Thinking it’s about time for a network upgrade? There are so many pieces of the puzzle that forms your business’s IT network, and they all work simultaneously to run smoothly. We are breaking down a recent network revamp for our leisure customer Freedom Leisure Group, as well as how to improve your network and signs it’s time to get out with the old and in with the new!
The site
Guildford Spectrum is one of the largest leisure centres in the south of the UK comprising a gym, pool, and even ice rink. Their network is large and some of it was outdated, causing them issues and slowing down the efficiency of their day-to-day running.
Modernising their network was needed, and with it being a large and complicated network, there was lots of time and planning put into place to ensure the transition was as smooth as possible. By carefully planning their new VoIP phone systems, we were able to install the new phones in a single overnight session with no downtime to their operations at all.
By making the modernising changes to their network they now have a faster internet connection, future-proof VoIP phone systems, additional security, and greatly improved network management that just simply wasn’t possible before.�
Their network is now fully up to scratch with the best equipment and ongoing support from us.
Switching to VoIP�
One of the biggest changes we made was switching them to VoIP phone systems, with Openreach closing all analogue lines by 2025 it was important to get their new phone systems installed and set up well before then.
We replaced over 65 handsets with Yealink VoIP phones that will offer amazing voice quality as well as all the functions a business needs, with the added flexibility of adding extra handsets whenever they are needed.�
The extra benefit of having VoIP phones supplied by us means we can order and set up the phones in our office so when they get to you they are all ready to use straight away. We also provide ongoing maintenance for the phones including small day-to-day queries that may come up. We also do phone migrations for VoIP phone services.
New Cisco-Meraki Switches
The switches they initially had were over 20 years old that were not offering the speed and reliability needed to support a venue of this size, we replaced them with brand new Cisco-Meraki equipment that offers a much better diagnostic capability.
Astaris never hesitates to use and recommend Cisco-Meraki equipment, it is top of the range kit that will stand the test of time. It has been designed to support business-size networks with extra benefits of security etc… to ensure you are always safe and secure.
Their most popular product with our customers is their WiFi equipment, as it offers incredibly fast speeds, and with their wireless access points it doesn’t matter the size and shape of your venue, you can still achieve a super fast and reliable connection. One sign your WiFi or other equipment needs replacing is the other equipment in your facility (tills, printers, computers, sound systems, etc…) all struggle regularly. Having reliable equipment in place means all technologies (both hardware and software you may be using) all work properly.
A new and improved internet connection
We decommissioned their old copper-based internet connection and replaced it with a dedicated fibre connection. Fibre internet connection is a much faster and more reliable source of internet compared to more traditional methods. A lot of the copper landlines that both the internet and phones run on are old and sometimes damaged, so no matter how good your equipment is your connection will never be at its full potential.
Switching to fibre means your equipment can run at full capacity because the whole network is strong and reliable. The fibre optic cables (made from glass or plastic) allow data to be transferred and sent faster meaning fast results for you.
If your business has any questions about upgrading aspects of your IT network, why not get in touch with us to find out what the best solutions are for your business?
