Telephone Entry & Intercoms

How to Choose a Telephone Entry System for Gates

Count the Residents

Start with how many people a visitor might need to reach. A single home or small office needs one call button or a short directory. Apartments and HOAs need a system that stores every resident and shows a directory at the panel. Check the resident and code capacity before you compare anything else.

How the System Connects

• Phone line: the classic setup. The panel dials the resident over a landline and the resident presses a digit to open.
• Cellular: no landline needed, but you need signal at the gate and a data plan. Our keypads, intercoms and access controllers page has cellular call boxes.
• Hardwired intercom: a door station wires to one or more master stations inside. Common at a single building entry or a guard shack.
• IP or Wi-Fi: video stations that run on the network and can ring a smartphone app.

Audio or Video

Video lets the resident see who is at the gate before opening it. Audio only systems cost less and are fine where the caller is already known. Video door stations should be vandal resistant if they face the street.

Mounting and Wiring

Choose surface, flush or wall mount to fit the post or wall. Gate panels usually sit on a gooseneck or pedestal at driver height. Hardwired intercoms need the right cable and power supply for the run length. The panel's relay output then wires to the gate operator or an electric lock.

Common Questions

How does a gate telephone entry system work?

A visitor finds the resident in the directory and calls. The resident answers on their phone and presses a digit, which closes a relay in the panel and opens the gate.

Can residents use codes at the same panel?

Most telephone entry panels include a keypad for entry codes. For more residents, add a card or fob reader from our proximity readers or a separate gate keypad.

Do I still need a landline?

Only for phone line models. If the gate has no landline, look at cellular or IP based units instead.