Akuvox vs Hikvision intercoms — NDAA and Australian apartment buildings
Last updated June 2026. First-party position based on 15+ years of Brisbane and Gold Coast apartment-building installs by Jarrod Edwards (owner of Mr Secured Pty Ltd, trading as Intercom Solutions). We install Akuvox. We do not install Hikvision intercoms under any circumstances. This page explains why, in detail.
TL;DR — our position
We install Akuvox as the primary apartment-building intercom brand because it delivers best-in-class smartphone app maturity, body-corporate-friendly per-unit cost, and Korean-engineered supply-chain transparency. We do not install Hikvision intercoms because the same NDAA Section 889 supply-chain concerns that apply to Hikvision CCTV apply to Hikvision intercom hardware — and Australian Signals Directorate guidance has been clear about Chinese-government-affiliated security hardware on sensitive sites. For body corporate buildings storing resident phone numbers, gate-unlock audit logs, and video call history, the cybersecurity-certification gap is material.
What NDAA Section 889 actually says
NDAA Section 889 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019) prohibits US federal agencies from procuring telecommunications and video surveillance equipment from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, Dahua, and their affiliates. The intent is to limit Chinese-government-affiliated surveillance hardware in critical infrastructure. The ban applies to:
- US federal procurement (direct)
- Federal contractors and subcontractors
- Indirect procurement via grant-funded programmes
The Australian regulatory position is not a legal ban for general residential or commercial use, but Australian Signals Directorate has flagged concerns about Chinese-government-affiliated CCTV and intercom hardware on sensitive Australian sites. Major Australian federal departments have removed Hikvision and Dahua deployments from sensitive sites. For an authoritative deep-dive on the CCTV side see our parent business’s Mr Secured Dahua vs Hikvision Australia explainer.
Why NDAA matters for apartment-building intercoms specifically
Apartment building intercoms store and process meaningful personal data:
- Resident phone numbers for SmartPlus app pairing
- Video call recordings when residents receive calls
- Gate-unlock audit logs showing who accessed the building when
- RFID credential records for resident access
- Building manager admin credentials with system-wide access
If this data is exfiltrated via supply-chain compromise, the residents face a privacy breach. Body corporate insurers and strata managers increasingly require cybersecurity-certification evidence at quote stage — Akuvox’s ISO 27001 audited status answers this question; Hikvision’s parent-company structure complicates the answer.
Akuvox cybersecurity position
- Korean-engineered (Akuvox HQ in Xiamen but with significant Korean R&D and Korean engineering leadership)
- ISO 27001 audited information security management
- Quarterly firmware update cadence
- Akuvox SmartPlus Cloud hosted on AWS regional infrastructure
- Multi-factor authentication on cloud admin
- Audit log retention for tenant turnover events
Hikvision intercom position (why we don’t install)
- Subject to NDAA Section 889 ban (federal US procurement)
- Parent company has Chinese-government ownership relationship
- Australian Signals Directorate concerns apply to all Hikvision security hardware
- Supply-chain auditability gap — Australian distributor relationships less transparent than Akuvox/2N
- App stack (Hik-Connect, Hik-Central) less mature than Akuvox SmartPlus for body corporate admin
- Cybersecurity certifications less publicly documented
What about Dahua intercoms?
Dahua’s Australian-distributed CCTV range is NDAA-compliant via specific export-variant approvals — Mr Secured installs Dahua CCTV widely. But Dahua’s apartment-building intercom range does not have the same export-variant compliance programme, and the smartphone app stack is materially behind Akuvox for body-corporate admin needs. For apartment-building intercom specifically, Akuvox is the right answer over Dahua intercom.
What about 2N intercoms?
2N is Czech-engineered (Axis Communications subsidiary). 2N intercoms are entirely outside the NDAA / ASD supply-chain concern category. We install 2N as the premium-tier alternative to Akuvox for body corporate buildings prioritising hardware longevity at ~25% higher per-unit cost. See full Akuvox vs 2N vs Aiphone comparison.
If your body corporate already has Hikvision intercoms installed
If your building has Hikvision intercom hardware already installed, this doesn’t mean immediate emergency. But it does mean:
- Plan replacement at next intercom modernisation — typically driven by hardware end-of-life, app obsolescence, or strata budget approval cycle
- Isolate the intercom network from the broader building network if possible — VLAN segmentation
- Manage firmware updates on the manufacturer cadence — don’t skip updates
- Audit your strata insurance policy — some Australian strata insurers now exclude or sub-limit cyber-related claims for sensitive data breaches involving certain hardware brands
- Ask for replacement quote — we provide Akuvox modernisation quotes for existing Hikvision-installed buildings; typically 4-12 weeks to plan and execute
What we install for body corporate buildings
Standard install for a 40-unit body corporate apartment building:
- 1× Akuvox R29S front-entrance panel (PoE+, 4MP camera, RFID reader, keypad, vandal-resistant)
- 1× Akuvox X912 concierge / common-area panel
- 40× Akuvox IT82 indoor monitors (or app-only configuration)
- 5-year Akuvox SmartPlus Cloud subscription with 40 resident credentials
- Lift integration via dry contact, IP relay, or destination control
- 5-year Bronze maintenance contract (with Silver/Gold upgrade options)
~$28,000 over 5 years = $700 per unit. See full pricing breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hikvision banned in Australia?
Not legally banned for general residential or commercial use. Banned for US federal procurement under NDAA Section 889. Australian Signals Directorate has flagged concerns about Chinese-government-affiliated security hardware on sensitive Australian government sites — and major Australian federal departments have removed Hikvision deployments accordingly.
Do you install Hikvision intercoms under any circumstances?
No. Mr Secured Pty Ltd and the Intercom Solutions trading division do not install Hikvision intercom hardware under any circumstances. This position has been consistent since 2019 when the NDAA Section 889 ban took effect.
What’s the alternative if a body corporate already has Hikvision intercoms?
Akuvox modernisation. Typical pathway: 4-12 week project including AGM proposal, removal of existing Hikvision hardware, Akuvox R29S + IT82 install, SmartPlus Cloud setup, lift integration handover, strata-search documentation. Cost typically $28,000-$36,000 for a 40-unit building depending on cable backbone condition.
Are Akuvox intercoms more expensive than Hikvision?
At hardware level, Akuvox is roughly comparable in per-unit cost. The total cost difference comes from the cloud subscription (Akuvox SmartPlus is a separately-licensed product) and from authorised-installer fee structure. The 5-year TCO for an Akuvox install at $700/unit is competitive with what most body corporates would pay for a Hikvision install via grey-market channels.
Can we trust Akuvox supply chain more than Hikvision?
Akuvox holds ISO 27001 certification and operates under the Australian distributor (BGW Technologies) authorised-installer programme. This means: hardware comes through Australian distribution with audit trail, firmware updates flow through the official channel, replacement modules ship from Australian stock. Hikvision’s Australian distribution relationships are less transparent and the cybersecurity certifications are less publicly documented.
What about the Akuvox-China connection?
Akuvox HQ is in Xiamen, China. The company is privately held (not Chinese-government-affiliated like Hikvision). Engineering leadership is significantly Korean. The product range is sold internationally and the company has been responsive to Western cybersecurity audit requirements (hence ISO 27001 status). The honest framing: Akuvox is not equivalent to a Western-only brand like 2N (Czech) or Aiphone (Japan), but the cybersecurity-certification position is materially stronger than Hikvision.