CCTV AMC: what a good maintenance contract includes.

CCTV fails quietly. A camera loses focus, a disk stops recording, a clock drifts, a cable gets cut by other work, and nobody notices until the footage is needed. A maintenance contract (AMC) is meant to catch these things first. Here is what a good one covers.

Preventive visits

Scheduled visits, with frequency agreed to suit the site, where an engineer:

• Cleans lenses and domes, and removes spider webs, dust and insects.
• Checks focus, angle and field of view of each camera against the original.
• Checks mounts, brackets, junction boxes and weatherproofing.
• Tests infrared lighting and night views.
• Confirms cables and connectors are secure.

Recorder and storage checks

• Disk health and the number of days actually recorded against the number promised.
• Recording schedules and motion rules are still as agreed.
• Playback test of a clip from each camera, including one from several days ago.
• Time and date set correctly, using a network time source where possible.
• Free space and alarms for disk failure.

Network and power

• Switch ports, PoE load and link speeds.
• UPS battery condition and runtime.
• Remote viewing and mobile app working.
• Unauthorised devices on the camera network.

Software, security and access

• Firmware updates for cameras and recorders, applied with a plan and a rollback.
• Passwords changed from defaults and accounts of former staff removed.
• Review of who can view and export footage.
• Backup of the recorder and camera configuration.

Remote monitoring

Where the system allows, remote health checks catch a camera that is offline, a disk that has failed or a recorder that has stopped, without waiting for the next visit. Ask what is monitored, how often, and who is alerted.

Response and repair

Written into the SLA, with the SOP describing how each kind of fault is handled:

• How a fault is reported (phone, email, ticket) and acknowledged.
• Response and resolution targets, and what counts as an emergency.
• Whether parts are included, and what stand-by replacement is available while a repair is made. Response times depend on the site and the contract, so confirm them in writing.

Reporting

After each visit, a short report listing every camera, what was found, what was fixed and what needs a decision. Over a year, the reports show which cameras fail repeatedly and where to invest.

What is usually outside the AMC

Damage from vandalism, accidents, floods or power surges, additions and layout changes, and software licences are often excluded or charged separately. Ask for the exclusions in writing.

Check the system yourself, too

Once a month, view every camera and play back a clip. Our CCTV health audit checklist gives a step-by-step list, and IT AMC pricing models explains how contracts are priced.