Use portable touchscreens and modern telephony Intercom units affixed to the walls of properties can look institutional and by the very nature of where they are, are difficult to engage with. Why do you need them at all? You may be able to deploy portable touchscreen devices to residents through which you could call and video conference. You could also deploy mobile telephony inexpensively. Additionally, bear in mind that an overwhelming majority of residents already have their own telephone lines and mobile phones, this presents you with an opportunity to reimagine what the role of a device is in a property, and use a device as part of a wider digital agenda. Make door entry video calls go to touchscreens There are modern door entry systems which are internet technology enabled and send full colour, high resolution video calls of the visitor to either a touchscreen device in a resident’s property - or on to their own smartphone with a door release button/icon on screen. These are also often capable of making a regular telephone call to a resident and giving the option of pressing a key on the keypad to let someone in. In addition to the obvious benefits of video door entry - in terms of security, the fact the resident can receive the door entry call on a device that is likely to be next to them, or with them (and not on the wall of a property which may be difficult to get to) is potentially also highly appealing. More sophisticated door entry systems provide an audit trail of all door entry activity and whether this was a resident, contractor, family member or staff member. This information can provide valuable health and safety insights if used in the right way. For example, data around whether someone has had any visitors, or how often someone has been in and out of their property could be used to help identify particularly at risk or isolated residents. Digital Switchover ready alternatives Practical real world alternatives that housing providers may want to consider as they design service offerings that are Digital Switchover ready and move away from hard wired alarm systems. Make sure that if you deploy a touchscreen device, its interface has been designed and tested with large numbers of older and higher needs people so you know it works. Instead of cabling a hard wired system - deploy a WiFi network WiFi networks can be used to make it easier to deploy and support CCTV cameras, environmental sensors, telecare devices, touchscreen and other smart devices - as well as potentially enable internet access for your residents. A WiFi network in your building can also make it easier for staff members to access vital services. Implementing a WiFi network has a broad range of benefits for both residents and the housing providers and could offer a greater return on investment. It is now possible to provide fast, strong WiFi access across a building at a fraction of the overall cost of a fully cabled network. Furthermore, a WiFi network can be deployed without the need to go into resident properties and, therefore, without the need for expensive or extensive decoration. To implement, Wireless Access Points are typically placed in corridors and only require a tiny amount of cabling, compared to a wired network. Images of wireless access points © 2020 Ubiquiti Inc. 12
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTI5NzM=