Brivo Mobile Pass: phone-as-credential, done right
Brivo Mobile Pass turns iOS and Android smartphones into encrypted access credentials over Bluetooth and NFC. JB Technologies is an authorized Brivo installer rolling out Mobile Pass deployments across Georgia, replacing legacy plastic-card programs with self-service mobile credentials that are instantly issuable, instantly revocable, and dramatically cheaper to operate at scale.
The credential lives inside the Brivo Mobile Pass app, which is downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Once an administrator issues a Mobile Pass from Brivo Access, the user receives an invitation by email, installs the app, and activates the credential. After that, the phone unlocks compatible Brivo Smart Readers, SmartLocks, and other Mobile-Pass-ready hardware automatically when held near the reader.
Reader compatibility: Wave, SmartLock, SmartReader
Mobile Pass works with Brivo's full Smart Reader lineup. The Wave multi-tech series is the most common pairing because it supports Mobile Pass alongside legacy card formats, simplifying the transition period when a building has both card holders and mobile credential holders simultaneously. Brivo SmartLock wireless locks, designed for interior doors, amenity spaces, and back-of-house openings, also accept Mobile Pass directly. For perimeter and high-traffic doors, the standalone SmartReader extends the same Mobile Pass experience to controlled openings that do not need full panel-grade hardware.
Mobile Pass also reads cleanly through HID Signo readers when a customer has standardized on a HID credential program, which lets JBT mix Brivo Mobile Pass into an existing HID infrastructure without ripping out reader hardware.
Bluetooth vs NFC vs reader-presented unlock
Brivo Mobile Pass supports several unlock modes that JBT configures during commissioning. Bluetooth-presented unlock detects the credential at a configurable range and is the standard mode for most installations: the user approaches the door, taps the phone or simply waves it near the reader, and the door unlocks. NFC unlock requires closer-range presentation and is preferred for high-security doors where unintentional unlocks at range are a concern. Some installations use a hands-free or twist-to-go option that grants access when the phone is held in proximity, which works well for high-traffic openings like garage roll-up gates and turnstile lanes.
Selecting the right mode per door depends on traffic patterns, security tier, and how the door behaves during a busy ingress period. JBT walks through this configuration with customer security teams during the design phase.
Administrative model: provisioning and revocation
Mobile Pass administration happens inside Brivo Access alongside card credentials. An administrator selects a user, issues a Mobile Pass, and the system handles the email invitation, app activation, and binding to the user's specific access group. Revocation is instant: a single click in the dashboard kills the credential, and the next time the device attempts to unlock a door, the platform denies access and logs the attempt.
For customers with SCIM provisioning from Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, or Workday, Mobile Pass credentials are issued and revoked automatically as part of the HR lifecycle. JBT routinely configures this integration so that the day an employee is terminated in HR, their physical access disappears without anyone touching the Brivo dashboard manually.
When Mobile Pass is the right move
Mobile Pass economics improve dramatically once a building has more than fifty active users. Plastic-card programs carry recurring costs in printer maintenance, card stock, ribbons, and printing labor that disappear with mobile credentials. The credential is also more secure: phones are protected by biometrics, lockscreens, and remote-wipe capabilities, none of which apply to a lost or stolen badge.
The transition rarely happens overnight. JBT typically rolls out Mobile Pass in waves, starting with full-time employees on a known device platform, expanding to part-time staff, and eventually moving visitor and contractor flows. Plastic cards remain in service for visitors, environments where phones are restricted, and any user who declines the mobile option. The Wave Smart Reader pattern handles both populations on the same hardware throughout the transition.
A JBT Mobile Pass deployment in practice
A typical JBT Mobile Pass project starts with a reader audit to confirm which existing readers support Mobile Pass natively versus which need replacement with Wave readers. We then configure Mobile Pass in Brivo Access, define unlock modes per door, set up SCIM or manual provisioning, and run a pilot group through a structured activation and feedback cycle. Once the pilot is stable, we scale issuance across the user base and decommission the badge printer program.
Call (770) 637-2094 to plan a Brivo Mobile Pass rollout for your Georgia property.
Frequently asked questions
How does Brivo Mobile Pass actually unlock a door?
Mobile Pass uses Bluetooth Low Energy and NFC. The user's phone holds a cryptographic credential issued from Brivo Access; when the phone comes within range of a Brivo Wave reader (or another Mobile Pass-capable reader), the credential is presented over BLE — the user taps a button in the Brivo Mobile Pass app, taps the reader with NFC, or uses the touchless tap-to-unlock motion depending on how the door is configured. The reader validates the credential against the controller's cached rules and unlocks the door. The entire exchange completes in well under a second.
Do my existing readers work with Brivo Mobile Pass?
Only Mobile Pass-capable readers will work. The Brivo Wave reader family supports Mobile Pass natively. Many recent HID Signo readers also support Mobile Pass when configured. Legacy 125 kHz prox readers, older multi-tech readers without BLE, and reader models more than ~5 years old will not — those need replacement. JBT's typical scope starts with a reader audit: we walk every door, document the reader model and firmware, and produce a swap list before quoting the Mobile Pass rollout.
What does a typical Mobile Pass install scope look like at JBT?
A typical scope covers: reader audit and replacement list, Brivo Wave reader swap on incompatible doors (OSDP secure channel wiring back to existing panels), Mobile Pass module licensing in Brivo Access, unlock-mode configuration per door (touchless tap, tap-to-unlock, BLE-only, NFC-only, BLE+card hybrid), SCIM or manual user provisioning, pilot deployment to 10–20 users for a 1–2 week feedback cycle, then full-population rollout. We do not rip-and-replace working hardware that already supports Mobile Pass.
How are Mobile Pass credentials issued and revoked?
Brivo Access issues credentials over email or SMS invitation: the user installs the Brivo Mobile Pass app, accepts the invite, and the credential downloads silently. JBT typically wires this into the customer's HRIS via SCIM so onboarding/offboarding is fully automated — a new hire triggers an automatic Mobile Pass invite, and a terminated employee's credential is revoked the same moment their HR record is disabled. Revocation is real-time once the phone has cloud connectivity; for offline phones, the door-side rule cache enforces revocation as soon as the panel next reaches the cloud.
What if a user does not want to install the app or does not have a smartphone?
JBT's standard recommendation is hybrid: Mobile Pass for employees who want it, encrypted smart cards (OSDP) for everyone else, visitors, and contractors. The Brivo Wave reader handles both on the same hardware, so there is no parallel reader infrastructure to maintain. We rarely see deployments where 100% of the user base goes mobile-only — the hybrid model also gives you a fallback during a phone-app outage or a credential reset workflow.
Does Mobile Pass work during a Brivo cloud outage or phone-internet outage?
Yes, on both counts. Brivo controllers cache the user database and credential list locally, so the door continues to validate Mobile Pass credentials against the most recent cached rules during a cloud outage. The credential itself is also cached on the user's phone, so the phone-side BLE/NFC exchange does not require live internet — the phone presents the credential, the reader validates against the controller's local cache, and the door unlocks. What you lose during an outage is the ability to issue or revoke credentials in real time.
What does Mobile Pass licensing cost?
Mobile Pass is licensed per-user as an add-on to the underlying Brivo Access subscription. Brivo prices it in credential bundles — JBT sizes the bundle against the customer's headcount including a reasonable buffer for new hires and contractor credentials. Across most JBT deployments, the all-in cost (license + reader replacement amortized over hardware life) is comparable to or lower than running a badge printer program, once you factor in card stock, ribbons, printer maintenance, and IT labor for badge re-issuance.
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