Summary
Challenge
- Residents experienced unreliable signal
- Mobile Network Operator announced end-of-life which concerned residents
- Needed reliable coverage to video call friends and family in 112 units across 3 floors
Solution
- Cel-Fi QUATRA
Results
- Staff & residents now enjoy reliable signal
The Challenge
In a Summerset Retirement village, residents can continue to live the life they choose, with a large range of facilities, care and support available. At Ellerslie’s Summerset at Heritage Park, the retirement village’s main building has 112 units with self-contained homes with varying levels of support. Community and connectivity is a major part of the benefits that Summerset aims to offer to its residents – with activities such as weekly happy hour, workshops and fitness groups.
Following the announcement that Vodafone Sure Signal was reaching end-of-life, residents expressed concerns. A patchy and unreliable signal was already an issue Summerset residents were no strangers to. From independent and supported care, right through to 24-hour nursing care, communication remains essential for both residents and nursing staff.
Management at the Summerset Ellerslie Village was left wondering what they would do to solve this problem that affected health and safety compliance. This vibrant community is also reliant on access to cellular data to stay connected to their friends and family via video calling and social media. Summerset’s management understood the importance of maintaining their residents’ independence, so they could not be left without cellular data and signal.
The Solution
One of Powertec’s authorised installers, Remote Networks, completed a site assessment to determine the project scope and layout. As the solution was required to completely saturate multiple floors with a signal, Cel-Fi QUATRA was selected as the best Vodafone option.
Cel-Fi QUATRA typically can cover a much larger area with signal and is best suited to large coverage solutions. Two network units were paired with two MIMO antennas on each floor. These network units were then connected to an additional eight coverage units on the ground, first and second floor of the building. In order to capture sufficient signal from the local tower, two Blackhawk MIMO antennas were mounted onto a 1.6-metre mast at the peak of the roof.
As this building was already established, Remote Networks needed to work around fire seals and thick concrete walls. Again, Cel-Fi QUATRA was selected as it negates traditional installation techniques, also allowing the Remote Networks to use the existing Ethernet cabling and saving the client cost of product, time and money. As a result of the successful installation at the Ellerslie site, two additional Summerset sites are being evaluated to rollout Cel-Fi QUATRA solutions.
Products used in this installation:
- 24 x Cel-Fi QUATRA coverage units supporting Vodafone
- 6 x Cel-Fi QUATRA network units
- 6 x Blackhawk MIMO external antennas
The Results
Both staff and residents are now enjoying a carrier-approved, boosted signal on the first three floors, across 112 units in the Ellerslie building. Cel-Fi QUATRA has effectively and easily replaced the now terminated product, Vodafone Sure Signal. Previously, a patchy signal of 0-3 bars at best was available. Cel-Fi QUATRA now serves as a reliable back-up should landlines be effected in an emergency situation.
This installation has greatly improved workplace health and safety across the entire facility. An added benefit of using Cel-Fi QUATRA is extended mobile phone battery life. The users’ phones no longer needed to waste battery power searching for a signal, as a strong and reliable signal is readily available at all times.
- High-quality solution for the middleprise
- Supports multi-carrier 3G/4G/LTE voice and data
- Carrier-approved and unconditionally network safe
- Can be monitored and managed using Cel-Fi WAVE
Contact us today to help with your Cellular Coverage Problems
This Cel-Fi installation was undertaken by our partners, in which Cel-Fi has a global footprint in almost 100 countries. For a referral to a local expert in your area, please contact us via phone or email.