18 | SEPTEMBER 2020
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
INTRATONE ACCESS CONTROL:
ARE YOU IN OR OUT?
Four seasons, four compass points, four
digits in a PIN, the Fantastic Four, the fab
four, 4x4s; you get it, four is pretty special.
And now, exclusively for Pro
Installer readers, in just four easy
steps, installers, locksmiths and
security specialists can access
Intratone’s GSM-based entrance
solutions; a 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. Good 4 you…
Step 1: Give GSM
the go-ahead
At its core, GSM - Global System
for Mobile Communication
- is a digital cellular technology
that transmits data such as voice
and video streams between devices
(almost 80% of mobile phone
users across the globe already
use GSM as their primary network
for placing wireless calls*.
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. 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.
Square
ProximityReader
For installers of almost all
levels of experience, GSM-based
access control solutions - such as
intercoms, readers/receivers, key
cabinets, keypads, digital notice
boards, etc - are relatively simple
to fit and maintain, but highly
sought after by existing property
managers and specifiers of new
buildings.
Step 2: Easy to install,
easy to use
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
Key Fobs
Digital
Noticeboard
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 specify new structures, GSMbased
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
noticeboards, 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.
Step 3: On location,
and off-site
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 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.
Step 4: Here today,
here tomorrow
It is certainly not news to say
that there has been a digital shift
in access control, and a mechanical
lock and key is seldom satisfactory
nowadays. The changing
needs of people who use and
live in properties versus people
who manage and protect properties
means there is no end point
when it comes to installing access
control. This means, that old, out
of date access control will always
need to be replaced, and new
buildings will always need new
systems.
Installers across the UK who
want to move into this sector do
not need to spend a lot of time
and money on re-training or
sourcing the technology and the
suppliers/distributors however.
Making the decision to become a
GSM installer sooner rather than
later adds a new ‘string to your
bow’ with a skill that is fast becoming
the go-to access control
solution for councils and local
authorities, private facility and
property managers. Furthermore,
Intratone provides free training
in person or online, depending
on your personal preference.
Discover more at www.intratone.
uk.com, or email the team today
on [email protected]
* ‘The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity’, GSM Association, 2019 [https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/GSMA-State-of-Mobile-Internet-Connectivity-Report-2019.pdf]