The entry control market is a subset of the larger access control space, distinct in that it typically addresses clearance for non-employee, temporary visitors or others who don’t have an electronic access control credential. “An entry control system … allows entry to an individual, whether they may be vetted in advance to be there, or whether they simply show up at a door and ask for entrance,” says Bruce Czerwinski, vice president of sales and business development, safety and security, Zenitel Americas, Kansas City, Mo.

Typically, entry control solutions utilize intercoms for security or other authorized personnel to communicate with individuals seeking entrance. “The main purpose of intercoms is communication — commonly between a person outside of a building to a person inside a building or at an emergency call station, such as on a campus or in a parking garage,” says Dom Albano, program manager, intercoms, Axis Communications, Chelmsford, Mass.