Blog / How to Choose a Local Buzzer Number or Buzzer App in Canada
How to Choose a Local Buzzer Number or Buzzer App in Canada
By Ty · 2026-09-09
You have moved into a Canadian condo, but your building wants a local buzzer number and your mobile number is from somewhere else. You want to keep the number everyone already has. You would also like your roommate to answer deliveries instead of every visitor depending on you.
A separate buzzer number can solve the first problem. What happens after someone buzzes determines whether you also need shared calling or automatic access. Choose around your actual arrivals, not just the area code.
How to fix it
Start with the simplest option that covers your household. If you can already receive buzzer calls on your mobile, you may not need a separate number at all. If you need several people to answer, or want your dog walker to get in while you are busy, look beyond basic forwarding.
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Use your existing mobile number | No extra service to manage | Must meet the building’s calling requirements; you answer the call |
| Ask your building manager about additional phone numbers | Uses the building’s existing features | Additional recipients depend on the building’s system |
| Use a separate number for call forwarding | Keeps your personal number while meeting local calling requirements | Someone still needs to answer and release the door |
| Lowkey | A buzzer number, shared access and automatic entry for expected visitors | Quick one-time setup with your building |
Think through three situations: a delivery while you are at work, a friend visiting when your roommate is home, and a cleaner arriving every week. If you are happy answering each call, ordinary forwarding may be enough. If missed calls are the reason people keep getting stuck outside, automation addresses that problem more directly.
For shared calling, find out what happens when one phone goes to voicemail. You want another household member to have a useful chance to answer. The roommate buzzer guide covers the trade-offs between sharing calls and sharing visitor access.
For automatic access, decide whether you want a visitor to enter a passcode or arrive within a scheduled window. A passcode gives an expected visitor a specific way in; a schedule is convenient for recurring visits. Keep those settings tied to the people and times you actually need.
When choosing a separate number, ask your building manager about its local calling requirements before arranging the change. You can keep your personal mobile number. Our guides for Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary explain that part of the setup. Compare billing periods as well as advertised monthly amounts so you know whether you are choosing annual or monthly billing.
Where Lowkey helps
Lowkey combines a buzzer number with shared access, visitor passcodes and scheduled entry, so you can keep your mobile number and stop organizing your day around the intercom. Give your building manager the virtual number, then manage access from the app with nothing to install or rewire. Your visitors dial your apartment’s directory entry first and enter their passcode when prompted. Lowkey opens the building entrance so they can come up to your apartment door.