TekTone is a family owned business that offers communication solutions primarily aimed at the healthcare industry, while also providing residential and commercial communication and access solutions. For residential access, TekTone offers a simple apartment entry system that can be purchased directly or through a distributor. In this review, we’ve outlined what you can expect from TekTone, including pricing, key features, and how their products compare to the Whoo Intercom system.
Overview
TekTone offers a very basic intercom system consisting of an entrance panel that is wired to individual in-unit apartment stations or to an apartment handset. Entrance panels can either display names via an alphabetical directory panel or display individual names beside each button. The corresponding in-unit stations are equipped with three buttons for separate talk, listen and door opening functions.
Pricing:
While TekTone does not publish pricing information on their website, resellers list their entrance panels between $63.00 and $400.00 depending on the style and number of buttons needed. The required in-unit apartment stations begin at around $20.00 a piece.
Advantages
TekTone has experience manufacturing high quality communication systems for a number of industries, including multi-family
Weather resistant and optional vandal resistant panels
Disadvantages
Pricing and required hardware can quickly increase depending on number of units
Tenants must be in their apartments to receive calls from visitors
Directory needs to be updated manually
Push buttons are more likely to break with use over time
TekTone Vs. Whoo Intercom
TekTone is not a video intercom system, and relies on individual apartment in-unit devices to connect to the front entrance intercom. This means that tenants must be in their apartments to talk to visitors, and they can not visually verify who is calling them. The front entrance directory panel requires building managers to individually update the directory or individual name holders beside each button when tenants move out rather than being able to do it remotely from an app.
Like many traditional intercom systems, TekTone in-unit intercoms can easily break and often need replacement parts, adding to the annual cost of operation. Because Whoo intercom works with tenants' smartphones or smart devices instead of in-unit devices, the cost of maintenance is significantly lower.
Residents using TekTone intercoms do not have the option of keyless entry - a feature that has becomes increasingly important to renters. With Whoo intercom, residents can use a unique four digit access code to open the front door if they forget or lose their keys.
If your building has a TekTone intercom and you would like to increase building security and offer a convenient feature for residents by upgrading to a video intercom system, get in touch with us today.