“Pickle reviewed our Telstra services, removed unnecessary spend, and brought everything into one simple portal. It’s faster to manage, more transparent, and we’ve eliminated the usual delays dealing with the carrier.”
— James L., Operations Manager
Phone systems and communications management for strata managers
Pickle manages building communications across your whole portfolio — one contact for faults, upgrades and carrier coordination. Reduce admin, standardise services, and keep residents and teams connected.
Trusted by 1,100+ Australian businesses since 2013.
✓ No lock‑in ✓ Australian‑based support ✓ Clear project scope
Built for strata management firms and property managers
For strata managers
One contact for all buildings
Faster fault resolution
Standardised billing and reporting
For committees
Designed to support AS1735 and BCA
Clear scope and budget ranges
Briefing pack for approvals
Why telecom management is a hidden cost centre for strata firms
Strata management agencies often oversee dozens — or even hundreds — of buildings, each with their own telecommunications services and providers.
These services may include:
Changing Authorised Contacts
Strata committees, building managers and authorised contacts frequently change.
Updating access and permissions with large carriers can be slow and frustrating.
Multiple Billing Accounts
Each building may have separate telecommunications accounts, invoices and contracts.
Managing billing across dozens of properties quickly becomes complex.
Difficulty Accessing Carrier Support
Strata managers often struggle to reach the right support team for building services.
Resolving faults or service issues can take significant time.
Coordinating Technology Upgrades
Industry changes such as the 3G shutdown require building communication systems to be upgraded.
Managing these transitions across multiple buildings is challenging.
Managing Multiple Buildings
Time spent managing telecom services reduces the time available for building management and resident support.
Administrative Overhead
Vendor chasing, permissions updates and invoice reconciliation steal hours each week. We streamline access control and billing so managers can focus on building operations.
How to manage phone systems across a strata building portfolio
Getting started is straightforward:
- Portfolio review — identify numbers, carriers and contracts across buildings
- Service consolidation — simplify vendors and standardise configurations
- Ongoing management — proactive monitoring, billing reviews, and scheduled check‑ins across your portfolio
- Reporting — portfolio‑level visibility and committee‑ready updates
Key benefits of a centralised strata communications system
Pickle helps strata management agencies simplify telecommunications across their building portfolio while improving reliability and reducing administrative overhead.
Our services are designed specifically for organisations responsible for managing multiple strata properties.
Simplified Billing Structures
Reduce complexity with simplified billing and service management across multiple buildings and telecommunications services.
Centralised Service Visibility
Gain clear visibility of telecommunications services across your building portfolio without managing each property individually through different carriers.
Easier Fault Management
Report and resolve service issues through a single provider who understands your building portfolio and communications infrastructure.
Consistent Infrastructure Standards
Standardising communications infrastructure across buildings improves reliability and simplifies future upgrades.
Trusted by strata offices and building managers across Australia
Trusted by strata offices and building managers across Australia
Network security and access control for strata buildings
Practical controls for strata portfolios — segmentation, firewalls and managed PCs. Learn more about building technology: /solutions/apartment-building-technology
VLANs & segmentation
Separate building systems and resident/guest networks to reduce risk.
Managed firewall
Policy, VPN, geo‑blocking and change control.
Managed PC
Patch, protect and monitor workstations used by managers.
Security audits
Committee‑ready recommendations with clear prioritisation.
How to present a telecom upgrade to your owners committee
Download our one‑page briefing pack — everything your strata committee needs to make a decision.
How to present telecom costs and options
A simple breakdown of one‑off and ongoing costs, with options for staged rollout.
What the committee can approve
Committee vs AGM approvals explained — by‑law considerations and practical next steps.
Recommended scope and risks
Clear scope, dependencies and risk framing — written for non‑technical readers.
Impact of doing nothing
What happens to residents and building operations if upgrades are deferred.
Frequently asked questions
✓ No lock-in contracts ✓ Australian-based support ✓ Cancel anytime
What is a strata communication system?
It’s a managed service that gives your building a single published number, flexible call routing to managers or contractors, after‑hours handling, voicemail‑to‑email, and reporting. Residents reach the right person quickly, and managers get a clear, supportable process with visibility and accountability.
Can we keep our existing building number?
Usually, yes. In most cases you can port your existing number to Pickle with no change for residents. We plan the cutover to avoid downtime and confirm routing before go‑live, keeping current service active until the switchover is complete.
Who is responsible for the service if something goes wrong?
Pickle is your single point of contact. We monitor covered services, resolve faults, and coordinate with carriers or hardware vendors as needed. You’ll have a defined escalation path and status updates until resolved.
Is this compliant with Australian building and lift phone requirements?
For emergency lift phones, Australian Standard AS1735 and BCA requirements apply. Our services are designed to support these obligations with resilient call paths and power. Compliance depends on your building’s configuration — book a free assessment to confirm and plan any remediation. Learn more: Emergency Lift Phone service · Lift emergency phone requirements in Australia
How are after‑hours and emergencies handled?
We configure time‑of‑day routing, overflow to on‑call teams, and voicemail‑to‑email with transcripts. For emergencies, we separate lift‑phone and life‑safety paths from general enquiries and validate them during commissioning.
Can committees approve this without a full owners vote?
Many operational upgrades can be approved by committee, but rules vary by state and by‑laws. We provide a Committee Briefing Pack with scope, costs and risks to support the decision process. Your strata manager can confirm the correct pathway for your building.
How quickly can we go live?
Simple routing changes can go live within days. Porting an existing number usually takes 1–3 weeks depending on the losing carrier. We’ll give you a clear timeline and keep your current service active until cutover to avoid missed calls.
Can we manage multiple buildings under one account?
Yes. We support portfolios with central billing, permissions, and standardised configurations across buildings. This reduces admin for strata managers and provides consistent reporting.
What does it cost?
Costs depend on call volume, routing complexity, and whether a number is being ported. After a short discovery or site assessment, we provide a clear, itemised proposal with no lock‑in. Operating costs are predictable and scale with usage.
How do we segment access control and CCTV from resident Wi‑Fi?
Use VLANs to separate building systems (access control, CCTV, BMS) from resident/guest networks. We’ll map dependencies first to avoid disruption. Learn more: Cybersecurity for Buildings .
What happens next:
- 15‑minute call to map your portfolio
- We assess your current services
- You receive a clear options report
Simplify Telecommunications Across Your Strata Portfolio
✓ Designed to support AS1735 and BCA requirements · ✓ Single point of contact across your portfolio