Communication within school (mobiles or 2-way radios?)

[chinesewhispers]

Does anybody have a good method of communicating with their staff in school?

 

We have several staff who we need to communicate with immediately (away from their desks). Mobile coverage in our area is not great, and so can't be relied upon.

 

I think we are looking for 2-way radios, but we need to make sure they are on a separate channel to other services in school (cleaners, security, premises staff, builders working next door).

 

Has anybody used some they can recommend, we'll be needing 5 or 6.

 

Cheers

[binky]

We have a enterprise DECT system so that every member of staff has a small phone like device that acts as an extension anywhere on campus. (its an alcatel-lucent system if you're interested)

[plexer]

If you want to use licence free radios get some decent ones with decent batteries and chargers and also have them programmed so the default channels are away from the default ones used on other radios.

 

I've used wildtalk.com for this in the past.

 

Ben

[sippo]

Our budget dictates

 

http://www.globo.co.nz/Cache/Pictures/158832/6_tins_and_string.bmp

[llawwehttam]

Method #1 Use messenger pigeons

Method #2 Send a student runner.

Edited December 11, 2009 by llawwehttam
spelling

[ahuxham]

We used to wind everyone up with ours, change channels to the neighbouring schools and announce trains coming into the station, in depth. They got all nervous and shouted get off our channel and we replied, WE'RE A RAIL COMPANY DIRECTING TRAINS, get off our channel, and they did, till we found it again.

[steveg]

Have you got whole site wireless network coverage? Could get some ip wifi phones maybe?

 

Steve

[AngryTechnician]

We used wireless Cisco VoIP phones in my last school and it worked pretty well. Does rely on site-wide wireless coverage though.

[chinesewhispers]

Due to the layout of our school, our whole site isn't covered by wireless unfortunately.

 

I think a set of 2-way radios may be the best be, set on a channel well away from the rest, or even with the basic encryption/scrambling.

 

Any recommendations/experience of specific models that you have used?

[localzuk]

We use 2 way radios, and I have the desire to replace them with wifi ip phones when we finish our wireless rollout at some point.

 

Until then, we use Motorola XTN446s.

[kylewilliamson]

PMR works well in this situation - the XTN446's are now EOL, and the replacement is the XTNi. However would recommend the "XTNi D" if you want the screen and privacy settings and stuff. Pretty good, and worked from the local Tesco [half a mile away] at my previous job. They are expensive (circa. £130 each) but the "2 for £20" jobbos from ASDA just don't cut it. Either that or get a mobile network femtocell.

 

Kyle

[chinesewhispers]

Just another point, can these devices do point to point communication, (rather than broadcast to all devices, just communicate with a chosen haandset)?

 

I'd like the option of both if possible.

[localzuk]

Just another point, can these devices do point to point communication, (rather than broadcast to all devices, just communicate with a chosen haandset)?

 

I'd like the option of both if possible.

 

The XTN's can't, no. As they're just 2-way radios. To do something like that, you'd be better off with some form of phone system with push to talk communications capabilities.

[EduTech]

As saft as it sounds at 1 point we had an iPod Touch that they would use to received email. It was basically used for SLT oncall. But due to them not giving us any money to upgrade our wireless network to Ruckus lol! it didn't always work especially when they were walking around the playground or in a non-wifi area.

 

So they have now resulted in 2 mobile phones.

 

James

[K.C.Leblanc]

We use mobile phones, they work fairly well. I think we will be moving towards wifi phones.

 

My old school had cheap BT two way radios. They simply weren't up to the task. Range and quality were poor and they would just switch off or for no apparent reason.

[Edu-IT]

I thought you had Ruckus James?

 

We have some kind of paging system in place, or we did. It's still installed but there's no software for it yet. I believe that is one way only though.

[localzuk]

I have some documentation on a Motorola solution at work, which is a 'converged radio/phone' solution. You have a device on the network which can transfer phone calls to certain motorola radios. So you can have both functions with radios and phone capabilities. I'll dig them out on Monday if you want?

[chinesewhispers]

These look interesting (and nice and small, some of our staff are female, and don't have pockets/belts to clip to, so size will be important)

 

Motorola XTL PMR446 radio

 

and maybe one of these for the office

 

Desktop PMR446 radio

 

It'll be to communicate within my team, so not looking for a 'whole school' solution (they already have about 20 other handsets used between premises staff, security, cleaners, pastoral etc all on the same channel). As long as it can be isolated from them (I'm not interested which toilets are open every 10 minutes!).

 

Thanks for the info so far, I'll let you know how I get on.

[laserblazer]

In theory, all PMR446 performance is going to be much of a muchness because the spec. is tied to 500mw into an inefficient aerial. Some models perform better because the receiver is more sensitive. Coverage across a large site is going to be iffy", especially if there are some thick walls and other obstructions. So borrow some radios and try it first. You may find that, by the time ypu have forked out for a decent bit of kit, that mobile phones are the cheaper option.

[localzuk]

Ok, found the information regarding the Motorola system. They call it 'Motorola Total Enterprise Access and Mobility (TEAM)'.

 

That system allows you to have an integrated VoWLAN/Radio/Mobile setup. TEAM VoWLAN Solution - Motorola USA

[mbrunt]

if you do go with personal radios (even if you buy pro licensed ones) never to disclose personal info over them. it could come back to haunt you!