Are intercoms at gates still used and useful?

Yes. An intercom is the system that allows you to communicate with visitors at your gate or door. An audio intercom will allow you to speak to and hear the visitor at the gate as well as open the gate or door. Inside the home you will have a handset (almost like a phone) with a speaker and microphone. Outside the gate there will be a similar microphone and speaker (but they are fixed inside a metal box to prevent vandalism and protect from the rain). Pressing the call button on the intercom at the gate causes the intercom to ring in the house – alerting you that there is a visitor. You simply pick up the handset to talk to them. A button on the handset allows you to open the gate from the house.