Intercom System for a Housing Society: Flat-to-Guard Calling Explained
Short answer: a housing society intercom is a central exchange in the guard room or society office, with one telephone cable running to each flat. The guard dials a flat's extension to announce a visitor, and residents can call the gate or each other free. On our store, an exchange with one phone per point costs ₹18,399 for 16 points and ₹29,750 for 26 points as ready kits; for a 24-flat society, a complete setup with cable, MDF boxes and wall sockets comes to ₹51,484, or about ₹2,145 per flat. Prices include GST and delivery across India is free.
How does flat-to-guard calling work?
The exchange sits in the guard room or the society office. Each flat gets one telephone wired back to it, and the guard room gets one or two. Every phone has a short extension number. When a visitor or delivery arrives, the guard picks up, dials the flat, and the resident says yes or no. Residents can call the gate the same way, and flats can call each other. None of these calls go outside the building, so there are no call charges.
There are two kinds of exchange for this job:
- PAX (internal only). Every port is an extension. There are no outside line ports. This is the usual choice for societies, because residents use their own mobiles for outside calls. CCL's 34-line PAX listing describes exactly this: internal calls only, works with any standard analogue phone.
- EPABX with outside lines. Same internal calling, plus line ports for a landline or SIM. Useful if the society office wants its own number that the guard can answer or transfer. See the GSM gateway guide to use a SIM instead of a landline.
How many points do you need?
Count one point per flat, then add the guard room (one or two phones), the society office, and any clubhouse, gym or pump room phone. Then add a little headroom. The listing for the CCL 34-line PAX says it is not extendable, and most small exchanges cannot grow beyond their rated size, so buy the next size up if you are close.
Exchange sizes for societies on our store
| Model | Type and capacity (from the listing) | Fits a society of about | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCL 216B | EPABX: 2 outside lines, 16 extensions | 12 to 14 flats with guard and office | ₹7,500 |
| CCL 18-line PAX | PAX: 18 internal lines | 14 to 16 flats | ₹7,500 |
| 26-line PAX | PAX: 26 internal lines | 20 to 24 flats | ₹8,700 |
| CCL 34-line PAX | PAX: 34 internal lines, not extendable | 28 to 31 flats | ₹9,900 |
| CCL 232B | EPABX: 2 outside lines, 32 extensions | 28 to 29 flats, with an office landline | ₹13,499 |
| 40-line PAX | PAX: 40 internal lines | 32 to 36 flats | ₹15,900 |
| 60-line PAX | PAX: 60 internal lines | 48 to 55 flats | ₹18,900 |
| 80-line PAX | PAX: 80 internal lines | 64 to 75 flats | ₹22,800 |
| CCL 848S | EPABX: 8 outside lines, 48 extensions | 40 to 44 flats, office with several lines | ₹34,500 |
We also list the CCL 442X (42 lines, ₹27,950) and CCL 462X (62 lines, ₹30,950). Their listings give the line count but few other details, so ask us on WhatsApp to compare them with the PAX models above before you decide.
What you need and why
- Exchange: sized to flats plus guard, office and spare.
- One phone per flat and guard point. Plain phones such as the Beetel C11 (₹599) are standard in flats. For the guard room, a wall-mountable phone with a display like the Beetel B25 (₹650) is handy. Compare models in the landline phone price guide.
- Telephone cable: one pair to every flat, run up the service shaft or riser. Every extra metre adds up across 20 or 30 flats, so measure carefully.
- MDF boxes beside the exchange, so each flat's cable lands on a labelled terminal. Our 10-pair box takes 10 flats; use one box per 10 flats.
- Rosettes in each flat, so residents can plug their phone where they like.
- Power backup: put the exchange on the society's inverter or DG supply so the gate can reach flats during a power cut.
The wiring steps are in how an EPABX is wired.
Shopping list: 24-flat society
Assumed: 24 flats, 1 guard room phone and 1 society office phone, so 26 points; average cable run of 30 m from the guard room to each flat.
| Item | Qty assumed | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Combo-CN278 (CCL 26-line PAX + 26 Beetel C11) | 1 kit | ₹29,750 |
| TW-2P telephone wire, 90 m | 10 rolls (26 × 30 m + 10%) | ₹17,990 |
| 10-pair MDF box | 3 | ₹2,697 |
| ROS-11 rosettes, pack of 10 | 3 packs | ₹1,047 |
| Total material | ₹51,484 |
That is about ₹2,145 per flat before electrician labour. Cable is the biggest variable: a compact building with 15 m runs needs half as much. Buying the 26-line PAX (₹8,700) and 26 C11 phones (₹15,574) separately adds up to ₹24,274, but we had only 14 C11s in stock on the date below, so the kit is the practical route for a full building.
Smaller and larger societies
- Up to 14 flats: Combo-CN16 (CCL 216 + 16 Beetel C11) at ₹18,399. The two line ports let the office connect a landline or SIM.
- 28 to 29 flats with an office number: Combo-CN106 (CCL 232 + 32 Beetel C11) at ₹36,500.
- Bigger buildings: 40, 60 and 80-line PAX units from ₹15,900, plus one phone per flat.
Optional upgrades
- A second guard phone at the main gate and the back gate, on separate extensions.
- Visitor control: card or face access at the pedestrian gate and a boom or sliding gate for cars. Our housing society gate security guide covers these, and the housing society solutions page lists the products.
- Office landline or SIM: choose an EPABX with line ports, such as the CCL 216B or 232B, instead of a PAX.
See all models in EPABX systems and kits in intercom and telephone combos. For full price lists by size, read the EPABX price guide.
FAQ
What is the best intercom system for an apartment society?
For flat-to-guard calling, a wired PAX or EPABX in the guard room with one phone per flat is simple and has no running cost. Choose a PAX for internal calls only, or an EPABX if the office also needs an outside line.
How much does a society intercom cost per flat?
On our store a 26-point kit with phones costs ₹29,750. With cable, MDF boxes and rosettes for a 24-flat building, material comes to about ₹2,145 per flat before labour.
Does a society intercom need internet or monthly charges?
No. A PAX or EPABX runs on its own telephone cable. Calls between flats and the gate are free, and there is no subscription.
What is the difference between a PAX and an EPABX?
A PAX handles internal calls only and has no outside line ports. An EPABX does the same internal calling and also connects landlines or SIM gateways for outside calls.
Can we add more flats to the intercom later?
Only up to the exchange's rated capacity. The CCL 34-line PAX, for example, is listed as not extendable, so size for the full building plus a few spare points.
Where should the society intercom exchange be installed?
In the guard room or society office, on a dry indoor wall near a power point on inverter or DG backup, with MDF boxes beside it for the flat cables.
Prices are NavKar Systems website prices on 27 October 2026, inclusive of GST, and may change.
