CommScope deployed a DAS solution as well as an intelligent lighting solution in its Madrid office
Last year, CommScope decided to consolidate several offices in Madrid, Spain, to a single facility that opened in June 2017. As it made that change, the company faced the same of the challenges its customers face in terms of in-building connectivity and smart building solutions.
CommScope said that the new space needed to have a best-in-class technology infrastructure to support employees who are connected 24/7 while working from anywhere at any time. CommScope also sought to optimize energy usage in the new office.
In order to meet its modernization goals in Madrid, CommScope turned to advanced cabling technology that is designed to support Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications. This technology transmits data and electrical power to remote devices over the same cable, including building controllers and sensors, LED lights, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones and security cameras. The ability to connect devices without separate electrical power cable runs removes obstacles to optimal device placement and reduces installation and deployment costs, CommScope said.
The Madrid office used 3560-CX PoE Cisco switches for the connected lighting system and 3650 PoE Cisco switches for the remaining PoE devices. CommScope highlighted that universal connectivity grid (UCG) provided an easy integration of PoE-enabled devices. UCG divides floor space into evenly sized areas, or “cells.” Horizontal cabling runs from the telecommunications room to a consolidation point within each cell, which supports the various system devices within its cell.
Also, category 6A cabling provides high bandwidth and remote power to support legacy and emerging intelligent building applications, the company said.
Another important consideration in using Category 6A was thermal load. As PoE networks and devices increase exponentially, so do power demands. Wireless access points, digital signs, videoconferencing systems and LED lighting increase the amount of power running through cables. High power levels increase the thermal load in cabling. Category 6A minimizes this effect while supporting applications up to 10 Gbps.
DAS deployment
CommScope also required a solution to support the growing demand for in-building wireless traffic. CommScope deployed the ION-E enterprise distributed antenna system (DAS). The digital DAS solution allows CommScope to take advantage of Category 6A structured cabling and to distribute signals and power to the system’s universal access points (UAPs) throughout the building. ION-E supports multiple mobile network operators and mobile technologies—including 4G/LTE, 3G and 2G—on a single system.
The Madrid office also has an intelligent lighting system that uses PoE technology to support efficiencies. Energy-saving LED lights and fixtures from Philips Lighting and sensors provide the right amount of light based on changing occupancy and daylighting conditions, CommScope said.
Data collected from the lighting system enables historical analysis of how often employees use workspaces. This allows managers can then decide how to allocate space based on usage and establish efficient energy management policies.
“Enterprise workspace is evolving to support next-generation connectivity, communication, collaboration and efficiency. Cisco’s digital building solution allows enterprise users like CommScope to meet these challenges—converging standalone systems into one IP platform and laying a foundation for next-generation smart buildings,” said Antonio Conde IoT and digital transformation manager with Cisco Spain.
