Are Your CCTV Cameras Broken?
Broken cameras are some of the most common and, ironically, solvable problems in video surveillance. Not only does this undermine confidence in users, it hurts public perception as broken cameras are viewed as wasted money.
A good example of this is a scathing critique by the UK's "Big Brother Watch". In their 23 page, anti-CCTV screed [link no longer available], the most common and compelling argument is how often cameras are broken.
Over the years, we've seen similar issues over and over again in different cities, applications, products, etc.
While most surveillance problems are the result of manufacturers, out of service surveillance systems are often the result of poor planning by security end users.
We see 3 core issues:
- Failing to budget for long term system costs
- Underestimating outdoor issues
- Factoring in wireless maintenance costs
Let's break them down.
Failure to Budget
When deploying a system, almost all the attention goes to the cost and functionalities of the new products. While this is no doubt important, ignoring the costs for ongoing maintenance/monitoring is a common problem.
We understand that it can be hard for security end users to 'go back' and ask for more money. Tight budgets, security as a cost center, lengthy allocation processes, etc, etc. However, if you don't figure this out up front it will lead to ongoing problems (even with the 'best' products and installations).
As a rule of thumb, users should allocate 10-15% of initial installation price for annual service costs. If you spend a million dollars on a new system, you should have at least $500,000 to maintain it over the next five years. For background, review our LinkedIn discussion on pricing for maintenance contracts [link no longer available].
Underestimating Outdoor Issues
Outdoor cameras are significantly more likely to fail than indoor ones due to the elements (storms, heat waves, blizzards, cold freezes, hurricanes, monsoons, salt water, etc., etc.). While the specific conditions will vary by geographical region, cameras outdoors will fail.
Making matters worse is that servicing equipment outdoors is more difficult and costly. If the cameras are mounted high or out of the way, you often need to deploy a bucket truck to make even a simple repair.
