News archive

Onsite mobility: which technology is right for you?

In the past organisations that wanted to give onsite mobile workers a communication solution didn't have many choices: radio-based systems, pagers or tannoys were more or less it. Today there's an almost bewildering array of technologies for organisations looking to update or extend those original systems. How do you go about choosing the platform that's right for both current and future requirements?

By Chris Potts, Marketing Manager, ANT Telecommunications Ltd.

Hospitals, clinics, research facilities, manufacturing plants — these are just some of the organisations that tend to have a lot of employees who move around their sites. In almost every case, there will be some kind of communication system in place for those mobile workers: a radio-based system that enables regular contact between, say, a maintenance or engineering manager and their team; pagers that direct medical staff to patients in need of attention; a tannoy system that can be used to call the factory foreman to an urgent meeting or telephone call.

But over the years, organisational or employee needs may have changed, and some of these older systems may no longer be completely fit for purpose. If a customer or supplier calls to speak with the engineering manager, how easily can he or she be brought to the phone? The engineering team may be able to contact each other, but be cut off from the maintenance team. And the back-office may be unable to speak to either team.

Read on...


Extending unified communications connectivity, presence and awareness to the mobile workforce

Today's generation of younger - and not-so-young - workers increasingly expect to be able to work and do business anywhere, at any time, through whatever device they prefer. The growing volumes of mobile workers and the rapid development of smartphones and tablets are really changing the game. A well thought-out, technology-enabled communications strategy can really raise the bar in terms of an organisations ability to improve productivity, responsiveness, and ultimately, to make decisions faster.

People need access to the right information at the right time, to make faster, more efficient business decisions; and the flexibility to work with colleagues, customer and suppliers, regardless of who's where.

In our personal lives, this flexibility is rapidly becoming second nature. As more of us acquire smartphones and tablets, we're changing the way we relate to each other. Social networks, instant messaging, apps and video are becoming the norm for sharing information and bringing us together. What's more, we're 'always on', available and accessible wherever we happen to be.

Read on...


GSM S goes with the flow

Cameron Ltd the leading provider of flow equipment products, systems and services to worldwide oil, gas and process industries opt for the GSM S secury handset from ANT Telecom to protect their lone workers. The GSM S handset is 2 way mobile device, fitted with a panic button and tilt / no-motion sensors enabling it to raise automatic alarms even if the user is rendered unconscious. The device has a tough outer casing and is IP65 rated making it suitable for industrial companies.


Johnson Matthey provide first aid advice

ANT Telecom installs a new conference bridge for the 'first aid' team at Johnson Matthey. The new facility fully integrates with Matthey's existing communication infrastructure and provides a quick and easy method of contacting the first aid team in the event staff require medical advice. Now, employees only dial one number. This activates the conference bridge, which in turn calls all 15 numbers of the first aid team and within a second all answered participants are in a conference and can determine the best course of action.

Staff no longer need to dial all 15 first aiders or even find the list of their numbers, they can simple store the one number on their phone.


ANT becomes Avaya Business Partner

Following the take over of Tenovis from Avaya ANT Telecom has been awarded Avaya Business Partner status and can now sell and maintain the Avaya Communication Manager platform next to the integral range. "We still see a huge potential of the Integral 55 in the UK market and will continue to actively promote this platform. Avaya has recently confirmed their long-term plan with the Integral range and former Tenovis applications. Taking on the Avaya Communication Manager further strengthens our portfolio and opens up even more opportunities for us and our customers," explains Paul Smith and Klaus Allion Manager Directors at ANT.


ANT Telecom wins new DECT contract

ANT Telecom wins new DECT system at a leading international naval manufacturer.

As part of a major project to improve security on site, the naval manufacturer required a wireless communication system that could perform many more functions than just mobile communication.

The new system was required primarily for the following reasons:

  • To improve site-wide communication
  • To protect staff working alone - handsets needed a panic button and man-down features
  • To enable staff to communicate with the security gate whilst roaming the site
  • Enable mobile staff to respond faster to emergency situations via integration with site alarm system

Avaya's Integral Enterprise DECT system was deemed the best solution. The first system was installed at the end of 2007 with the second system at a different location going live in May 2009.


ANT Telecom wins new Voice Recording and Quality Monitoring contract

ANT Telecom awarded new voice recording and quality monitoring project at one of the leading home appliance manufacturers in the UK.

The site provides aftercare service and the facility for customers to book engineers to service or repair customer appliances. The site is equipped with Avaya's Integral Enterprise telephony and contact centre system. They receive over 25,000 calls per week handled by 100 agents.

The new solution was required primarily for the following 2 reasons:

  • To measure the performance of agents within their contact centre efficiently to ensure customers received excellent service.
  • Increase the first time resolution visits by engineers by enabling processes to be improved by identifying possible issues within the diagnosis stage.

ASC's EVOip voice recording system and Inspiration Pro quality monitoring application was deemed to provide the best system and implemented March 2009.


Sipera Systems and ANT Telecom Deliver Secure SIP Trunks

Offer Free SIP Trunk Trial Plus Free Support for Sipera UC-Sec and E-SBC

Richardson, TX, June 2011 — Sipera Systems, the leader in real-time Unified Communications (UC) enablement and security, and ANT Telecom, an enterprise communications systems integrator, today announced a new SIP Trunk trial promotion. Starting July 1, broadband services customers that contract for ANT Telecom SIP trunk service will receive three months of free service on a one year contract, or six months of free service on a two year ANT contract. The promotion also includes three months of free support for select Sipera UC-Sec and E-SBC security appliances, on a one year contract, or six months of free service on a two year contract. The promotion expires September 30, 2011. To learn more visit: http://www.anttele.com/SIPtrunking/

“For many enterprises, SIP Trunks are an attractive way to add a wider variety of communications applications and lower business communications costs. By partnering with ANT Telecom, we can jointly help its customers further lower costs with this promotional offer,” said Paul German, VP of EMEA at Sipera Systems. “We expect many of those customers will then apply those savings to finance other IT and UC projects.”

“Sipera Systems is the technology and market leader in real-time security solutions for Unified Communications networks. The company’s E-SBC and UC-Sec devices simplify the integration and interoperation between SIP Trunks and PBX technology,” said Klaus Allion, Managing Director for ANT Telecom. “Sipera’s UC-Sec device includes advanced security features for real-time UC firewalling, intrusion prevention and proxying, including the industry’s best protection against toll fraud, making this an ideal technology partnership to support this promotion, and our customers’ communications.”

ANT Telecom helps enterprises reduce costs and increase productivity through successful implementation of integrated communication systems. The company’s solutions have enabled its customers to improve communications with customers, suppliers and with each other. Associated benefits have led to higher revenue streams, improved service levels, faster response times and better security.

Sipera’s UC-Sec appliances proactively address security risks associated with UC applications such as VoIP, instant messaging, IP video and collaboration tools, enabling government agencies and enterprise customers to adopt UC applications and apply comprehensive security. Sipera’s groundbreaking “Borderless UC” architecture enables all communications to be encrypted and compliant on any UC device, at any internal and external location.

About Sipera Systems

Sipera Systems is the worldwide leader in solutions for the safe, simple and controlled deployment of IP-based business communications. Sipera’s groundbreaking Unified Communications (UC) security products are the choice of enterprises and service providers around the globe for deploying secure VoIP, SIP trunks, video conferencing, cloud-based communications, instant messaging, and collaboration tools.

Independent research by industry analysts shows that Sipera’s solutions can accelerate VoIP and UC project deployment by up to one third. Backed by the industry-leading security research of Sipera’s VIPER Lab, Sipera's solutions provide the best protection against toll fraud, identity theft, denial of service, unauthorized intrusion, eavesdropping and other common business communications threats. Pre-integrated with all market-leading UC vendor solutions, Sipera’s offerings include the world's first UC security device to be Common Criteria certified, meeting the stringent international standard for IT security.


Ekahau RTLS Selected by University of Kentucky Healthcare

Initial 2,600 Tag Deployment is First Under Preferred Provider Relationship with University HealthSystems Consortium 11 June, 2009--- Ekahau Inc., a leading provider of Wi-Fi-based Real Time Location Systems (RTLS), today announced that UK HealthCare is deploying Ekahau RTLS to track mobile medical equipment at the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington.

"Because Ekahau RTLS operates over any brand of Wi-Fi network, it was the ideal solution for leveraging our existing infrastructure," said Jean Sargeant, director of Supply Chain for UK HealthCare. "The solution enables us to track IV pumps, wheeled beds and wheelchairs quickly and cost-effectively, with the accuracy we require."

UK HealthCare selected Ekahau RTLS for its location tracking vendor because it can be quickly and easily deployed over existing 802.11 Wi-Fi networks and delivers room- and bed-level accuracy without requiring proprietary chokepoints or readers, which can cause interference with medical equipment. The Ekahau RTLS tags also supports two-way communications, enabling location information to be sent from the tags to the system and push alerts and upgrades back to the tags. In addition, the Ekahau software enables the IT staff at Chandler Hospital to create zones in order to ensure equipment is where it needs to be, while tracking historical movement for compliance and usage optimization. The initial deployment at Chandler Hospital will be comprised of 2,600 tags in the approximately 500-bed facility. UK HealthCare expects to expand the location tracking system to a new replacement hospital that will begin opening in phases in 2010.

"Being a software-based solution, Ekahau RTLS gives us the flexibility to easily add more tags and expand location tracking capabilities over a wider geographic area," said James Wellman, manager of the technical analysis and implementation group for UK HealthCare Information Technology Systems. "This aspect was very important to us, knowing that, with ongoing construction, we would soon have a larger facility in which we needed to track our equipment. Ekahau RTLS also gives us the flexibility to expand the solution to other facilities should we desire, and track our mission critical assets - no matter where they are located - from a centralized location."