Welcome to the Virtual Doorman: Foxsys ushers in remote security for smart buildings

May 23, 2024

Foxsys is pioneering innovative building security services across Uruguay. The company’s Virtual Doorman solution secures more than 400 residential and commercial buildings that house nearly 30,000 occupants. At the core of Foxsys' remote security, a centralized operations center has Milestone open platform video management software (VMS) uniting various cameras, access control, and other sensors into a single pane of glass interface.

Customer
Foxsys
400 buildings
30,000 occupants
Location
Montevideo, Uruguay
Device count
6,500 mixed IP models
Milestone technology
XProtect® VMS, XProtect® Smart Wall
Milestone Federated Architecture (MFA)
Milestone Integration Platform (MIP)
License Plate Recognition (LPR)
Integrations
Foxsys Virtual Doorman
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) video intercoms
Access Control, Facial Recognition
Rapid REVIEW analytics, Video Synopsis®
Partner(s)
Foxsys
80 operators
20 workstations
Challenge: balancing costs and effectiveness in building security

Foxsys faced the challenge of reducing high security costs while maintaining effective security services for residential and commercial buildings. They needed to incorporate new technology and centralize multiple security functions to provide cost-effective solutions — without compromising quality of service.

Solution: a centralized, open-platform command center

Foxsys deployed a central command center model called the "Virtual Doorman" to provide remote security services. By integrating Milestone's open platform video management software with a mix of cameras, access control, analytics, and other sensors, Foxsys monitors multiple properties from a single location with a Milestone XProtect Smart Wall. This innovative approach enabled cost-effective, scalable and efficient security while maintaining a high level of service.

Result: transforming the security landscape one building at a time

In just two years, the Foxsys Virtual Doorman solution has proven its effectiveness.

Over 300 criminal events have been successfully deterred, and the centralized approach has resulted in 5 times the cost savings compared to traditional guarding staff services.

The system has also enhanced building access control and quick resolution of technical issues, setting the foundation for broader smart city deployments across Uruguay.

The Virtual Doorman

Founded in 2011 as a traditional systems integrator, Montevideo-based Foxsys changed its business model in 2017 to focus exclusively on smart residential and commercial building services. They aimed to reduce security costs by combining video management, monitoring, access control, perimeter detection, and concierge services across multiple properties — all from a centralized command center.

Foxsys coined the term "Virtual Doorman" or "remote concierge" to describe its centralized command center model. Instead of a security guard staffing the front desk of every building, Foxsys monitors video feeds, access control, and other sensors from its remote, central facility using the XProtect open platform VMS from Milestone Systems.

The Virtual Doorman solution consists of three core components:

  • Perimeter protection. Customized cameras on building exteriors detect motion and intrusions to see people loitering in unauthorized areas, sending an alert to the Milestone XProtect VMS which immediately displays alarms for operators to activate a high-powered horn and deter crimes in progress. They can also address potential intruders through loudspeakers on the properties.
  • Access control. Visitors, guests, and delivery drivers are remotely granted entry by Foxsys operators via intercoms and mobile credentials. Garage and parking barriers open automatically for residents’ vehicles, detected by cameras equipped with license plate recognition (LPR). Door events and alarms are synchronized in the VMS for fast response and investigations.
  • Maintenance monitoring. Equipment failures, including elevator malfunctions, relayed over intercoms, are rapidly detected. The VMS ties video to alarms for visual verification. Foxsys initiates work orders so issues are promptly resolved.
Powerful integrations day or night

Foxsys has deployed over 6,500 IP cameras across Uruguay, all streaming live to its video management servers. The centralized XProtect installation brings together video data from approximately 18 cameras per building to achieve economies of scale. Alarm events also trigger video pop-ups on monitoring workstations.

The open platform architecture enables tight integration with leading technologies:

  • Specialized cameras provide high-quality night vision video. Dual lens cameras simultaneously overview wide scenes and capture zoomed-in details.
  • Cameras equipped with LPR scan garages and auto gates, automatically logging residents entering and exiting.
  • SIP-enabled video intercoms allow remote communication, unlock doors via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF), and link access events with video.
Our philosophy is to have the best corporate solution so we can offer a stable and robust service that is free from inconveniences. And we can expand it because it is scalable, modular, and open for us to enhance building and resident safety today as well as into the future.
- Juan Martín González Dibarboure, co-founder and CEO of Foxsys
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