Case Study

13km Network
Connection

Joining two colleges together with a WAN connection

Sandwell and Cadbury Colleges were in the process of merging. In order to move forward, a WAN connection was needed to link the two college networks. This would enable the sharing of learning and administrative systems, improve communication and save costs by reducing system duplication.

To achieve a reliable link with sufficient bandwidth, an order was raised to install a new 1 Gbps fibre point-to-point link between the sites. Cadbury College’s existing Internet link was only 200 Mbps on a copper infrastructure and only sufficient for non-term time demands. This was used during the summer of 2018 to set up the initial inter-site link so joint services could be created.

The initial quoted lead time for the replacement 1 Gbps link was for September, however, the delivery was subsequently plagued by numerous delays, mostly due to collapsed ducting and the need to implement fibre infrastructure in areas where none existed.

Once the new academic year got underway, the demands of the students and teachers were such that the temporary 200 Mbps service was massively overwhelmed, resulting in slow access and at peak times a failure in the connection. Despite pressure from the College’s management, the supplier was unable to provide a definite completion date and the Colleges were forced to continue with the inadequate link.

The Challenges

  • How to reduce duplication

    Sandwell and Cadbury Colleges were merging. In order to progress, a WAN connection was needed to link the two college networks. This would enable the sharing of learning and administrative systems, improve comms and save costs by reducing duplication.

  • Plagued by delay after delay

    The initial quoted lead time for the replacement 1 Gbps link was September, however, the delivery was subsequently plagued by numerous delays, mostly due to collapsed ducting and the need to implement fibre infrastructure in areas where none existed.

  • Slow access & failing connection

    Once the new academic year got underway, the demands of the students and teachers were such that the temporary 200 Mbps service was massively overwhelmed, resulting in slow access and at peak times a failure in the connection.

  • Forced to use an inadequate link

    Despite pressure from the College’s management team, the landline supplier was unable to provide a definite completion date. The two sites were forced to continue with the inadequate link which had a serious impact on the smooth running of the Colleges.

A turn-key solution

TrellisWorks have a long-standing relationship with the Sandwell College and have previously provided a number of wireless links to extend their existing network, the most recent being a 10Gbps wireless extension to a new campus building.

 

Because of this trusted relationship, the College asked us to see if we could provide a similar solution to help resolve their immediate issue. Initial surveys showed that no direct line of site was available between the two campuses to be connected.

 

Fortunately, there were high rise buildings adjacent to the two sites to be connected and a line of site was achievable between these.

Despite the distance being over 13km and with no direct line-of-sight, Trellisworks were able to use Quicknet (our Wireless Network Service) and all our expertise to facilitate a site-share agreement between the College, local housing authority and a commercial property owner. Trellisworks were able to create a link by relaying the wireless transmission utilising the two intermediary rooftops and connecting the Colleges together.

QuickNet

Overcome all manner of complexity with uninterrupted wireless configurations.

Wireless Networks

Creating tailor made wireless solutions

Greater capacity and lower latency

Sandwell College now has a 2 gigabit per second, site to site connection between their main campus and the newly incorporated College. Delivery of the solution was well ahead of any expected delivery date of the fixed-line. The QuickNet wireless network solution provides greater capacity with lower latency in a far quicker deployment window.

Using the right products to go the distance

3 High-Speed, Multi-Gigabit Point to Point Radio Links consisting of: 2 x 80GHz V-Band PTP Links | 1 x 18GHz Dual-Core Long-Distance PTP Link

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