A GSM intercom is a gate station with its own SIM card. When a visitor presses the button, it phones the numbers you have programmed, you talk to the visitor on your cellphone, and you can open the gate from wherever you are. There is no handset in the house and no cable between the gate and the house.
How a GSM intercom works
The gate station holds a SIM card and connects to the cellular network like a phone. It is wired to your gate motor, so a code you send from your phone, or a call from an authorised number, triggers the motor to open. Most units can dial more than one number in turn, so if the first person does not answer, the next one is called.
When a GSM intercom is the right choice
- The gate is far from the house, or the driveway has been paved and running a new cable means lifting it.
- Nobody is home during the day and you still want to let in a delivery or a contractor.
- Small businesses and smallholdings where the person who needs to answer moves around the property.
When a wired intercom is better
- You want a screen inside the house. A video intercom on a wired system shows you who is at the gate before you answer.
- Signal at the gate is weak. A GSM unit is only as reliable as the network where it is mounted, so we check signal before recommending one.
- Several people in the house need to answer, which suits indoor handsets.
What it needs to run
A GSM intercom needs a SIM with airtime or a data and voice bundle, and power at the gate. Because it is wired into the gate motor, it shares the motor’s battery backup, which matters during load shedding. Keep the SIM topped up and check it occasionally: an expired SIM is the most common reason a GSM intercom stops working.
Keeping it secure
Program only the numbers that should be able to open the gate, change them when staff or tenants change, and do not share the open code by message. Good units log who opened the gate and when.
Before you choose between GSM and a wired intercom, check two things: the signal at your gate and how far the gate is from where you spend most of your time. Tell us about your entrance and the gate motor you have, and we will recommend the right intercom and quote for it in writing.