London Borough Of Hounslow

Introducing Cloud-Based Access Control in Hounslow

As a wireless access control system provider, Intratone works with numerous properties and housing associations across the UK and Europe to implement more technologically driven solutions. Since 2016, we have worked closely with Hounslow Council to fit the latest access control technology at over 900 different entrances in their properties across London.

Challenge

The previous access control systems across both Hounslow Council’s residential and commercial portfolio had become obsolete, and there was an urgent need to move from mechanical keys to a fob-based system. Residents in particular had been complaining at the delays in receiving new keys, with keys sometimes taking up to six weeks to be delivered.

Similarly, the previous system meant that the housing management team had a significant administrative burden, with two full-time members of staff needing to visit the site daily just to program residents’ fobs. Plus, the team had no control over who has access to which properties, and with site visits necessary to hand out new keys and let in contractors.

An All-In-One Solution

Starting in 2016, Intratone’s key management technology has been installed at nearly a thousand low- and high-rise apartment blocks and council offices, commercial buildings and operational sites. Now, new key fobs can be obtained straightaway by residents when visiting their local housing office, through innovative cloud-based technology.

The council also had a variety of additional Intratone solutions implemented, including digital noticeboards, which allow property professionals to easily broadcast information to tenants from their lobbies and communal areas.

Because the remote management system is cloud-based, changes made to the key fobs and digital noticeboards are almost immediate and can be facilitated from anywhere where there is internet access – whether that’s at a PC, laptop or via a smartphone while on site. This provides huge, long-term savings for the council.

Result

Intratone’s innovative digital noticeboards ensure that housing and property managers can quickly and efficiently share information and updates with their tenants.

Linked to Intratone’s online, remote management system, housing professionals can upload messages to the screen with just a few clicks.

“Intratone was recommended by an installer and, so far, we have been very impressed – although it is a sizeable investment for the council initially, the build and technology of the readers means that they will last for at least ten years.

The simplicity of the database is such that some of our concierge and caretakers are being trained to manage the system themselves, which frees up even more of the engineers’ time.

With the older technology, residents were able to copy fobs in some local shops which did not give the council full control over who could access certain blocks. With the new Intratone fobs, you cannot rewrite or copy them so when someone tries to use a copied fob, it sends the system a notification.”

Ian Williams
Electrical Engineer at Hounslow Council