20 | AUGUST 2020
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
ACCESS INTRATONE
There’s no doubt that 2020 will go down in history as one of
the strangest ones yet. There isn’t an industry that hasn’t been
affected by the Covid-19 pandemic nor a sector that has come
out unscathed. However, out of adversity comes innovation, and
there is one type of technology that, although has been around
for some time, not only has a very timely application for facility
managers and residents of multiple occupancy buildings, but also
serves as a very lucrative long-term opportunity for installers.
Over the past few
months, Pro Installer has
covered Intratone’s designs
and developments of
GSM-based access control
solutions. Through case
studies and product profiles,
business background
and technical breakdowns,
PI has ‘accessed all areas’
of an international access
control company, and
now it’s your turn to get
involved.
Unprecedented
benefits
Just as the way that
building entrances have
evolved over the decades,
the requirements of
residents have also been
reassessed. When it comes
to safety and security, a
peep hole in the door will
no longer suffice, and for
apartment blocks, halls of
residence, local authority
living spaces, and similar,
being able to see who is at
the front door is a necessity,
even (or especially) if
the resident is not at home.
Furthermore, for residents
who have mobility issues,
being able to allow access
to an entrance without having
to get up and answer
the door allows a greater
sense of independence as
well as peace of mind.
It is not only the occupants
who benefit from
GSM-based access control
however, facilities managers
and site supervisors
can now manage and
maintain remotely; no
more lost keys, no more
waiting around for workmen,
no more updates
or upkeep - it can all be
done from home or the
office. This was convenient
before Covid-19 (if you
can remember that!) but
nothing short of necessary
now that the ‘new normal’
has taken over. And while
some restrictions have been
relaxed, local lockdowns
still loom over us, and
winter will pose its own
challenges. So, for those
who are shielding, or in
quarantine (that’s residents
or facility managers) there
is no physical presence
required to grant access
to long term users (the
residents themselves) and
short term users (carers,
cleaners, contractors, etc.);
even emergency access.
GSM, what is
it anyway?
With a name like Global
System for Mobile Communication,
GSM sounds more
like a mobile phone device
than an access control
system, and that’s exactly
how it was first used. In
fact, nearly 80% of mobile
phone users across the
globe already use GSM as
their primary network for
placing wireless calls.
What is new, and potentially
revolutionary for our
industry, however, is how
GSM technology can also
be used in a wide range of
other applications – seemingly
unrelated to telecommunications.
The property
management sector is one
such example, with the
latest smart intercom and
door access control systems
designed around this very
technology.
At its core, GSM is a
digital cellular technology
that transmits data such as
voice and video streams
between devices. So, if a
lock and key is two tin
cans on a piece of a string,
when it comes to access
control GSM is in essence
two video phones; one at
the door and one in the
hand of the resident. As a
wireless, digital system, this
makes plastic handsets and
traditional wired access devices
redundant, yet allows
residents the convenience
of answering the door via
their own smartphone or
tablet, and permits property
professionals to update
key fob data and grant
building access remotely
too.
Opening doors
for installers
We’ve established that
GSM is the perfect technology
for access control, and
that Intratone’s portfolio of
products will revolutionise
facility management of the
future, and enhance the
safety and security of buildings,
and their occupants.
But what does it mean for
readers of Pro Installer?
The skill set required
to become an Intratone
installer neatly ties in with
fenestration fitters who
are already competent and
confident with door and
window hardware, security
specialities and fire safety
fittings. Furthermore, as
local authorities and councils
look to upgrade their
existing entrances or specification
new structures,
GSM-based access control
solutions will be first on
their shopping list. It’s not
an if, it’s a when.
Making sure you’re up
to speed with GSM as a
concept, and Intratone’s
intercoms, readers/receivers,
key cabinets, keypads,
digital notice boards, etc.
should be a matter of
priority for installers. It
will not only plug the gaps
you may have experienced
from a lapse in trade over
the past few months but
essentially futureproof your
career in hardware and
security as we all move
from the mechanical to
the digital. And with free
training available, either in
person or - you guessed it
- remote, there’s no excuse
not to give it a go.
So, when it comes to
Intratone access control,
are you in or out?
intratone.uk.com