Access to maintenance keys can now be granted with a phone-controlled Bluetooth key deposit

Abloy Oy and ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions have revealed their new, jointly developed, ABLOY Key Deposit for Keyless Access. It enables keyless access to properties with a smartphone via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection. With the deposit, property managers can conveniently grant different user groups access to properties via the users’ mobile phones, without the need for unnecessary key logistics and access control.

“The ABLOY Key Deposit for Keyless Access is a new extension to our line-up of keyless entry systems for business use. It brings more access management options to various operating environments”, said Jussi Ahvalo, Vice President, Abloy International.

The product broadens the range of two product families, each of which is designed to meet the requirements of both critical infrastructure and other institutional as well as commercial organisations:

• The ABLOY BEAT Key Deposit is designed for protecting critical infrastructure in industries including water, energy, telecommunications, transportation and logistics.

• The ABLOY CUMULUS Key Deposit, in turn, is intended for use in public spaces, commercial real estate, governmental buildings, museums and housing companies. Typical users are, for instance, rescue services, property maintenance providers as well as cash and valuables in transit companies.

Smooth access for subcontractors using their phones

The key deposit can be used to ensure access for user groups that do not have access to the organization’s access control system. These may include subcontractors, such as maintenance staff, who need to enter the premises. Now they can use their own phones to open the key deposit to obtain a physical key to a specific location.

“For example, telecom base stations are commonly installed on the roofs of apartment buildings. Telecom companies operating the stations usually need access to the building’s main entrance and roof door. In this case, the company's staff can now open the key deposit – installed outside on the ground floor – with their own phones. The deposit, in turn, contains the access keys to the doors and telecom cabinets on the roof”, explained Simo Pikkarainen, Product & Software Director, ABLOY Critical Infrastructure, ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions.

The product can be used for many different locking purposes in various environments. For example, the phone-controlled key deposit can be installed next to a device, containing the device’s physical start-up key.

Automatic self-locking mechanism to enhance security

The robust ABLOY Key Deposit for Keyless Access is designed to perform in harsh conditions. The lock is battery-powered with a real-time clock and connectivity, ensuring secure and predictable operations and making it future-proof. It can be supplied with backup power if the battery is flat. The product has an optional automatic self-locking feature. It will lock itself if the user forgets to lock it. The key deposit is certified to conform with all essential standards in Europe.

Both versions will become available in stages in selected markets globally by regional ABLOY Critical Infrastructure and Abloy sales units respectively. Deliveries will start in early 2023.

Product specifications:

• Available in platforms: ABLOY BEAT, ABLOY CUMULUS
• Materials: lock body: steel; knob: steel and grivory
• Suitable tube diameter: 38mm
• Weight: 300grams
• Certification: EN15684:2020-16040D3D
• Protection ratings*: IP68 and IK10
• Temperature range: – 25°C to +60°C
• Battery lifecycle: 5 years/5000 open cycles