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Getting a new sim for Intercom in a Condo apartment

Chiny
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

I earlier posted about my sim card not being able to be programmed for the intercom where I live because the number is not local and the response from the community is to change my number which will completely give me a new set of number and also require that I update my number with every application, online, friends and family. Before I do that as the last resort, I was wondering if there is a way to get another sim card that I can use for the intercom that doesn't require a monthly plan payment  or if anyone has been in such a situation before and how they were able to resolve it without changing their number completely?

17 REPLIES 17

AlexKerson
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

I totally understand your frustration with the sim card issue for the intercom. I had a similar situation before, and it was quite a hassle. However, I came across a company that provided helpful tips and solutions for such problems. You might wanna check out their website for some guidance. I found it really useful in resolving my issue. Here's the link: https://fixgaragedoors.ca/service-areas/garage-door-repair-in-mississauga/. Hopefully, you'll find some helpful tips there too. Hang in there, my friend, and keep exploring different options before resorting to changing your number completely.

 I remember this conversation from a few months back. 

 

There are are generally two types of Enterphone Systems:

 

-The older type systems call your landline from the door. They don't need their own landline as the telephone circuit to each suite is wired through the relays of the Enterphone system. It generates the ringing to the suite and can interrupt a call if you are on a call already. But, these systems  can't make calls to other numbers such as your cell phone number or voip numbers.

 

-The newer systems don't intercept each phone line heading to the suites. They have their own phone line connected to the system that is used to call whatever number management programs in for your suite. Your landline or your cell phone etc. So yes you would get called on your cell phone whether you were home or not. And unlocking the buildings front door is just done by pushing the appropriate code to unlock which just generates the appropriate DTMF tone that the Enterphone system "hears" and unlocks the door. A downside to these type systems is if you don't have call waiting on your line you aren't going to know someone is calling from the door if you are talking on your phone. And...., if you have a cell humber or VOIP number that is long distance from the landline that your Enterphone system uses to call you, you aren't going to get the call from the door. This was the OP's problem. 

 

Easiest solution is to change cell number to a local number. But other fixes might include a local VOIP number that the system calls that is permanently forwarded to cell phone. Cell phone should then be able to unlock door. Customer needs Internet to work voip number in suite of course and there is likely some cost for the voip service.

 

AE_Collector


@LurganIeUk wrote:

@Chiny wrote:

Hi,

I need help indeed. Can you throw more light on it because I just clicked on the web and am reading up on it but since you have experience with it, I don't mind you sharing yours with me and how it works.


1. Some people set up a VoIP.ms account for their home number but don’t have any equipment or physical phone in house. They just forward all calls to one or more mobile phones. 

 

2. I have a physical 5 set Panasonic Phone set and a Linksys PAP2T ATA box ($35 on eBay)  that can control 2 lines but we only the need for one. The ATA box is just below our internet router and the main phone set is on my home office desk and needed a 15 ft telephone cable from ATA box to main phone set. The satellite phones work and do NOT need to be connected by wiring. 

 

Our land line with Telus was $30 a month without taxes and VoIP.ms is $12 - $13 a month CDN taxes in. Included in the $12 is a 911 fee and $4.95 charge that covers all inbound calls so the only per minute charges are for outbound calls. 800 outbound calls are free. I did find later that I could have negotiated Telus to $5 a month but I won’t change because of the many options that we use that VoIP.ms has. 

 

Which way do you want to go?

 

 


So will VoIP.ms work for the door? Minimum bucks to deposit into VoIP.ms is  $15. 

You would be able to keep the cost down if you only used number for the door. As I assume you are happy with your mobile phone for your needs including 911. 

At this time you cannot tell if the call was forwarded from VoIP.ms. And caller ID on smart phone appears to come from your mobile phone contact list. 

 

Check here. Is your location listed or one that is close with an acceptable area code?

Chiny
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

@LurganIeUk , I would prefer option 1 and the number I require has to be a local number from Voip as instructed by the strata if not I will still encounter the same problem


@Chiny wrote:

Hi,

I need help indeed. Can you throw more light on it because I just clicked on the web and am reading up on it but since you have experience with it, I don't mind you sharing yours with me and how it works.


1. Some people set up a VoIP.ms account for their home number but don’t have any equipment or physical phone in house. They just forward all calls to one or more mobile phones. 

 

2. I have a physical 5 set Panasonic Phone set and a Linksys PAP2T ATA box ($35 on eBay)  that can control 2 lines but we only the need for one. The ATA box is just below our internet router and the main phone set is on my home office desk and needed a 15 ft telephone cable from ATA box to main phone set. The satellite phones work and do NOT need to be connected by wiring. 

 

Our land line with Telus was $30 a month without taxes and VoIP.ms is $12 - $13 a month CDN taxes in. Included in the $12 is a 911 fee and $4.95 charge that covers all inbound calls so the only per minute charges are for outbound calls. 800 outbound calls are free. I did find later that I could have negotiated Telus to $5 a month but I won’t change because of the many options that we use that VoIP.ms has. 

 

Which way do you want to go?

 

 

Chiny
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hi,

I need help indeed. Can you throw more light on it because I just clicked on the web and am reading up on it but since you have experience with it, I don't mind you sharing yours with me and how it works.


@Chiny wrote:

Yes I have wifi at home. Thank you for the suggestion. I appreciate.


I am pretty knowledgeable with VoIP.ms if you need help. And they too have fantastic help too. Right now we have our VoIP.ms land line forward to both of our mobile phones. It works good!

Chiny
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Hi,

Thank you for the suggestion. will explore this option.


@Anonymous wrote:

@LurganIeUk wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Maybe one of those voip services and forward it to your number. I don't know if you can open the door though. 🙂

Did you move from a rather different area to where you are now? Good ol' long distance still exists. And those intercom services use landlines. And your building probably doesn't want to spend the money on a better phone service.


Just a real dumb question. Doesn’t a phone to open the  entrance door or garage door in a strata title building  have to be a hardwired land line phone? 


No. Not always as mentioned. Our building uses a fob. We forgot it one time. A young woman comes up intending to get in. Maybe she didn't have a fob. She calls up with the intercom and answers her phone and lets herself in. Gobsmacked. Cool. 'Course she wasn't really supposed to let us in but oh well.


My MIL had both FOB for her personal entry or land line for visitors. 

Chiny
Good Citizen / Bon Citoyen

Yes I have wifi at home. Thank you for the suggestion. I appreciate.

Depending on set up there seems to be a lot of variations to resolve. Are we also saying if the building can be opened from a mobile phone that a hardwire land line won’t work? Or will both work? I have googled and some say to hook up a POTS phone WITHOUT service and it will work.

 

Also see here. 

Anonymous
Not applicable

@LurganIeUk wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Maybe one of those voip services and forward it to your number. I don't know if you can open the door though. 🙂

Did you move from a rather different area to where you are now? Good ol' long distance still exists. And those intercom services use landlines. And your building probably doesn't want to spend the money on a better phone service.


Just a real dumb question. Doesn’t a phone to open the  entrance door or garage door in a strata title building  have to be a hardwired land line phone? 


No. Not always as mentioned. Our building uses a fob. We forgot it one time. A young woman comes up intending to get in. Maybe she didn't have a fob. She calls up with the intercom and answers her phone and lets herself in. Gobsmacked. Cool. 'Course she wasn't really supposed to let us in but oh well.

So it sounds like older buildings have different equipment than newer buildings?

 

I can see the mechanics of it if it was a land line but find it quite interesting how it would work from a mobile phone. 

 

And if your building has the technology to open doors over mobile phone is that done from an actual call to the mobile phone and then the mobile phone sends a signal to open door? Does that mean you can open door from mobile phone from another city? Or is it done over wifi with an app? 

 

Has OP confirmed if a mobile phone will work at his location? If, yes and does not want to change number then perhaps 711 Speakout would suffice, with correct number and area code. I believe $25 would last a year?

 

Perhaps @AE_Collector can shed some light on this. 

@LurganIeUk depends on the building, mine does, but my sister does hers through her cell phone.


@Anonymous wrote:

Maybe one of those voip services and forward it to your number. I don't know if you can open the door though. 🙂

Did you move from a rather different area to where you are now? Good ol' long distance still exists. And those intercom services use landlines. And your building probably doesn't want to spend the money on a better phone service.


Just a real dumb question. Doesn’t a phone to open the  entrance door or garage door in a strata title building  have to be a hardwired land line phone? 

gblackma
Mayor / Maire

@Chiny Do you have WiFi? Get a local number with the voip app TextNow..  You will only be able to buzz someone up when home. But it's a possible workaround. Stay safe. 

Anonymous
Not applicable

Maybe one of those voip services and forward it to your number. I don't know if you can open the door though. 🙂

Did you move from a rather different area to where you are now? Good ol' long distance still exists. And those intercom services use landlines. And your building probably doesn't want to spend the money on a better phone service.

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