Do you need new door readers for phone badges?

Not always. Readers that already support wallet passes are configured to read teamzPass credentials, and only the doors whose readers do not support wallet passes need new, wallet-ready readers. Your door controllers and your access control system stay where they are.

So the real question is “which of my readers support wallet passes?”, and the answer is different on every site. Here is how installers and IT teams work it out door by door, without guessing.

Why some readers can read a phone and some cannot

A wallet badge is presented to the reader over NFC from the phone or watch. A reader can only accept it if it supports wallet passes and is configured for those credentials.

• Older proximity readers that only read 125 kHz cards cannot read a phone at all, because phone NFC works at 13.56 MHz. These doors need a new reader.
• Smart card readers at 13.56 MHz may or may not support wallet passes. It depends on the model. Check the model’s documentation, or ask its maker, before you plan the job.
• Readers that support wallet passes are configured to read teamzPass credentials, a very secure method.

Do you need new readers for phone badges? Check door by door

1. List every door that has a reader: its name, where it is, and which controller it is wired to.
2. Write down the reader model. Take a photo of the label, and of the wiring while the cover is off.
3. Mark each reader: reads only 125 kHz cards, reads 13.56 MHz smart cards, or supports wallet passes.
4. For the unclear ones, check the documentation or ask the maker, then test with a real credential.
5. Sort the doors into three groups: configure, replace, or leave on cards for now.

A survey on paper is cheaper than a surprise on handover day. Plan the doors one by one and quote what each one needs.

What stays and what changes

• Stays: the door controllers and the access control management system. Doors keep being managed where they are managed today.
• Configured: readers that already support wallet passes.
• Replaced: readers that do not support wallet passes get wallet-ready readers from teamzPass.
• Added: credentials issued in teamzPass. Each credential has its own code, which is added to the existing system, much like adding a card number.

At the door, people tap the phone or watch on the reader and the door opens.

Which teamzPass product fits your doors

• Credentials only: the readers already support wallet passes. teamzPass issues the credentials, the readers are configured, and the doors stay in your current system.
• Credentials + readers: some or all readers do not support wallet passes. The same as Credentials only, plus wallet-ready readers for those doors.
• Complete solution: a new building, or an old system being replaced completely. Door access terminal, wallet-ready readers and the teamzPass cloud platform, with visitor management included.

For installers: turning the survey into a quote

A reader survey gives you two kinds of revenue: billable reader work at the doors that need it, and a monthly subscription behind every live credential. Run the survey on sites you already maintain, too: your installed base is full of phones.

Partners get a free teamzPass sandbox to issue test credentials and configure a reader before they sell anything, and pay only when credentials go live. See the partner programme.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need new readers for phone badges in the wallet?

teamzPass configures readers that already support wallet passes to read teamzPass credentials. Only the doors whose readers do not support wallet passes need new, wallet-ready readers from teamzPass.

Can a 125 kHz proximity reader read a phone?

teamzPass replaces readers that only read 125 kHz proximity cards with wallet-ready readers, because phone NFC works at 13.56 MHz and those readers cannot read a phone.

Do we have to replace our door controllers?

teamzPass keeps your door controllers and your access control management system in place with Credentials only and Credentials + readers. Each credential’s code is added to the existing system.

How do I find out which of my readers support wallet passes?

teamzPass goes through your door list and reader models with you before anything is bought. Note each door’s reader model, check its documentation, and test with a real credential before you quote.

Can installers test a reader before quoting?

teamzPass gives partners a free sandbox to issue test credentials and configure a reader before they sell anything. Partners pay only when credentials go live, and earn a monthly subscription behind every live credential.

Not sure which of your doors need new readers? Schedule a call and we will go through your door list and reader models with you.