On this page: Benefits · Who this is for · Technical overview · Choose your pathway · Compare gateways · Costs · FAQs
Emergency Lift Phone Solutions for Australian Buildings — AS1735.19 Compliant
Pickle’s lift phone gateways replace non‑compliant copper and 3G systems with 4G LTE and NBN‑primary solutions. Four gateway options to match any building size and budget. All meet AS1735.19 requirements. Free site assessment for NSW buildings.
How an emergency lift call works
When a passenger presses the emergency button, the call routes through a Pickle-managed gateway via 4G mobile network to a 24/7 monitoring centre — no copper line required, fully AS 1735.19 compliant.
Choose your lift gateway
Pick the hardware that matches your building setup and identification requirements.
Lift Gateway LTE — Single SIM
Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM
Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM, 4‑Car
Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup
Not sure? See how they compare ↓ · Or Request a Site Assessment
Which gateway suits your building?
Four hardware options to match building size, resilience needs and caller‑ID requirements.
Lift Gateway LTE — Single SIM
Single lift. Telstra 4G. Unique, stable caller ID. Monitoring optional.
Primary path
Telstra 4G LTE
Redundancy
None
Lifts supported
1
Caller ID
Unique, stable
Monitoring
Optional
Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM
Single lift. Telstra primary with Optus failover. Monitoring included.
Primary path
Telstra 4G LTE (primary)
Redundancy
Optus 4G failover
Lifts supported
1
Caller ID
Unique; changes on failover (monitoring must handle both)
Monitoring
Included
Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM, 4‑Car
1–4 lifts via shared LTE gateway. Dual carrier with failover. Shared caller ID across cars.
Primary path
Telstra 4G LTE (primary)
Redundancy
Optus 4G failover
Lifts supported
1–4
Caller ID
Shared across all cars (see compliance note)
Monitoring
Included
Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup
1–24 lifts. NBN/Opticomm primary with 4G failover. Per‑car landline that never changes. Unlimited calls. 36‑month warranty.
Primary path
NBN/Opticomm (primary)
Redundancy
Automatic 4G failover
Lifts supported
1–24
Caller ID
Unique per lift; stable on failover
Monitoring
Included
Australian‑based support
Meets AS 1735.19 requirements
Documented test calls
Month‑to‑month terms
Taking this to your committee? Download the Briefing Pack.
NSW bookings: use the audit link above. Outside NSW? Request a Site Assessment → · Prefer to talk it through? Talk to Our Team →
Why Lift Phones Must Be Upgraded for nbn
Australia’s PSTN and 3G shutdowns mean many older lift emergency phones no longer meet today’s compliance expectations.
Australian Standard AS 1735.19 requires lift emergency communication systems to operate during power failures and network outages.
Copper PSTN services in Australia are being withdrawn. Buildings that haven't transitioned their lift emergency phones risk non-compliance with AS 1735.19.
What this means for buildings:
- Legacy PSTN/3G-based lift phones may not connect reliably in an outage
- Committees need confidence that emergency calls will still go through
- Record-keeping matters — documented test calls help demonstrate due diligence
Pickle’s lift communication approach is designed for modern LTE and nbn networks, with battery backup and optional monitoring — helping lifts stay connected during outages. Book a free assessment to confirm the right pathway for your building.
Benefits for strata and building owners
Keep your lift emergency calling reliable and compliant.
Compliance‑aligned
Designed to support AS1735 and Building Code requirements.
Power resilience
Battery backup so calls continue during power outages.
Redundant connectivity
LTE/nbn pathways reduce the risk of call failure.
Monitoring options
Proactive monitoring available to maintain reliability.
Local support
Australian‑based support when you need it.
Battery backup activates automatically on power loss — the gateway keeps transmitting via 4G so emergency calls continue without interruption.
Who this is for
This page is most relevant to:
Strata managers and committees
Portfolio-level reporting and clear contacts.
Building owners
Designed to support compliance and reduce risk.
Facilities teams
Documented test calls and change control.
Developers and builders
Retrofit or new-build support.
What’s included
Monitoring
Included on Dual SIM LTE, VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup and LTE — CAT6; optional on Single SIM LTE (+$20/mo).
Documented test calls
We provide test call records at handover for your committee/portfolio.
Battery backup
Battery backup scope included across options.
External antenna
High‑gain/directional antenna available where needed to improve LTE coverage.
Why many buildings need an upgrade
Many buildings now require a lift phone upgrade due to the shutdown of PSTN and 3G networks across Australia.
Technical overview
A lift communication gateway with LTE (4G) connectivity and battery backup provides a path independent of the PSTN. Redundant connectivity and documented test calls during handover help support AS 1735.19 requirements.
Basements and car parks
Concrete and underground levels block cellular signals.
Lift shafts and lobbies
Signal attenuation in lift cores causes dropped calls.
Fire stairs and corridors
Enclosed pathways often have zero coverage.
Plant rooms
Services spaces are typically shielded from signal.
Thick construction
Reinforced walls and glass coatings reduce signal.
Features
Technical capabilities at a glance.
LTE (4G) connectivity
Independent of the PSTN.
Battery backup
Continues during power loss.
Redundant paths
Reduce risk of call failure.
Remote monitoring
Optional 24/7 alerts.
Documented test calls
Verified at handover.
Gateway options
Match building infrastructure.
In NSW? Book a free on‑site audit →
On mobile: swipe to compare →
Need help choosing?
Compare lift communication gateway solutions
Not sure which gateway is right for your building? Use this table to compare the main pathways.
| Feature | Lift Gateway LTE — Single SIM | Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM | Lift Gateway LTE — Dual SIM, 4‑Car | Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary path | Telstra 4G LTE | Telstra 4G LTE (primary) | Telstra 4G LTE (primary) | NBN/Opticomm (primary) |
| Redundancy | None | Optus 4G failover | Optus 4G failover | Automatic 4G failover |
| Lifts supported | 1 | 1 | 1–4 | 1–24 |
| Caller ID per lift | Unique, stable | Unique | Shared across all cars | Unique per lift (landline) |
| Caller ID on failover | Not applicable (no failover) | Changes (new SIM number) | Changes (new SIM number) | Stable (never changes) |
| Call allowance | By plan — confirm | By plan — confirm | By plan — confirm | Unlimited |
| Monitoring | Optional | Included | Included | Included |
| Warranty | Standard hardware warranty — confirm term | Standard hardware warranty — confirm term | Standard hardware warranty — confirm term | 36‑month warranty |
| Best for | Single lift, stable Telstra coverage | Single lift needing network resilience | 1–4 cars where shared caller ID is acceptable | 1–24 cars with per‑car identification requirements |
Learn more: Understanding AS1735.19 lift phone compliance
If all your lifts call from the same number, your monitoring centre can’t tell which car needs help.
AS1735.19 requires the monitoring centre to identify the specific lift without relying on the passenger. When multiple lifts share a single LTE gateway, all cars present the same caller ID. For multi‑car buildings where full per‑car identification is required, the Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup is the correct solution.
Costs at a glance
Your total cost depends on:
- Gateway pathway (LTE single/dual SIM, VoIP + LTE failover)
- Number of lifts/handsets
- External antenna or signal engineering
- Battery backup scope (gateway, nbn CPE/switches)
- Monitoring level (included on most pathways)
- On‑site access and after‑hours windows
Next step: Request a Site Assessment →
We’ll confirm the most suitable pathway and a clear budget range for your committee — no obligation.
Get an accurate quote for your building — no obligation.
Emergency lift phone FAQs
Is this compliant with Australian lift emergency phone regulations?
Our service meets AS 1735.19 requirements and supports Building Code obligations. Book a building assessment and we’ll confirm the right configuration for your specific lift and site. We’ll also provide documented test calls at handover for your records.
Will emergency calls work during power or nbn outages?
Systems are designed with battery backup and LTE (4G) connectivity to provide a path independent of the PSTN. This helps calls continue during power or nbn outages. Actual performance depends on the site environment — we verify operation with documented test calls and can enable optional monitoring.
Does this meet the requirements under AS 1735?
The architecture, battery backup and connectivity options meet AS 1735.19 requirements. We confirm operation through documented test calls during handover and can supply a summary for your strata committee or records.
Can this be installed in existing buildings?
Yes. Most upgrades are retrofit installations with minimal disruption. We assess your current lift phone and building services first, then schedule works to avoid peak times. We coordinate with building management throughout.
How long does installation take and will there be downtime?
Most installations are completed within a few hours per lift. We coordinate with building management to keep any service interruption to a minimum and verify emergency calling before we leave. Where needed, we plan after‑hours windows.
Do we need strata committee approval before proceeding?
For building‑wide services, most strata committees require formal approval. We can provide a brief pack with scope, risks, compliance alignment and budget ranges to support a clear decision. Ask about a site assessment to prepare the paperwork you’ll need.
What does a lift phone upgrade typically cost?
Costs vary by gateway (LTE single/dual SIM, VoIP + LTE failover), antenna needs, number of lifts/handsets, battery‑backup scope and monitoring level. After a short site assessment we’ll confirm options and a clear budget range for your committee — no obligation. We don’t publish pricing because every building’s compliance path is different.
Do we need power backup for the gateway or nbn equipment?
Yes. Emergency communications must operate during power failures. We include battery backup scope and document test calls at handover to confirm operation. For nbn sites, the CPE and any switches must also be backed up.
Our building has multiple lift cars — does each one need a unique phone number at the monitoring centre?
Yes. AS1735.19 requires the monitoring centre to identify the specific lift without relying on the passenger. The Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup assigns each car a dedicated landline number. The Dual SIM, 4‑Car gateway shares a caller ID across all cars and is only appropriate where the monitoring centre has an alternative identification protocol in place.
What happens to the caller ID when the system fails over to 4G?
On LTE solutions, the caller ID changes on failover because each SIM card has its own number — your monitoring centre must be configured to handle both. On the Lift Gateway VoIP — nbn + LTE Backup, the landline number never changes regardless of which network path is active.
Support and guides
Prefer to read first? Explore setup guides, outage checks and compliance notes for emergency lift phones.
No lock‑in contracts
Australian support
Site‑specific compliance assessment
What our clients say
Pickle coordinated the upgrade and documented the test calls for our records. The process was clear and there’s been no drama since.
Andrew M., Strata Manager, Sydney strata portfolio
The committee needed a practical solution, not more complexity. Pickle gave us a clear recommendation, transparent costs, and a lift phone service that is simpler to manage going forward.
Michael S., OC Chair
Pickle supported us through the entire build, ensuring lift communications were compliant and ready from handover. It removed a lot of risk for our project team.
Lisa T., Property Developer
Installation was completed with minimal downtime. We received the handover notes and test results to brief our committee.
Lisa P., Building Manager, Residential tower, Parramatta
Pickle made the compliance side much easier to understand. The upgrade gave us a monitored lift phone solution, clear documentation, and confidence that the building was meeting its obligations.
Kerri H., Strata Manager
The changeover was straightforward and well managed. Pickle explained each step clearly, coordinated the install with minimal disruption, and kept us updated from start to finish.
Gavin P., Building Manager
Request a Site Assessment
Coverage note
LTE options require adequate signal in the plant room. We can add a high‑gain or directional antenna if needed — or recommend an nbn primary path where LTE is unreliable.
Not sure if your building has sufficient LTE signal? Download the Free LTE Coverage Check →
AS 1735.19 Lift Phone Compliance for Strata Buildings
Australian Standard AS 1735.19 requires lift emergency communication systems to remain operational during power outages and network failures. Pickle’s lift phone systems use LTE (4G) connectivity, battery backup and redundant communication pathways to help ensure lifts remain connected and support compliance.
✔ Operates during power outages ✔ Backup connectivity via LTE (4G) ✔ Emergency call reliability ✔ Designed for modern network infrastructure
LTE Coverage Check for Strata Buildings
Get started in 3 simple steps
Book a compliance audit
Our team reviews your current lift phone system and identifies any compliance risks.
Select the right gateway
We recommend the best solution based on your building type and lift infrastructure.
Install and verify
Our technicians install and test the system, including documented test calls, to verify operation in line with AS 1735.19.
AS 1735.19 Compliant Emergency Lift Phones for Strata Buildings
Emergency lift phone services must meet Australian Standard AS 1735 and Building Code of Australia requirements. Pickle’s lift phone service meets AS 1735.19 requirements and supports Building Code obligations — book a building assessment to confirm the right configuration for your site.
As an ACMA-registered Australian telco, Pickle's equipment and network configuration is designed to meet AS 1735.19 requirements for lift emergency phones.
Learn more about our apartment building technology solutions → and Managed Wi‑Fi Calling for buildings →.
Preparing for a committee decision? Download the Committee Briefing Pack →
Trusted by Australian businesses since 2013
Australian‑owned and operated. 1,100+ clients.
Request a Site Assessment