Sagadahoc County Reduces Digital Transformation Costs by 65% to Save Taxpayer Funds During 9-1-1 Communications Upgrade

3-minute read time

Summary

• Sagadahoc County Communications needed to upgrade its outdated digital phone system with a modern Avaya IP phone solution but did not want to run the new phones over the existing data network.
• The County also wanted to avoid high network readiness costs and disruption to its 24/7 operations.
• The project reseller, New England Communications, recommended the NVT Phybridge PoLRE switch innovation to leverage the existing CAT3 cabling, rack space, cooling, and other supporting infrastructure.
• The PoLRE Power over Ethernet (PoE) innovation helped Sagadahoc County achieve 65% in financial savings while reducing project timelines, deploying the switches in just one day.
• The seamless deployment minimized operational disruption, allowing the communications department to continue answering all emergency calls during the transition to IP.
• PoLRE PoE switches helped Sagadahoc County Communications align its digital transformation efforts with Maine’s sustainability goals by minimizing waste and optimizing resource usage.

Challenge

Sagadahoc County Communications, the critical 9-1-1 communications department for the local government in Bath, Maine, faced an urgent need to modernize its communication infrastructure. Its existing digital phone system was becoming increasingly obsolete, limiting its ability to handle emergency calls efficiently. Transitioning to a new IP phone system was essential to enhance reliability, call quality, and system management.

However, the department was reluctant to run IP phones over its existing core data network due to concerns about network congestion and potential downtime during the process. The prospect of extensive and costly new cabling and other rip-and-replace work was daunting, especially given the department’s need to maintain uninterrupted emergency services. Additionally, their facilities’ layout and distance constraints presented significant challenges for a seamless transition to IP. The communications department needed a solution to reduce network readiness costs, operational disruption, and project complexity.

Solution

New England Communications, a trusted vendor for Sagadahoc County Communications, recommended PoLRE PoE switch innovations as the optimal solution. The NVT Phybridge PoLRE managed switches allowed the department to leverage its existing, proven, and point-to-point CAT3 cabling, rack space, cooling, and other supporting infrastructure to support the new IP phones, overcoming the distance and cable type limitations of traditional switches. The PoLRE switch delivers Ethernet and PoE over single-pair UTP cabling with up to 1,200ft (365m) reach—four times farther than standard PoE switches.

The implementation process was straightforward and minimally disruptive. The PoLRE switches were rack-mounted, and Octopus cables were connected to a patch panel where the phones were terminated. Phylink Adapters were strategically placed at each phone location, ensuring a seamless integration with the existing infrastructure. This setup allowed the department to quickly deploy the new IP phones, enhancing communication capabilities without compromising emergency response operations.

Result

The results of deploying the NVT Phybridge solution were remarkable for Sagadahoc County Communications. By leveraging PoLRE switches, the department achieved substantial financial savings, estimated at 65% lower than original estimates. These savings were realized by avoiding the high costs of extensive network modifications and additional equipment. Additionally, the project timeline was significantly reduced, with the deployment of the switches taking only a day and saving approximately two weeks overall.

The new and enhanced Avaya IP phone system dramatically improved the reliability and efficiency of the 9-1-1 communications department. The new system provided clearer call quality and more robust management capabilities, ensuring emergency calls were handled promptly and effectively. The department’s staff expressed amazement at the ease of the transition and the new system’s performance, highlighting their high level of satisfaction with the outcome. “We use NVT Phybridge products all the time for CAT3 deployments,” said Joel Bicknell, New England Communications. “They are our go-to solution for ensuring reliable and cost-effective transitions to IP.”

Sustainability

The NVT Phybridge solution aligned perfectly with the State of Maine’s sustainability goals, emphasizing reducing waste, conserving resources, and promoting energy efficiency. By utilizing the existing CAT3 cabling, rack space, cooling, and other supporting infrastructure, the project minimized waste and reduced the environmental footprint associated with new cabling and materials. This approach extended the life of the current infrastructure, avoided unnecessary resource consumption, and supported the state’s commitment to sustainable practices.

Furthermore, the PoLRE switch’s energy-efficient design contributed to lower power consumption, aligning with Maine’s goals to promote energy conservation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Implementing the NVT Phybridge solution not only enhanced the operational capabilities of Sagadahoc County’s communications but also demonstrated a commitment to environmental responsibility in line with state-wide sustainability initiatives.

Children’s Hospital Modernizes Its Security System to Better Protect Staff and Patients While Aligning with Sustainability Objectives

3-minute read time

Summary

• A children’s hospital in Hawaii wanted to modernize its security system with IP cameras to enhance security and operational efficiency.
• Replacing the existing network infrastructure would be costly and highly disruptive, so the hospital sought an alternative solution.
• The project reseller, Qovo Solutions Inc., recommended the NVT Phybridge CLEER24-10G switch innovation to remove risk, high costs, and the complexities of replacing the existing network infrastructure.
• The CLEER24-10G ethernet over coax innovation saved the hospital over $20,000 in unnecessary network readiness costs while reducing the project timeline from 8-12 weeks to 4 weeks.
• The seamless deployment minimized business disruption, allowing the hospital to maintain high-quality patient care while enhancing its security capabilities while aligning with sustainability objectives.

Challenge

The customer, a children’s hospital in Honolulu, is a modern, state-of-the-art facility that opened its current building in 2010.  The facility spans four floors and features comprehensive pediatric specialty care services, including orthopedics, orthotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation. The hospital includes specialized treatment areas and family-centric amenities designed to support both patients and their families throughout their healthcare journey. The hospital needed to modernize its surveillance system to enhance security and operational efficiency.  decided to replace its outdated analog cameras with modern IP cameras, which offer superior image quality, advanced features, and better integration capabilities. However, the hospital faced significant barriers due to traditional network design thinking and network switch limitations. The conduits running throughout the facility were only 1/4″ in size, making it virtually impossible to install new cabling without substantial disruption and expense. Given the critical nature of the hospital’s services and the need to maintain uninterrupted operations, an innovative solution was essential to overcome these barriers. The hospital required a network solution to support an efficient IP camera upgrade without the logistical and financial burden of extensive new cabling and addressing IDF closet requirements.

Solution

Qovo Solutions Inc., a leading provider of security solutions and a Verkada Gold Partner, recommended modern network design thinking supported by the NVT Phybridge CLEER24-10G switch as the ideal fit for the customer’s challenge. Having used NVT Phybridge innovations in other deployments, the reseller partner was confident in the solution’s ability. The CLEER24-10G switch innovation helped the customer take a modern approach to its network strategy, leveraging its existing point-to-point topology to connect the new IP cameras without high costs, complexity, or disruption. NVT Phybridge Ethernet over Coax innovations enabled the deployment of Verkada cameras, including quad, bullet, and multi-sensor models, across multiple locations within the hospital. The CLEER24-10G switches were seamlessly integrated into the existing MDF and IDF closets, preventing the need for additional network equipment.

The NVT Phybridge CLEER24-10G switch delivers up to 50 Watts of power (PoE++) and 10/100 Mbps symmetrical, full-duplex, over coax cabling with up to 6,000ft (1,830m) reach – 18 times the reach of standard switches.

Result

The NVT Phybridge CLEER24-10G switch innovation delivered significant financial and time savings. By utilizing the existing coax, rack space, cooling, and other supporting infrastructure, the children’s hospital saved over $20,000 in labor and material costs while creating a secure and robust network platform for the new IP camera system. The total deployment time was also drastically reduced from an estimated 8-12 weeks to 4 weeks. The CLEER24-10G switch also prevented over 1,500 pounds of e-waste, aligned with the hospital’s sustainability objectives. The NVT Phybridge CCMT switch configuration tool also supports efficient deployments by automating switch configuration and enabling mass firmware updates.

Modern network design principles and NVT Phybridge technology helped the reseller partner, Qovo Solutions, bring an innovative solution to the customer’s digital transformation to improve its outcomes. Quovo Solutions accelerated the customer’s surveillance system upgrade without the high cost, disruption, and risk associated with having to rip-and-replace network infrastructure due to traditional network switch reach and cable type limitations. The customer optimized their network upgrade by applying Modern LAN principles and the award-winning NVT Phybridge CLEER innovations to build a robust and secure network for their new IP-based surveillance system. The hospital plans to expand the use of NVT Phybridge solutions to other sites, demonstrating the success and reliability of the implemented solution.

A Major Outdoor Goods Retailer Demonstrates Its Commitment to Sustainability by Reducing E-Waste During Upgrade to Cisco IP Voice Solution

3-minute read time

Summary

• A major outdoor goods retailer wanted to modernize its communication capabilities by deploying 3,300 IP phones across more than 100 locations.
• The popular retailer faced high network readiness costs, potential business disruption, and extensive labor and time requirements to implement the new IP phone system due to traditional network thinking.
• The reseller partner, Continuant, Inc., recommended Modern LAN Principles and the NVT Phybridge PoLRE PoE innovation to leverage the existing single-pair UTP, rack space, cooling, and other supporting infrastructure to minimize downtime and ensure a seamless installation across all locations.
• The project was executed in 13 phases over three years, resulting in over $900,000 in infrastructure cost savings and project efficiencies, which was reallocated to devices and applications to improve the project’s return on investment.
• The outdoor goods retailer leveraged NVT Phybridge network innovations to modernize its communication system, providing enhanced communication quality, improved operational efficiency, and significant cost savings with minimal disruption to daily operations.

Challenge

A leading outdoor retailer in the US wanted to upgrade its digital communications systems across 100+ locations to deploy over 3,300 Cisco IP phones. Completing the project with minimal operational disruption was imperative to the customer, who faced several significant challenges with its existing end-of-life Toshiba phone system. The primary concern was the high cost of re-cabling 100+ locations, which would have required a substantial financial investment. The potential disruption to business operations during the transition posed a serious risk. The project also demanded considerable resources and time, making the logistics of implementing a new system across multiple locations daunting. These challenges necessitated a solution that could overcome the financial constraints and business disruption concerns.

Solution

To tackle these challenges, the customer partnered with Continuant, who recommended Modern LAN Principles by Frost & Sullivan and the NVT Phybridge PoLRE switch innovation. The PoLRE switch allowed the large retailer to leverage its existing voice infrastructure, eliminating the need for time-intensive and costly re-cabling and other IDF closet requirements such as rack space, cooling and backup power. The PoLRE switches facilitated a seamless installation process, minimizing network downtime and ensuring business continuity at each retail location. “The Phybridge PoLRE family of switches has been a fantastic solution for our customers.  For our Retail customer, this solution greatly reduces cost by avoiding running new cabling, which causes delay and disruption in the store. Because of the store’s ultra-high ceilings, all work requires a Man Lift which means moving store displays and product to maneuver throughout the store.  With the NVT Phybridge Chariot Configuration & Management Tool (CCMT), the configuration and ongoing management is simple and effective through a single administrative interface, saving the customer time performing updates and evaluating current system status,” said Dennis Tyler, Senior Technology Specialist at Continuant. The project was strategically executed in 13 phases over three years, providing an organized and smooth transition to the new IP system. This phased deployment approach, along with PoLRE’s repeatable, predictable, and scalable deployment methodology, ensured a minimal impact on daily operations.

The PoLRE switch innovation delivers Ethernet and PoE over Single-Pair UTP cabling with up to 1,200ft (365m) reach – four times the reach of standard Ethernet switches. Continuant used the NVT Phybridge PoLRE switch innovation to help the retailer avoid costly network infrastructure updates and reduce project risk, complexity, and disruption – creating better digital transformation outcomes for all stakeholders.

Result

The implementation of the NVT Phybridge PoLRE innovations yielded remarkable results for the major outdoor goods retailer. Financially, the company reduced network readiness costs by over $900,000, which helped improve the project’s ROI by reallocating more budget towards devices and applications. Operationally, leveraging the existing voice network infrastructure significantly reduced network downtime and business disruption, ensuring continuous store operations. Additionally, the NVT Phybridge CCMT switch configuration tool supports efficient deployments by automating switch configuration and enabling mass firmware updates. When asked about his experience in leveraging NVT Phybridge PoLRE innovations, Chris Decandia, Field Technical Manager at Continuant, remarked, “My team has installed over 100 of the PoLRE Phybridge switches and have found the configuration and installation process simple enough that anyone with a basic telephony understanding can install them. Using a single pair of wires to provide power and data to the endpoint makes the installer’s job easy. Having an option such as Phybridge to be able to install new technology using old infrastructure has been a game changer!”

The new Cisco IP phone system enhanced communication quality and reliability, benefiting the customer’s overall business operations. Additionally, the smooth deployment process, facilitated by the PoLRE switches, resulted in efficient project execution across all locations. The PoLRE PoE switch innovation enabled the major outdoor goods retailer to achieve its digital transformation goals efficiently and cost-effectively. By taking a modern approach to network design and avoiding the traditionally costly and disruptive rip-and-replace process, the customer avoided unnecessary expenses and operational disruptions, resulting in a better deployment experience across every location and improved customer satisfaction.

Sustainability

NVT Phybridge PoE innovations helped the large retailer align the digital transformation project with its overall sustainability goals. Using the existing network infrastructure, the customer avoided the negative environmental impact of installing new cabling and network equipment – avoiding 19,200 pounds of e-waste. This approach also significantly reduced resource consumption and e-waste as renovation work was minimal, supporting the customer’s commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices. The PoLRE solution provided financial and operational benefits and contributed to the customer’s ongoing efforts to minimize its environmental footprint and promote sustainability across its operations.

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks Law Firm Overcomes Network Readiness Challenges Using NVT Phybridge PoLRE Technology

3-minute read time

Summary

• Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks law firm, located in the iconic Carnegie Hall, needed to upgrade its communication capabilities throughout their New York office but faced barriers due to historic preservation laws posing infrastructure concerns, business disruption, and high costs.
• With a clear goal to transition to IP phones and the cloud within three years, the firm encountered prohibitive cost and business disruption barriers associated with traditional network design thinking.
• Rick Gellis from ConvergeOne introduced Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks to the NVT Phybridge PoLRE PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch, which simplified and improved the digital transformation project.
• The prestigious law firm embraced modern network design and innovative PoE solutions to achieve a seamless migration process, reducing project timelines by 90% and network costs by over $270,000.
• Prevented over 950 pounds of cabling and electronic waste to support the firm’s sustainability objectives.

Challenge

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks is one of the most prominent entertainment and media law firms in the United States. The firm, housed in the historically preserved Carnegie Hall, faced unique challenges in upgrading from its premise-based IP PBX to a cloud-based IP solution with IP phones. The existing Avaya G650 gateway solution that supported analog phones was nearing end of life (EOL). In 2020, the firm aimed to have a complete IP solution with their communications system in the cloud within 3 years. Although this timeline was quickly approaching, the customer faced barriers to a full IP migration, including new IP phones. Due to historic preservation guidelines, ripping and replacing the existing wiring would require extensive renovations and modifications to the existing walls and lighting installations. The meticulous planning, adherence to preservation guidelines, and lengthy approval processes were too costly, time-consuming, and disruptive for the customer.

Solution

Having used NVT Phybridge solutions many times in the past, Rick Gellis of Converge One was confident in recommending the PoLRE24 & PoLRE48 managed long-reach PoE switches to simplify and improve the communication upgrade without compromising the historical integrity of Carnegie Hall. “It’s great to be able to introduce a network innovation that helps solve customers’ challenges and helps create better IP outcomes for customers,” said Rick Gellis, Converge One. “We are able to allocate more of the customer’s budget to better IP devices and productivity-enhancing IP applications resulting in a better ROI for the customer.”

The PoLRE family of PoE solutions helps organizations leverage new or existing network infrastructure to deploy the latest IP communication solutions without re-cabling—a popular option among customers looking to migrate to IP while minimizing cost and business disruption.

Result

Despite the challenges posed by the building’s protected status, NVT Phybridge’s PoLRE solution enabled a seamless migration process for Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks. NVT Phybridge’s support team played a vital role in ensuring a seamless deployment process. Throughout the migration, the support team provided invaluable assistance, addressing queries, and supporting the network configuration. The PoLRE switches were stacked and configured to seamlessly integrate with the new Avaya cloud system.

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks not only achieved substantial time savings but also realized significant cost reductions. The law firm reduced network readiness costs by eliminating the need for extensive cabling, IDF closets, and other unnecessary costs. The PoLRE solution also helped the law firm to reduce the project’s environmental impact by reducing resource consumption, toxic chemical exposure, and the environmental impact of landfill disposal – having prevented over 950 pounds of e-waste. Additionally, the migration enabled the firm to retire older on-premises servers, leading to further cost savings and operational efficiencies. Ultimately, the successful digital transformation empowered the law firm to embrace modern communication technologies, enhance productivity, and future-proof their operations in line with their cloud-centric vision and overall environmental sustainability goals – while exemplifying their commitment to preserving the historical significance of Carnegie Hall.  “The NVT Phybridge PoE innovation allowed us to save money, accelerate our IP migration, build a secure and robust network, and be environmentally responsible as we modernized our communications platform,” said Jeffrey Day, Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks. “We greatly appreciate Rick Gellis recommending these network innovations.”

Building a Secure and Robust IP Network

Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks applied Modern LAN Principles and physically segmented the IP phones on a separate PoE backbone using NVT Phybridge PoLRE switches, leveraging the existing point-to-point voice infrastructure. In addition, the customer leveraged the PowerWISE capabilities of the PoLRE managed switches to build in power redundancy and power management capabilities. All the PoLRE switches are consolidated in a single location, making backup power management more cost-effective and simpler to manage for the entire network. Modern LAN principles were applied to create a single point of convergence with the core network, greatly enhancing security, simplifying management, and building a robust and secure network platform for their new Avaya IP phones and cloud communications platform. NVT Phybridge’s technology enables scalable and flexible deployments to meet evolving needs. Whether expanding the system to accommodate growth or adapting to changes in technology requirements, solutions and networks can be scaled without the complexity of traditional network methods. The customer also uses the NVT Phybridge CCMT Switch Configuration and Management Tool to support continuous network updates, ensuring application continuity and security.

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International Banking Corporation Upgrades Branch Security in Line with Corporate Sustainability Objectives

3-minute read time

Summary

• An International Banking Corporation wanted to modernize its outdated analog security system and deploy a new IP camera solution across hundreds of its branch locations without the high costs and disruption associated with re-cabling.
• The organization used the NVT Phybridge CLEER24-10G switch to deploy over 7,000 IP cameras across 700 locations using its existing coax-based infrastructure.
• The point-to-point topology of the existing coax infrastructure across every location allowed for a repeatable, predictable, and scalable network deployment experience across every location. As a result, the security upgrade was accelerated by 33% while costs and business disruption were reduced to improve return on investment.
• NVT Phybridge PoE innovations created a robust and secure network aligned with the customer’s sustainability objectives, preventing approximately 123 US tons of cabling e-waste.

Challenge

The customer is a global banking and financial services institution with approximately 39 million clients in 62 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and Latin America. Several of its branches in Mexico relied on an outdated analog camera system, which could no longer meet modern security and safety requirements. The organization decided it was time to deploy a new IP camera solution to improve security, deter criminal activity, and keep staff and clients safe with new advanced capabilities.

However, the firm wanted to avoid the high costs and business disruption associated with ripping-and-replacing infrastructure due to traditional PoE switch reach and cable type limitations. The organization also wanted to keep these systems separate for cybersecurity and operational concerns. Migration time also needed to be quick in each branch due to concerns about high labor costs and long installation times impacting business operations and store safety. The organization required an innovative solution to overcome its digital transformation barriers and modernize security without high network readiness costs, complexity, long deployment times, and business disruption.

Solution

The customer discovered NVT Phybridge and its CLEER24-10G long-reach Ethernet over Coax switch and organized a proof-of-concept to test the solution on-site. The CLEER24-10G switch delivers up to 50 Watts of power (PoE++) and 10/100 Mbps symmetrical, full-duplex, over coax cabling with up to 6,000ft (1,830m) reach – 18 times the reach of standard switches.

After a few simple setup steps, the CLEER24-10G switch transformed the customer’s existing coax-based infrastructure into a power-packed and robust PoE backbone with more than enough bandwidth to support the new IP cameras. The IT team was impressed and decided to move forward with the digital transformation project.

Result

The customer used the CLEER24-10G switch to deploy over 7,000 IP cameras across more than 700 locations across Mexico. The organization leveraged its existing point-to-point coax-based infrastructure to maintain a physically separate network for the new IP camera system. The infrastructure topology was the same across every location, allowing for a repeatable, predictable, and scalable deployment method across every location. The customer estimates that the CLEER24-10G reduced the total deployment time by one-third while reducing labor costs, complexity, and business disruption. The organization invested more of its digital transformation budget in better IP cameras and capabilities, improving security capabilities at its branches and the overall ROI of the project. The organization found a solution that was great for shareholders, better for staff and customers, and best for the environment.