Imagine coming home late at night and your lift suddenly stops between two floors. You try to use the intercom to report the incident, but the alarm doesn't work. This scenario could become a reality for thousands of users in Luxembourg and Belgium as 2G and 3G networks are phased out between 2025 and 2030. It’s a development that will render obsolete lift remote alarm systems based on these technologies.

At Kone, a major player in elevator services sector, the figures speak for themselves: two-thirds of the lifts it maintains in the two countries are affected. In all, 25,000 lifts will have to be modernised to remain operational.

To support property managers in this transition, Kone has developed a turnkey solution, replacing the old systems with a 4G module equipped with a multi-operator SIM card, coupled with the Kone 24/7 Connect maintenance platform. The new module provides a reliable link between the cabin and service centre, while monitoring equipment status in real time. According to the company, this system can prevent 95% of potential faults, halve breakdowns and extend the lifespan of lifts.

50% 4G lifts by 2030

"In condominiums, replacing current systems with 4G-compatible modules would cost just a few dozen euros per resident," the group said in a press release. "It is essential for the safety of users to ensure that lift remote alarms are compatible with the 4G network. Over and above their necessity, these updates represent a real asset enhancement for all building owners and managers, thanks to the modernisation of equipment made possible by the new installations", stated Jérôme Féré, director of repair at Kone France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

While the upgrade of remote alarms concerns all types of building, almost 60% of the lifts managed by the outfit are in residential buildings. So the company is therefore targeting this segment as a priority for the roll-out of its offering, with the aim of equipping 50% of its fleet with Kone 24/7 Connect by 2030. To bring this transformation to fruition, 1,500 specialists have been mobilised.

Founded in Finland, Kone supplies lifts, escalators and automatic doors, as well as maintenance and modernisation solutions for the entire life cycle of buildings. In 2022, the company posted sales of €10.9bn and employed 60,000 people worldwide.

Read the original French-language version of this news report /