Abstract: A monitoring system includes a host having a plurality of sensor inputs for connection to sensors. A converter is designed to receive input signals from the sensor input and to convert the input signals from the sensors into digital signals. A processing system is configured to receive the digital signals and to generate alarm signals in response to selected ones of the received digital signals. An internally integrated voice/data modem is in operative association with the processing system. A phone connector is placed in operative association with the voice/data modem, to act as a port for transmission of the alarms to an external telephone network. A network connector is in operative association with the processing system and is designed to receive data in the form of alarms from the processing system and to act as a port for transmission of the alarm data to data network.