Can we keep existing handsets when upgrading the call panel?

Sometimes — if the handsets are from a current-generation 2N, Aiphone, or Comelit system. For older 2-wire-only handsets, the answer is usually no: the call panel uses an IP signal the handset can’t decode. A 2-wire-to-IP bridge or new handsets are the choices.

Does mobile-app answering work overseas?

Yes — the call routes via the manufacturer’s cloud service and works anywhere your phone has data. Some apartment building rules require a local handset as a fallback so visitors can still reach a resident if cloud or mobile is unavailable.

How does the intercom integrate with access control?

Modern IP intercoms (2N IP Verso, Akuvox R20) include an integrated card / mobile-credential reader on the call panel. Residents and staff use the same credential at the intercom panel and at any other access-controlled door.

How disruptive is a body-corporate intercom upgrade?

Less than expected. We typically replace the lobby call panel and central controller during a single morning, then move through apartments two or three at a time over a few days for handset / app set-up. With a 2-wire-to-IP bridge we keep existing in-apartment cabling.

Intercom Buyer's Guide NZ | Apartment, Home & Gate

Intercoms range from a $400 video doorbell to a $50,000 multi-tower apartment system. Picking the right one depends on what you actually need it to do, who’s answering, and what cabling you already have. This guide walks through the decision, compares the major NZ platforms, and gives indicative pricing.

Use case 1: single-door home video intercom

Replaces a traditional doorbell with a video call station. Visitor presses a button, you see them on an internal handset and (optionally) on your phone. Most useful when you can’t see the front door from inside or when you’re often not home.

Aiphone JK series — reliable, easy to use, well-stocked in NZ. Indoor handset is touchscreen. App support on JKS-IP variants. $1,400–$2,400 supplied and installed.
Comelit Mini — Italian-styled, popular with architects. App-first. $1,600–$2,800.
Akuvox R20A — cost-effective IP intercom with face-recognition and access-control integration on the same panel. $1,200–$2,200.

Use case 2: gated driveway intercom

Mounted at the pedestrian gate or vehicle entry on a property with a gated driveway. Ties into the gate operator so the same call grants vehicle entry. Almost always integrated with a small access-control credential reader so residents and trusted visitors don’t need to call.

2N IP Verso — modular, vandal-resistant, integrated card reader. The default for upper-end residential gates. $2,800–$4,500.
Aiphone GT-DMB-N — popular for its weatherproofing and app support. $2,400–$3,800.
Comelit Switch — Italian-styled, app-first. $2,600–$4,200.

Use case 3: body-corporate apartment building

One call panel at the lobby, handsets or apps in every unit, central management for the body corporate. The default for new and retrofit apartment work in Auckland.

2N IP Verso for apartments

Modular call panel: choose name-list, video, card reader, keypad, and braille modules. NZ-supported. Integrates with Paxton Net2 and most access-control platforms. Mobile-app answering via 2N Mobile Video. Sweet spot is 8–200 units.

Aiphone GT-DMB-N for apartments

Long-standing apartment intercom platform. Reliable, well-supported in NZ. App support via IXG. Good fit for retrofits where existing 2-wire cabling can be re-used with a bridge.

Comelit Ultra for apartments

Italian, popular with body corporates that want a designed look. App-first. Tends to come with the architect’s spec rather than the installer’s.

Akuvox for apartments

Cost-effective; good for budget body-corporate retrofits. Less polished management UX than 2N or Aiphone but lower entry cost.

Apartment intercom pricing

Building	Indicative cost
8–16 units, single lobby, app + handset	$9,000–$18,000
30–60 units, lobby + basement carpark	$20,000–$45,000
100+ units, multi-tower	$50,000+ (quoted by site visit)

Cabling: what you already have, what we’ll need

Older Auckland buildings (pre-2010) usually have 2-wire intercom cabling that supports legacy audio-only systems but not modern IP video. Two options:

Re-pull Cat5e/Cat6 through existing pathways. Cleanest result; more disruption to apartments.
2-wire-to-IP bridge (2N IP-2-Wire bridge or similar) — runs IP video over the existing 2-wire infrastructure. Useful for body-corporate retrofits where re-cabling every apartment isn’t practical.

We’ll confirm what your building has during the site visit and recommend the right approach.

Mobile-app answering — the question we get most

Modern IP intercoms route calls to a mobile app on your phone (Aiphone IXG, 2N Mobile Video, Akuvox SmartPlus, Comelit Comelit Open). The visitor presses the call button; your phone rings; you see live video, you can talk, and you can unlock the door from anywhere. For body-corporate apartments, residents typically choose handset-only, app-only, or both. App-only is popular with younger residents but body corporates usually require a base-build handset as a fallback so visitors can still reach a resident if cloud or mobile is down.

Common mistakes

Buying a consumer doorbell as an apartment intercom. They don’t scale to multi-unit and lack the management interface bodies corporate need.
Skipping the body-corporate management interface and doing each apartment individually. Becomes ungovernable in months.
Trying to keep an old 2-wire system on IP infrastructure. A 2-wire-to-IP bridge works; trying to bodge old handsets onto a new call panel doesn’t.
Not integrating with access control. Modern IP intercom panels include a card reader; using both saves cabling and keeps the credential database unified.

Intercom buyer's guide for NZ