company. Will Altec Systems service my system? Yes, We will service CCTV systems that were installed by another security integrator.

Access Control

Can my access control system allow me to restrict an employee’s access to my building by time of day?
The access control program can be configured to restrict access to any employee based on day, date or time.

Will my access control system automatically adjust for daylight saving times and holidays?
Your access control system can be programmed to adjust for daylights savings time and holidays.

Will my doors be unlocked if my system looses power?
The access control system has standby power that will power the system for up to four hours in the event of a power failure. If the standby power is exhausted, and depending on the type of lock, the doors may unlock.

What type of cards does your access control systems support?
Our systems support all types of card technologies, including proximity cards and smart cards. Additionally, we also support biometric technology, including finger-print and hand-geometry readers.

What kind of reports can I run with your access control systems?
Our access control systems include a robust reporting capability. Activity reports can be generated for card holder and system users. Additionally, system reports can be generated for technical support assistance.