CTU Progress Update + New Features & How You Can Help

This Week

In this update, we’ll share a quick progress report on the new CTU, take a closer look at a couple of key features, and ask for your help.

Floor Plans

Following our last newsletter, we’ve had a great response from property owners and service agents providing floor plans for monitored sites.

If you’d like real-time visibility of your fire alarm system, right down to individual detectors, get in touch. We’ll guide you through getting your floor plans uploaded and fully populated, at no cost.

Cellular Signal Strength

For service agents installing our monitoring units, aerial placement is critical. Strong signal = reliable performance. Here’s some tools and ways we help:

• On the CTU: Press and hold the test button for two seconds. The four LEDs will temporarily display signal strength. Two or more lights = good signal.
• Via the Android AFAM AlarmTech App: Navigate to Diag > Cell for detailed signal strength data. If your phone uses the same network as the CTU, you can check signal strength before installation. (This isn’t available on iOS due to Apple platform restrictions.)
• Call us: We work closely with cellular providers and have access to detailed network data. We can often advise on the best locations within a building for reliable coverage.

New CTU Development

We’ve received the first prototypes of our completely redesigned CTU and have begun testing and firmware development.

Key enhancements include:

• A significantly more powerful processor for faster performance and greater capability
• Bluetooth connectivity for direct app access—making commissioning and troubleshooting easier onsite
• Multiple general-purpose outputs, expanding control capabilities beyond monitoring
• Networking capability, allowing multiple CTUs to operate together which unlocks new functionality
• Analogue inputs for integration with devices like pressure (think sprinklers) and temperature sensors

It’s still early days, but we’re excited about what this will enable.

Out and About

Over the next two weeks, our team will be in Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Melbourne (Fire Australia), alongside our Auckland and Christchurch offices.

If you’d like to meet, ask questions, or see a demo, just let us know.

General Purpose Inputs

A reminder: the current CTU includes four general-purpose inputs that can monitor a wide range of devices.

For example, on a sprinkler system with a pump, you can use these inputs to track pump activity—start, stop, or potential failure.

Best of all, these inputs are free to use. Get in touch if you’d like to learn more.

Panels / DBAs for Testing

We’re expanding our testing and training setup and are looking for additional panels and DBAs.

If you’re upgrading or replacing any of the following (in working condition), we may be interested:

• All DBAs (especially Vitech)
• Notifier CFP16
• Ampac NZ400
• Ampac NZ3200
• Ampac FireFinder

If you have something available, let us know.

Next Week

​In the next newsletter, we’ll share insights from Fire Australia and updates from across New Zealand.