Alternatives to cellular telephone entry systems
Alternatives to cellular telephone entry systems
As the smartphone gets smarter, cellular telephone entry systems are becoming obsolete. They’re harder to install and offer fewer features than the latest property access control solutions. But there’s good news: You have better options.
Three possible cell phone entry systems alternatives include:
- Cellular telephone entry systems with cameras :
To accommodate technology innovations, some manufacturers have opted to offer the telephone entry system with a camera. These systems may have a built-in camera or may require you to purchase and install a camera separately.
However, telephone-based intercoms can’t handle two-way video transfers. As a result, residents can see videos of their visitors, but visitors can’t see residents.
2. WiFi phone entry systems :
Some companies have attempted to modernize the telephone entry system by using WiFi instead of cellular networks in recent years. WiFi telephone entry systems send data between residents’ cell phones and system hardware via WiFi instead of a telephone network.
WiFi telephone entry systems are a decent attempt at adapting cellular systems to the modern age. However, they fall short in crucial ways. WiFi networks and cellular networks are different. Because of that, consistent and rapid communication between them is difficult.
Cell phones, especially smartphones, can easily interpret data from WiFi networks. But cellular telephone entry systems can’t. Since cellular telephone systems can only handle specific data, adding WiFi capabilities to a telephone entry system.
3. Video intercom systems :
Video intercoms are the best alternative to a cellular telephone entry system.
Like cellular entry systems, intelligent video intercoms use phones as intercom substations that allow communication and guest entry. But unlike cellular entry systems, video intercoms are capable of more than just phone calls. The best video intercoms for apartments are fully smartphone-compatible and leverage the full power of the smartphone for a seamless property access experience.
Video intercoms let residents use their smartphones to video chat with visitors and open doors and gates remotely. They also offer other property access methods, which means visitors have more than one way to request access. The best systems may offer virtual keys for planned visits and delivery PINs and passes for courier access.
Pro tip: When shopping for a video intercom, choose a cloud-based system that lets you manage access and update your tenant directory remotely.
Here’s a comparison between intelligent video intercoms and cellular telephone entry systems:
Feature
Smart video intercom
Cellular telephone entry system
Remote door opening
Virtual keys for guest access
Video chat
Web-based dashboard
Integrations with other intelligent building systems
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Cell phone entry systems may be a step up from the traditional telephone entry system. Still, they fail to offer the robust features and functionality of video intercoms. If you’re looking for a better multi-tenant entry system, choose a video intercom like ButterflyMX instead. Installed in more than 5,000 buildings, ButterflyMX is the industry’s leading property access control services.
