The Locksmith Journal Jul/Aug 2020 - Issue 69 | Page 37

ACCESS CONTROL SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW Whether updating an existing building or specifying a new one; the true beauty - especially as a business opportunity - of Intratone access control solutions is in their application. Several councils across the UK (from Stockport to Hounslow, Oxford to Wales) have already specified and installed Intratone into hundreds of buildings, across thousands of entrances. 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 This means, that old, out of date access control will always need to be replaced, and new buildings will always need new systems.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. Intratone has a regional sales team in local markets across England - London, Midlands, North East, North West - Scotland, Wales, and is ready to take on installers that want to be a part of Intratone too. Discover more at www.intratone. uk.com, or email the team today on [email protected] to find out more. What is GSM technology? GSM, or the Global System for Mobile Communications, isn’t in itself a new technology. A digital cellular technology that transmits data such as voice and video streams to other devices, it is the foundation for mobile phone data networks, allowing users to both make and receive calls. 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. As a completely 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. The inner workings of GSM Several existing technologies allow devices to connect remotely and allow for data transfer between machines – from RFID and Bluetooth, to GSM, WiFi and satellites, each method has its own merits for specific applications. Using Time Division Multiple Access technology, or TDMA, GSM works by assigning time slots to multiple conversation streams, alternating them in sequence and switching between each conversation in very short intervals. During these intervals, devices can transmit compressed, digitised information from one to the other – such as a call from a contractor who is seeking to access your property. In order for the network to know which users are connected, each device uses a Subscriber Identification Module card – or a SIM card. By linking multiple systems together, GSM allows both telecommunication and remote control across several units – with extensive global coverage. In this way, GSM technology can be harnessed for property access control systems for quick and easy communication, automatic updates and as a cost-effective alternative to traditional hardware-based, wired systems. JUL/AUG 2020 37 Magazine Sponsor Issue Takeover locksmithjournal.co.uk