Many apartment and office buildings are fitted with audio or video intercom systems, enabling you to let in couriers, visitors, or clients without having to go down to the lobby. Unless your building has had a recent refurbishment, it’s likely that the intercom system was installed over 20 years ago, and probably looks like this.
The idea of swapping out your current intercom system for one that still uses the existing old wiring might seem appealing at first. But here’s the catch: over time, that wiring is old and tired, and the backward-compatible systems are basically trying to squeeze a few more breaths out of outdated tech.
You’ve got two intriguing options
Cellphone-Based Audio Intercom System:
Picture this – it uses two SIM cards and dials up residents or tenants on their mobile phones. No more running down to the lobby; just a quick chat from wherever you are!
IP Video Intercom System:
Now, this one’s fancy! It not only lets you hear but also see who’s at the door. Imagine the security boost! And guess what? If you’re not around, it cleverly redirects calls to your smartphone.
Here’s a quick table illustrating the pros and cons of the two intercom system solutions.
As the table above shows, you can opt for a cell phone-in-a-box which uses no wiring to apartments or offices but relies on good cell phone coverage. For obvious reasons this intercom replacement option is not suitable for office blocks or institutions where shifts change or the receiving mobile phone may be missing or not charged. Similarly this option is not usually appropriate for geriatric care apartments.
An IP video intercom like the Hikvision modular intercom system uses standard ethernet cabling throughout, with devices getting power through the same cable. This neat feature which minimizes ugly wiring is called Power-over-Ethernet technology.
Because the audio and video signal from your lobby intercom door-station is digital, you always have a clear picture and of who is at the door and can hear your visitor clearly.
Most importantly for body corporates is that an IP-based system can easily be integrated with access control systems and expanded to incorporate tag readers and new devices which are rolled out available in the future.
