What is Gate Access Control?

Did you know approximately 10% of malicious data breaches take place due to physical security compromises? Whether you operate security for a commercial real estate property, educational institution, hospital, hotel or enterprise, poorly equipped physical access control may result in huge losses. As a measure of security, properties should have a gate access control system to restrict unauthorized people from entering.

This article explains the importance, benefits and types of gate access control for commercial properties that want to protect their critical assets.

Why Gate Access Control?

IT and security teams install gate access control for various reasons, including:

  • Prevent malicious attacks: By allowing only authorized people into the building premises, gate access control helps property teams reduce theft, vandalism and other violent crimes.
  • Eliminate tailgating: In a recent survey, 71% of security personnel reported that their companies were highly likely to experience a security breach due to tailgating. Forty percent of security personnel in the same survey said that an access control system helps properties reduce the number of instances of tailgating. A gate access control system helps property teams eliminate instances of tailgating by allowing them to closely monitor the access activities of users from a remote location.
  • User Convenience: When gate access control is in place, users don’t need to request a new access pass every time they want to open the gate. All they need to do is to present their access credentials to a nearby access card reader.

Types of Gate Access Control Systems

Depending on the requirement, property managers and IT teams can implement a range of access control systems, including RFID access control, keypads, vehicle detection systems, mobile gate access control, gate intercom systems and telephone entry systems.

RFID Gate Access Control Systems

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that uses radio waves to establish communication between the scanner/reader and an RFID tag. When a user presents their RFID tag (given to the user in the form of a physical or digital key card or fob) to the reader, the system communicates with the backend database to authenticate the user’s credentials. The system will not open the gate if invalid credentials are presented to the scanner.

Keypads

Many properties use keypad access control because it is easy to implement and maintain. This system consists of a hardware device with a keypad installed at the gate. Users may need to enter a designated code or PIN on the keypad to gain access to the facility. The system verifies the user’s identity by checking whether the PIN entered is registered with its database or not before opening the gate. If the PIN is valid, it will open the gate.

The main drawback of keypads for gate access control is that they make it difficult for drivers to enter the PIN while sitting in their vehicles. However, keypads are suitable for indoor gates that allow users to move from one room to another.

Vehicle Detection Systems

Vehicle detection technology is a sophisticated access control system that detects vehicles from a distance and only allows authorized vehicles into a designated area.

  • Proximity Cards: To use this system, the driver must register a proximity card with the system. When the car attempts to enter a parking garage, the system recognizes the proximity card and triggers the garage door to open.
  • Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR):  To use this system, the driver must register their vehicle registration number with the ANPR database. This system uses optical character recognition technology to scan the number plate and match it in the database.

Mobile Gate Access Systems

Mobile gate access systems enable people to use their NFC- or BLE-enabled mobile phones to open gates. The vital components of mobile gate access control are a Bluetooth or NFC reader, BLE or NFC-enabled smartphone and the system’s mobile app.

  • Bluetooth or NFC Scanner:  Property teams should install a Bluetooth access reader at the driveway gate.
  • Mobile App: Users must download the system’s mobile application to their cell phones and verify their identity.
  • Validation: Users must tap or wave the smartphone near the scanner to verify their identity and open the security gate.

Genea’s Access control enables the use of mobile phones to open gates, doors and networks. With features such as Apple Wallet compatibility, added security with two-factor authentication (2FA), remote management and offline functionality, Genea can reduce access control costs and increase user convenience.

Gate Intercom Systems

The gate intercom is an access control system that allows users to open gates by talking to property owners to confirm their identity and request them to open the gate. Video intercoms with a built-in camera to facilitate video calling between visitors and those onsite are available in the market.

A smartphone-based gate intercom allows property owners or tenants at the gated community to open gates through their mobile phones for themselves and their visitors from a remote location. However, this system is not suitable for large-scale commercial real estate firms, hotels, educational institutions and enterprises.

Telephone Entry Systems

A telephone entry system enables visitors to request access and property owners to open gates remotely.  Though the telephone entry system works on a similar principle to how gate intercoms work, it is not as convenient and user-friendly as gate intercoms.

The main drawbacks of telephone entry systems are:

  • They don’t come with a built-in camera.
  • Property owners need to pay for the telephone line every month to use the system.
  • Remote management, which may include updating the system remotely, is not possible with this system.

Who Benefits from Gate Access Control?

There are many industries that can benefit from gate access control.

Enterprises

Enterprises can use gate access control to seamlessly allow their employees and visitors to the building premises. They can integrate with touchless visitor management systems that allow visitors to pre-register and fill out a customer health questionnaire on a mobile application to receive a QR code entry pass. Visitors can use this QR code at the main gate, elevators, turnstiles and internal doors where they are authorized to enter.

Commercial Real Estate

Gate access control provides convenience and security that tenants expect at the commercial real estate building. It allows tenants to self-manage the access of their employees and guests at the main gate, parking garages, and other access points.

Healthcare

Access control enables IT and security teams of healthcare facilities the ability to create access plans for visitors based on their purpose of the visit while providing seamless access for their employees to various resources within the building. Property managers can keep tabs on where a visitor enters the hospital premises and what resources they access inside the building. Access control for healthcare can be integrated with video management systems that help stream videos, record access events and facilitate post-incident investigations.  

Commercial Security

Gate entry systems can easily be integrated with commercial security systems. It works with video surveillance systems, smart locks, smart alarms, turnstiles, slide gates, swing gates and others to restrict unauthorized users from entering the facility. Access control also provides a centralized dashboard from where security administrators can oversee the access control activities across all gate access points.

Choose Genea for Secure Gate Access Control

Gate access control is the first checkpoint for a property or building. If security at the gate is compromised, it may lead to unwanted incidents like theft, vandalism and violent crimes in the building. Property managers should use RFID, keypads or mobile access control to secure their physical, financial and virtual assets.

Genea offers a cloud-based access control system that enables security managers to oversee access activities across all entry points and manage credentials for all users, anywhere, at any time, from any device. It accommodates RFID tags, keypads, physical key fobs and mobile keys to open doors. You can integrate Genea with video management, elevator control and identity management systems to increase the security and convenience of users.

Book a demo for Genea Security to learn how to facilitate gate access control for your property.