Kings Harbor Accelerates IP Telephony Migration While Avoiding Risk, Complexity, and Disruption

3-minute read time

Summary 

• Kings Harbor needed to replace an aging Avaya phone system in a 25+ year-old healthcare facility while avoiding the high cost, complexity, and disruption of replacing existing cabling infrastructure. 

• Continuant recommended NVT Phybridge PoLRE switches to leverage the hospital’s existing copper cabling and support the migration of approximately 238 business-line phones to a Cisco Webex IP telephony solution. 

• Kings Harbor completed its IP telephony migration with minimal disruption, avoiding extensive wiring, electrical upgrades, and operational downtime while maintaining reliable communications. 

• By reusing existing infrastructure instead of replacing cabling throughout the facility and creating additional IDF closet requirements, Kings Harbor reduced material waste and avoided the environmental impact associated with a large-scale network overhaul. 

Problem 

Kings Harbor, a privately owned healthcare organization, faced a significant communications modernization challenge. The facility, which is more than 25 years old, relied on an aging Avaya phone system supported by legacy copper cabling infrastructure installed decades earlier. As the organization planned its migration to a modern Cisco Webex IP telephony platform, having to rip and replace the network infrastructure posed a major obstacle. 

Re-cabling and addressing IDF closet requirements in a healthcare facility are both costly and disruptive, particularly in an environment where uninterrupted communication is essential for supporting patients, families, and staff. Kings Harbor needed a solution that would allow the organization to modernize approximately 238 business-line phones while minimizing operational disruption and avoiding the extensive labor, construction, and expense associated with a complete network overhaul. 

Solution 

To overcome these challenges, Continuant recommended the NVT Phybridge PoLRE (Power over Long Reach Ethernet) switch innovation to enable the Cisco Webex IP telephony deployment. PoLRE managed switches deliver Ethernet and PoE over single-pair UTP cable with up to 1,200ft (365m) reach; four times the reach of standard Ethernet switches. 

The NVT Phybridge PoLRE switch enabled Kings Harbor to leverage the facility’s existing copper cabling infrastructure and IDF closet assets rather than replacing them. By using existing infrastructure assets throughout the hospital, the project team avoided the complexity of deploying new network cabling and IDF closet requirements across the facility while still supporting the transition from legacy digital and analog phones to modern IP communications. 

The implementation was completed in phases. The initial deployment focused on preparing the backend infrastructure, configuring the hosted Webex environment, establishing carrier services, and provisioning users. Following this preparation period, the team returned on-site to install and activate the new phones, moving unit by unit throughout the facility to minimize disruption and ensure users were properly trained on the new system. The deployment was completed over two primary on-site installation periods with additional remote configuration and support between visits. 

According to Continuant, the installation process was straightforward and proceeded as expected, with only minor issues that were quickly resolved during deployment. Chris DeCandia from Continuant commented, “Migrating from digital to IP phones in a hospital environment presents significant challenges. The priority is always to minimize downtime and reduce any impact on patients, families, and staff. At the same time, avoiding the high cost and disruption of ripping and replacing the network infrastructure for an entire facility is critical. By leveraging the NVT Phybridge PoLRE solution, we successfully addressed both concerns.” 

Results 

By leveraging NVT Phybridge network innovations, Kings Harbor successfully modernized its communications environment without re-cabling, electrical upgrades, or facility disruption. The organization migrated 238 business-line phones to a modern IP-based communications platform while preserving existing infrastructure investments. 

The solution delivered immediate operational and financial benefits by eliminating the need for costly construction projects and reducing the complexity typically associated with large-scale IP telephony migrations in healthcare environments. “Our experience with the PoLRE switch, combined with the exceptional support from the NVT Phybridge team, exceeded expectations. The solution allowed us to leverage the existing infrastructure while maintaining reliability and performance, eliminating the need for costly, time-consuming network overhauls,” said Chris DeCandia from Continuant. “While migrating hundreds of phones rarely goes exactly as planned, the PoLRE solution made the process significantly more efficient and manageable. It enabled a smoother transition to IP telephony with minimal disruption, an essential factor in a healthcare environment.” 

Hospital leadership reported that the project resulted in significant savings related to wiring, power, and electrical work while achieving the desired modernization objectives. Rabih Alali, CIO at Kings Harbor, commented, “NVT Phybridge PoE switches made our transition from analog to IP phones very seamless, with minimal configuration and little to no challenges. I’m glad we went with this solution.” 

NVT Phybridge managed switches feature PowerWise® technology, enabling intelligent power sharing across interconnected switches to ensure continuous uptime. Combined with long-reach capabilities and robust PoE performance, these switches enhance system reliability, strengthen security, and reduce operational complexity. The NVT Phybridge CCMT configuration and management tool simplifies switch configuration, enabling bulk actions and automatic, easy firmware upgrades. These capabilities minimize downtime, streamline operations, and reduce ongoing switch management costs by up to 80%, helping organizations maintain a more resilient, efficient network environment. 

Sustainability 

The Kings Harbor deployment demonstrates how Modern LAN design principles can help organizations achieve better digital transformation outcomes while reducing environmental impact. Rather than abandoning functional infrastructure and replacing it with new cabling throughout the facility, Kings Harbor leveraged its existing copper infrastructure to support modern IP communications. 

By reusing existing network assets and avoiding extensive construction, the organization reduced electronic waste, minimized material consumption, and avoided the environmental impact of large-scale cabling projects. The project illustrates how infrastructure reuse can simultaneously improve return on investment, accelerate deployment timelines, and support sustainability initiatives. 

About Continuant 

Continuant is a leading provider of enterprise communications and collaboration solutions, helping organizations modernize and optimize their voice, contact center, and network environments. The company specializes in delivering flexible migration strategies that extend the value of existing infrastructure while enabling the adoption of modern technologies. Through its extensive technical expertise and customer-focused approach, Continuant helps organizations reduce costs, minimize risk, and simplify technology transitions. Its team supports clients across a wide range of industries, including healthcare, education, government, and enterprise environments. 

About NVT Phybridge 

Our mission is to help organizations maximize their IP migration return on investment by providing high-quality network solutions that are robust, secure, simple to implement, and environmentally responsible. NVT Phybridge is a global leader in PoE network innovations that eliminate the reach and cable type limitations of traditional PoE switches. Our diverse and award-winning portfolio of long-reach PoE switches and extenders help organizations deploy the latest IP technologies over any new or existing single-pair UTP, coax, multi-pair UTP, or 2-wire infrastructure without high costs, complexity, business disruption, or security concerns.