Midlands Air Ambulance Charity are a nationally recognised charity with a number of remote sites across the Midlands. Operating as one of the largest air ambulance charities in the UK, communication and technology is key to the success of maintaining and sustaining such a vital service.
When EBC Group first met with Midlands Air Ambulance Charity they discovered an IT infrastructure that was struggling to keep up with company growth. The entry level connectivity that was in use was not scalable creating poor user experiences and bottlenecks in businesses efficiencies, in addition to aging routers and switching backbone causing support and stability issues. Because of the work they carry out, it is vital that their communication network remains up at all times.
As a company that has a number of remote sites, separate and disparate phone systems were making for costly communications between offices, whilst employees were failing to use inter-office connectivity making collaboration difficult. Their key objectives were to improve the reliability of the network and security, whilst also looking to make cost savings where possible.
Challenge
Connectivity not scalable, creating bottlenecks in business efficiencies
Aging routers and switching backbone causing support and stability issues
Costly communications between sites, and lack of inter-office connectivity
Solution
In depth analysis into phones bills, and consolidation of numbers
Private WAN to create central telephony environment
Entry level firewalling, routers and switches to accommodate new circuits
Benefits
Company wide inter-site communications
Free phone calls between sites and new handsets
Future proofed IT systems allowing for company growth
Approach
EBC Group began by scoping Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s internet connectivity, advising on the best services available, whilst also taking into consideration the cost restrictions of the charity.
- Advised on the most suitable hardware required, that would work in conjunction with new circuits, firewalls and routers.
- An in depth analysis into phone bills took place in order to help consolidate multiple site phone numbers into one manageable bill, that provides both clarity and cost savings whilst utilising SIP for calls.
- Plans for a private WAN, which would create a central hosted telephony platform within EBC Group allowing for inter-site connectivity with voice and data.
Results
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity now benefit from new full inter-site connectivity and free calls thanks to new routers, switches, circuits and a hosted telephony solution.
- All phone numbers have now been consolidated into EBC Group as SIP calls, which allow for free calls between sites.
- Received a new hosted telephony environment, in addition to all sites receiving new handsets.
- Future proofed IT systems, enterprise level fire-walling, routers and switches have been installed to accommodate new circuits and speeds, as well new fibre across all sites.
Midlands Air Ambulance Charity
Location: Midlands
Employees: 42
