Improving How Intercom Calls Are Heard, Received, and Logged

Clear two-way communication is at the heart of a great intercom experience, helping organizations impress visitors and make confident entry decisions. At Verkada, we pride ourselves on delivering an excellent calling experience, from the moment a visitor presses the intercom button to the moment someone plays back the call recording in Verkada Command. To make this end-to-end experience even better, we're excited to announce a series of updates improving how intercom calls are heard, received, and logged.

How Calls Are Heard: Better Audio, Inside and Out

Poor audio quality can frustrate callers and receivers alike. On the caller’s side, the audio transmitted back to the intercom speaker can sound inconsistent depending on the receiver’s device, whether it’s a VoIP phone, a landline, or a Verkada application like Desk Station. On the receiver’s side, background noise in loud outdoor environments can make it hard to hear what the caller is saying.

That's why we're excited to announce the following key improvements.

Automatic Gain Control (AGC)

We've added AGC, which automatically normalizes the incoming audio signal based on a desired target volume. For example, if audio from a Desk Station is too quiet, the intercom will increase the gain. Conversely, if a VoIP phone's volume is too loud, the gain will be decreased. The result is a consistent speaker volume for the caller, regardless of the device the receiver is using, how loudly the receiver is talking, and how close the receiver is to their device.

In addition to normalizing volume, we are making the speaker volume even louder with a new volume overdrive setting. We've also recalibrated the volume slider in Command for a louder baseline sound, and incremental adjustments to the slider no longer result in dramatic jumps in perceived loudness. These updates are especially valuable in noisy environments like truck drive-ups, where every decibel counts.

Upgraded Media Pipeline for Verkada Command

Last year, we upgraded our media pipeline to use a full-band codec, helping ensure that the full spectrum of a caller’s voice reaches the receiver. This update was made available on Verkada Pass App (iOS), Command mobile (iOS), and Desk Station (iOS), and we're now bringing the same high-fidelity experience to Verkada Command on the web. With this addition, most first-party Verkada applications used to receive intercom calls will deliver the same, excellent audio experience.

How Calls Are Received: Accessibility and Control

Even with crystal-clear audio, other challenges can arise along the receiving experience. Some receivers may struggle to hear what’s being said due to their environment or hearing abilities. Others may use landline or VOIP phones and lack the readily integrated video context needed to form a fast, effective response. And in some cases, a call can’t be answered at all, requiring an automated message to guide the caller. 

With the following updates, organizations can better tackle these concerns and further optimize the receiving experience.

Live Caption

With this feature, intercom calls answered using Verkada Desk Station and Pass App (iOS) are captioned in real time, allowing receivers to clearly see what callers are saying. This helps ensure that everyone can effectively respond to a call, whether they’re in a loud environment or have a hearing impairment. If the caller begins to speak in a different language, the intercom will be able to auto-detect and transcribe the new language. The beta launch will support English, Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, and Dutch.

Improved Viewing Station Integration

For customers using Verkada Viewing Station, we’ve introduced an integration that automatically displays and expands feeds from relevant intercom cameras and context cameras when a call comes in. This integrated view helps receivers make informed entry decisions, faster. Learn more [here].

AI-Generated Messages

Sometimes a call can’t be answered—whether it’s after hours or during a lockdown. While admins previously had the option to upload or record their own voice messages, we've made the process even easier. Admins can now type a message and leverage AI to convert their text into a clean, professional audio message, ready to be incorporated into their call flows. Users will be able to generate messages in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Korean.

How Calls Are Logged: Enhanced Transcriptions

Every intercom call is centrally logged in Command to support compliance and investigations. Each call event includes a timeline of the call, video and voice recording, and a call transcription where applicable. We’re excited to announce that these transcriptions now support nine additional languages, expanding the number of calls that can be accurately transcribed and logged. Support languages include English, Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, and Dutch.

Availability

Live caption will be available in Command at the end of October, and the rest of these improvements will be available in Command on October 9, 2025 for all regions. The improved Viewing Station integration will be supported on all video intercoms (TD52, TD53, TD63, TD33), and the rest of these improvements will be supported on all intercoms (TD52, TD53, TD63, TD33, and TA43). To learn more, contact your Verkada sales representative at [email protected].