Will a DSC Impassa Work w/o a Phone Line?

Yes, a DSC Impassa will work without a phone line. However, the system will need a cellular connection for this to be possible. The system will need a few upgrades to successfully connect to a cellular network. But nevertheless, upgrading to cellular is very important for the DSC Impassa.

Without any add-ons, a DSC Impassa can only utilize a traditional POTS (plain old telephone service) connection. We generally discourage using this type of connection. Phone line communication is an old and archaic technology that provides slow speeds and unreliable connectivity. It can also be easily tampered with by intruders. Therefore, we do not recommend monitoring your home or business with a telephone connection.

But a DSC Impassa does not have to use a phone line. The system can be upgraded to cellular. There are a few requirements for this to work. First, the system will need a cellular communicator installed. There are compatible cellular communicators for the AT&T network and the Verizon network. We recommend choosing whichever service tends to work better in your area. Second, you will need an alarm monitoring plan that includes cellular service. For Alarm Grid, these are the Gold and Platinum level plans. Third, the Impassa System must be running firmware version 1.3 or higher to support a cellular communicator. An Impassa System that is running a lower firmware version cannot be upgraded, and it will need to be replaced entirely.

Cellular connectivity is ideal for the DSC Impassa. Cellular communication provides speeds that are on par with WIFI, and a cellular connection is extremely reliable. It is almost unheard of for cellular service to go down, and a cellular connection is not affected by routine power outages. It is also nearly impossible for others to tamper with a cellular connection. These factors make cellular connectivity the optimal communication path for a DSC Impassa. For more information on installing a DSC Impassa Cellular Communicator, see this FAQ.

Additionally, a cellular connection will allow the DSC Impassa to connect with Alarm.com. This is an interactive service that a user can connect with to control their alarm system. Alarm.com allows users to arm and disarm their system, check the status of sensors, control Z-Wave devices and more. The service can be accessed from a web browser, or it can be accessed remotely using the Alarm.com Mobile App on an Android or iOS device.

While all of this sounds great, the reality is that getting a DSC Impassa set up for cellular connectivity isn't as easy as it once was. The only LTE cellular communicator available for the Impassa System on the Alarm Grid website is the DSC TL8055LTVZ, which is listed as discontinued. Instead of trying to get an Impassa System to work, a user may just decide to upgrade to a newer system. The most logical choices if you are upgrading from an Impassa and want to continue using its 433 MHz wireless sensors are the 433 MHz Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus and the Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS with PROTAKEOVER Module. One thing to keep in mind if you are deciding between these two panels is that the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus also uses Alarm.com, just like the DSC Impassa, while the PROA7PLUS uses a different interactive platform called Total Connect 2.0 Neither the IQ Panel 2 Plus nor the PROA7PLUS support phone line service for alarm monitoring. For a more in-depth look at how these two systems compare, check out this in-depth and comprehensive FAQ.