A structured solution

Mary MacKillop Care (SA) Ltd (MMCSA) provides a valuable service running a group of aged care facilities in South Australia. As a facilitator for care of the elderly, fast and efficient communications networks are imperative to MMCSA, as outdated and ineffective systems can essentially put people’s lives at risk.

MMCSA had found that it had outgrown its existing phone system, which lacked desired contemporary features. An additional driver was the requirement for a new wing to house staff, after administrative consolidation of the group.

One of the major challenges faced was that existing areas of the facility were cabled for telephony using a simple 2-pair telephone cable. This meant that implementation of a system with IP handsets was out of the question. In addition, the cost to retrofit Cat-5 to all of the necessary outlets was prohibitive due to the expanse of the site. MMCSA therefore needed a new telephone system that was able to provide digital handsets over 2-pair cabling across the site, inclusive of desired features such as intercom, transfer, messages-on-hold and voicemail for every extension.

While IP handsets had been identified as unsuitable, the client desired a voice over IP (VoIP)-ready system to enable calls via the internet.  After investigating a number of options, MMCSA CEO Marcia Fisher decided on a system proposed by A-COM Solutions.

A-COM Solutions offered a system that serviced requirements for the new wing, while ensuring the same level of communications agility to the rest of the facility. The solution included a Cat-5 Structured Cabling System (SCS) and a Matrix GE Telephone System housed in a new communications/server room.

The Cat-5 SCS was implemented throughout the new administration area, housed in a heritage-listed building known as ‘The Old Convent’. This building presented many challenges from a cabling perspective due to its age and construction. The area was multistorey, adding complexity.

A-COM Solutions applied ingenuity and lateral thinking to establish a new server room in the heart of The Old Convent. They created a cabling architecture that ensured future developments could be carried out with minimal disruption to the IT and telecommunications infrastructure. Skirting duct was used extensively throughout the facility, as all walls were solid bluestone and over 600 mm thick. Decommissioned fireplaces were also used as cable paths. Multimode fibre-optic backbone cabling provided a high-speed link between the new infrastructure and the rest of the facility.

Works undertaken included: a new communications/PBX/server room within The Old Convent building; relocation of all active IT equipment including servers, modems, switching equipment and UPS; new power feeds; installation of lighting to the server room and installation of main distribution frame (MDF); and associated lead-in and backbone cabling to the server room. Additional cabling works included: fibre-optic to satellite communication cabinets, structured Cat 5, 240 V power and an energy-efficient lighting system to all offices in The Old Convent building.

The A-COM Solutions system meets the immediate needs of the client, considers the heritage of the project and future-proofs for any additional requirements.