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This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could poss

This is great advice but it also brings up a point; why do these systems require a local number in order to operate? It seems that a firmware upgrade could possibly decimate the op's business. Edit: I want to point out that I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the op could not make a decent amount of money on this(though, 10/month is a touch steep for someone living in an apartment) but I was just curious why the manufacturers of such devices limit them in such a way.

mmetzger 14y ago
Guessing they want a local number because the apartment complex doesn't want to pay for long distance calling.
- anigbrowl 14y ago
  I haven't paid for long distance calling since the 1990s. I think it's just people being lazy and choosing poor defaults.
  - mcpherrinm 14y ago
    How many of these buzzers have remained unchanged since the 1990s? Also, long distance appears to be at least $20/month extra on a standard small business landline here (Bell Canada). That's not much, but I can see it happening for something the landlord would think of as a non-feature: Because why wouldn't you have a phone number in the area you live?
    - anigbrowl 14y ago
      I'm not sure a small business line is the best comparison for an apartment building, and I think most landlords are familiar with the existence of cellphones by now. But it's true that many buzzers like that have been in place for a long time - but I do think that that's the landlord's problem, like any other non-working fixture.
- sopooneo 14y ago
  For us it was specifically because they didn't want people opening the door remotely. They wanted you to be local.
randallsquared 14y ago
Some of them don't. I currently have an out of state number and the door entry system has no problem dialing it.
stephengillie 14y ago
A firmware upgrade could probably decimate the OP's business, but the whole value is that this service may be a lot cheaper in terms of mental effort and stress for many landlords.

mmetzger 14y ago

Guessing they want a local number because the apartment complex doesn't want to pay for long distance calling.

anigbrowl 14y ago
I haven't paid for long distance calling since the 1990s. I think it's just people being lazy and choosing poor defaults.
- mcpherrinm 14y ago
  How many of these buzzers have remained unchanged since the 1990s? Also, long distance appears to be at least $20/month extra on a standard small business landline here (Bell Canada). That's not much, but I can see it happening for something the landlord would think of as a non-feature: Because why wouldn't you have a phone number in the area you live?
  - anigbrowl 14y ago
    I'm not sure a small business line is the best comparison for an apartment building, and I think most landlords are familiar with the existence of cellphones by now. But it's true that many buzzers like that have been in place for a long time - but I do think that that's the landlord's problem, like any other non-working fixture.
sopooneo 14y ago
For us it was specifically because they didn't want people opening the door remotely. They wanted you to be local.

randallsquared 14y ago

Some of them don't. I currently have an out of state number and the door entry system has no problem dialing it.

stephengillie 14y ago

A firmware upgrade could probably decimate the OP's business, but the whole value is that this service may be a lot cheaper in terms of mental effort and stress for many landlords.