Multi-carrier, Health and Safety Connectivity Solution

Aged care residents in Victoria get connected!

Company Profile

With more than 3,500 people in their care and more than 5,000 staff dedicated to patient wellbeing, this is one of Australia’s largest aged care providers.

Business needs

This healthcare company was experiencing intermittent, and in some instances; non-existent mobile network coverage in parts of their newly built 60 room aged care facility located in Victoria. Due to the construction of the building incorporating two floors below ground and four floors above, cellular connection for all carriers became an immediate issue to rectify, particularly due to health and safety considerations.

Staff at the facility identified the lack of coverage presents three main issues to overcome. Firstly, patient safety; reliable cellular coverage was required to act as a failsafe for emergency buttons. Also, continuous access to emergency communications including lift phones and fire panels. Secondly, staff operations and communications and thirdly, resident social requirements.

The Solution

Powertec’s expert installer worked in conjunction with the Powertec team to develop a solution to achieve the aged care facility’s coverage requirements. In order to gain coverage across all six floors, it was determined that two “hubs” each containing four CEL-FI GO stationary repeaters would be created. Hub 1 and 2 are positioned on level 1 and ground level respectively.

Four internal antennas are installed on each level (24 in total) and connect to the “hubs” in order to saturate each of the six floors in cellular signal. The Powertec team successfully boosted signal to all 60 rooms.

Business Benefits

All staff and residents at the aged care facility in Victoria are now receiving continuous and reliable cellular signal across all six floors. This installation has made an excellent improvement to workplace health and safety. Staff can easily communicate via mobile phones within the building with each other, and if needed, emergency services.

The improved 3G and 4G signal is also a wonderful benefit to residents who now have the option to use mobile devices and the reassurance of a failsafe for their emergency buttons. The successful installation of this solution has made a great improvement on the previous intermittent signal experienced by the residents of this aged care facility.