Page 14 - DECT Today - Issue 1 - April 2014

DECT CASE STUDY PUC Basel's procurement specification for fast escalation of alarms and rapid assistance new IP network meant an expansion would their new alarm and communication system were of central importance. not generate any problems, and helping to was highly comprehensive (see below) but future-proof the Ascom IP-DECT system. was met with high efficiency by the Ascom IP-DECT prevails IP-DECT system. Ascom continues to develop its solution with new functions such as It was clear to Toni Huwyler and his team location-based services being added. right from the start that a system fulfilling such high demands would not be easy to find. The apparently suitable technologies of If you do it, then do it right different bidders were therefore evaluated. A Voice over Wi-Fi solution was not In the case of the PUC, it was not acceptable because of expected problems with dissatisfaction with the old system which led the required high reliability and coverage as to its discontinuation and the search for a well as high investment costs and other new solution. What triggered it was the issues. Other solutions, designed to release of the operating frequencies of this accomplish localisation with CFIT and GSM, type of system for public use. This led to produced unsatisfactory results. A GSM-based increasingly stronger overlapping of CTS solution was also rejected because PUC PUC decided to implement the project in frequencies with GSM signals, so safe and wanted to be autonomous with the stages due to its complexity. To ensure reliable alarm transmission in an emergency communication solution on the site and was seamless coverage and reliable localisation, could thus no longer be guaranteed. If the not willing to be exposed to the risks of a extensive measurements were made on the system had to be replaced, then it has to be network overload or a collapse of the grounds of the clinic. The deployment of done right, said Toni Huwyler, the building network. around 150 DECT base stations and 10 and safety manager, and his team. The evaluation produced one clear winner gateways distributed in all buildings and The target was the integration of the PUC's able to safely fulfil all defined requirements at around the grounds ensure that safe alarm existing analogue wireless telephony, the reasonable expense and need for investment: transmission, interactive voice traffic, and personal protection system (Ascom P900), the the IP-DECT system from Ascom, tried and reliable and accurate localisation of personal emergency call system (Ascom T900) tested in the hard every day routine of endangered persons is guaranteed even in and the medical emergency radio (handset) countless companies and institutions, remote corners and basements, and in the onto one platform. The central specifications emerged as clear winner from the evaluation. underground energy supply system. which the new system had to fulfil were An essential feature here was that the Voice communication was ported onto the defined by the PUC team in an ambitious, 16- heart of the system, the Ascom Unite new system in a further step. Alarm point requirement specification. professional messaging and alarm suite, can transmission on the old system continued to Being mission-critical meant that it must be customised to the relevant needs, can run during this time. Since one of the be an autonomous, integrated alarm and integrate a large number of systems from conditions was to operate fixed and wireless communication system that could offer all widely differing manufacturers and functions, telephony simultaneously in parallel, a further functions reliably across the campus through and can take over existing alarm dispositions. technical challenge arose. The PUC wanted to a handset with automatic alarm transmission A key feature of the Ascom solution is its avoid employees having to switch from a desk capability, even if the public power supply separation of voice and alarm transmission. phone to a handset while mobile as people system should fail. Alarm transmission and Emergency calls and alarm messages are often forgot to do this so making them less telephony, as well as fixed and mobile transmitted directly between the Ascom Unite available, so people had to be reachable communication should be separate, and alarm server and the mobile terminals on simultaneously on both their fixed phones and alarm escalation and interactive messaging channels reserved especially for this. The their handsets. should be guaranteed. An absolute Ascom IP-DECT system is also almost precondition was that the new system must infinitely scalable. It can operate up to 1,000 Alarm language, difficult reliably facilitate the complete combination base stations and 10,000 mobile phones language of zone and fine localisation of persons in resulting in few limits to its expansion. These distress in both the buildings and the properties as well as its use of IP networking With voice mastered, alarm transmission with grounds; the old system had offered this and the fact that the platform is being the following categories were integrated: function only via infra-red in individual continuously extended make the IP-DECT personal alarm, fire alarm, reanimation alarm buildings. Because of the special risks that system safe for the future, not only with as well as the clinic alarm, which in each case can come from patients, the requirement for regard to technology, but also by offering top goes to all phones. The fact that existing alarm quality investment protection without logic could be incorporated into the new comparison on the market. system made things much easier and saved resources. At the same time, revising or extending alarm deployments represented a A complete alarm and communication system challenge for the team, since changes needed to be planned. This involved intensive Installation plans for the PUC's new campus communication with individual departments system did not initially include its eight before they could be programmed in the branches although, if connection were needed Ascom Unite alarm server. Essentially, it was a later, the ease of installing and configuring a question of making alarm escalation processes ➔ 14 DECT Today - The Success Story Continues · www.dect.org