Johannesburg, 05 Feb 2007
Songimali Communications has project managed and implemented a fully fledged converged wireless IP telephony network for Northgate Office Park, a business park close to the Randburg area in Gauteng that will house 70 businesses.
This radical new development is the 'first' of its kind, ie an office park only utilising a wireless platform, and represents the first 'last mile' to be installed without using the facilities and capabilities of Telkom SA.
The network, built on a fibre backbone, consists of more than 150 1Gb VLANs (virtual local area networks) and provides each business in the park with voice and data services.
Each business unit is equipped with five Snom VOIP telephones powered by POE (Power over Ethernet) switches to ensure uptime at all times. The office block backbone is linked via a 34km 20Mb full duplex line to the hub of Gateway Communications in Woodmead using a radio 'line of sight' link capability via a relay situated on a tower in the centre of Randburg. Gateway Communications subsequently services all inbound and outbound traffic from its hub in the conventional way.
Every block (12 separate businesses) in the office park will run their IP telephony services from their own Asterisk Open Source IP PBX, provided, installed and maintained by Songimali Communications, offering sophisticated features such as voice recording, follow me, MP3 music on-hold, integrated voice response (IVR) and messaging services.
"We were unable to obtain the required communications capabilities from Telkom SA to match our occupancy needs," commented Corrie Vorster of RVR, one of the developers of the Northgate Office Park.
"We were told that the solution we needed had not been undertaken previously; nevertheless, we still believed it was worth the risk. In practice we are ecstatic over the result and the service received from Songimali; and the investment we have made using this very latest technology will be recovered by an addition per m2 charge."
"Apart from being delighted at the outcome of this unique project," added Roelof van Wyk, a Director of Songimali Communications, "there is an interesting result from a Telkom perspective. Telkom still receive revenues for the office park from the charges levied via Gateway Communications; however, it does not need to expend money and resources in laying any infrastructure to the office park nor provide any ongoing maintenance services and, the tenants are not disrupted by any Telkom installation activity. Thus, this solution is a win-win situation for all parties and one likely to be replicated many times elsewhere in the country."
The office park already has its initial tenants installed and working utilising their new communications infrastructures. There is still office space available starting at 60 square meters. For more information, go to www.northgateofficepark.co.za.
For further information, please contact Ronald Gill at telephone (082) 856 9324; fax (012) 665 2918; e-mail ronald@songimali.co.za.
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