speckytecky Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 We currently have a mix of EnGenius and BT roving handsets connected to our copper wired internal phone system for use around our fairly small site. We are a KS3 special school. We have Comms dropping off where we actually need it e.g. The Sports Hall. The main need for roving phones is to call for backup should the lads 'kick off'. Can anyone advise / recommend on any kit they use or is available that might be suitable for the job. N.B. The chap who Cary's out our internal line maintenance is planning to change us over to a system that runs over the LAN in the not too distant future.
plexer Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 What's the currents system based on DECT? you could try some DECT boosters if it is. Ben
3s-gtech Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 The chap who Cary's out our internal line maintenance Is this a play on his name? Would something that calls in quicker than a phone be a benefit - so when a student kicks off you can just hit a single button? Just thinking of a decent radio system or similar, could be handier. 1
speckytecky Posted January 9, 2014 Author Posted January 9, 2014 Thanks @3s-gtech Ah the beauties of being dyslexic - mind I was 42 before my mother mentioned that I'd been labeled as such when at school! Your answer were sounds interesting - have you anything in mind? Whats used in other schools I wonder. Our site is a tiddler, I'm thinking a big secondary or college must have decent mobile Comms for staff? Is this a play on his name? Would something that calls in quicker than a phone be a benefit - so when a student kicks off you can just hit a single button? Just thinking of a decent radio system or similar, could be handier.
MatthewL Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 In alot of schools I visit I see a mix of VOIP and radios, radio's seem to be the favour at the moment.
sparkeh Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 In alot of schools I visit I see a mix of VOIP and radios, radio's seem to be the favour at the moment. All key staff have a radio here, works very well and possibly simpler than a phone solution? 1
speckytecky Posted January 9, 2014 Author Posted January 9, 2014 Any recommendation toward a particular radio? All key staff have a radio here, works very well and possibly simpler than a phone solution?
crc-ict Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 My old place was a large secondary, and they use licensed UHF radios for this sort of communication. They had Motorola transceivers, with 4 switchable channels. Having a radio on you around the place monitoring a common channel can become annoying though if they are used a lot.
localzuk Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 We have licensed UHF radios here too (we used to use unlicensed, but the local garden centre used them too, and it didn't seem to matter what we did, they ended up on our channel & range was terrible). We haven't done anything like integrating with phones but this is a possibility with better handsets. We have Entel HX400 handsets here. Range is impressive - they work across our entire town (and most importantly, from the first floor of one of buildings down into the basement of another building). Entel's repair service is superb too - speedy and well priced. 1
dhicks Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 Can anyone advise / recommend on any kit they use or is available that might be suitable for the job. N.B. The chap who Cary's out our internal line maintenance is planning to change us over to a system that runs over the LAN in the not too distant future. We've gone for a completly IP-based phone system. We upgraded our network infrastructure first, making sure we had enough wired and wireless coverage throughout the whole school, then adding wired phones and wireless handsets is easy enough after that. Our IQ PBX is Asterisk based, with the idea being that it packages Asterisk into a nice, easy-to-use device. After working with it for a while and coming up against its limitations, I'd say go for a plain (free) Asterisk server instead and buy in consultancy time to help you set it up if needed. We're using Yealink wired handsets and UniData wireless handsets.
plexer Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 If they are replacing the current system with something else quite soon then as long as you get your requirements met do you want to spend money on an alternative now? We use Kenwood TK-3170's for site communications here as we don't have wireless/dect phones. They work very well and are licensed but expensive. They have an address list on the so you pick the radio you want to call hit a button and the other radio rings. Ben
localzuk Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 We've gone for a completly IP-based phone system. We upgraded our network infrastructure first, making sure we had enough wired and wireless coverage throughout the whole school, then adding wired phones and wireless handsets is easy enough after that. Our IQ PBX is Asterisk based, with the idea being that it packages Asterisk into a nice, easy-to-use device. After working with it for a while and coming up against its limitations, I'd say go for a plain (free) Asterisk server instead and buy in consultancy time to help you set it up if needed. We're using Yealink wired handsets and UniData wireless handsets. Our phone system is also asterisk based (we didn't buy consultancy time though, I had to learn it all from scratch, which was fun...). I would suggest that unless you want to manage a new linux server on your network, have a look at 3CX instead as it is a Windows based 'user friendly' system which will do for the vast majority of schools. Asterisk is great, but very complex (but also very flexible). Another thing to pay attention to with wireless handsets is your wifi. If you have a wireless network, you'll need to ensure coverage is 100%, and that it can handle quick hand-off for the wifi devices if users roam between APs. Some systems do this by default, others need extra licenses and some just don't handle it well at all.
sparkeh Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 Any recommendation toward a particular radio? We use these: XTNi D - Motorola Solutions Europe, Middle East, Africa - (unlicenced). We are a large primary and these do the job perfectly well.
john Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 I had these - Vitai 8800 from that firm and they are licensed and were very good and covered our two sites and worked well when the users actually used them correctly. Shouting at them and near enough eating the radio doesn't help with the quality of your voice....
cpjitservices Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 We have Polycom KIRKS here, with repeater base stations which plug straight into our switches.
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