Innovative IP Two-Way Radio Communication
Royal Opera House’s Deloitte Ignite 15 event provided a perfect application for CSE Chatterbox’s innovative TurboVoice two-way radio system, which delivered cost-effective, licence-free coverage of the site using the building’s existing Wi-Fi network.
The Client
Situated at the heart of London’s Covent Garden the Royal Opera House is home to two of the world’s great artistic companies – The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. It seeks to be always accessible and engaging, to develop audiences across the UK and to break new ground in the presentation of lyric theatre.
The Challenge
In September 2015 Royal Opera House (ROH) staged a new initiative, Deloitte Ignite, a month-long festival of free events. Visitors were invited to ‘learn a chorus, make some props, try their hand (and arms and legs) at ballet and contemporary dance, see performances of everything from hula-hoop artistes to trolley-dancing tea ladies’ and to enjoy ‘mind-boggling performances on the Covent Garden piazza from a host of international street artists’.
The provision of a two-way radio system for the event presented two challenges:
Firstly, ROH specified a permanent two-way radio system, which would require a two-way radio licence, and Ofcom has reduced the number of two-way radio licences available in London.
Secondly, the historic theatre presents many dead spots where it is difficult to receive or transmit a radio signal, and the event required coverage across this and a second building with basement offices, linked by tunnel, plus the outside piazza area.
An Innovative, Cost Effective Solution
Having surveyed the site and discussed requirements with the client CSE Chatterbox proposed a TurboVoice IP advanced radio system, which is an innovative solution to the type of licence and coverage issues faced by ROH.
TurboVoice utilises existing Wi-Fi networks, in this case the ROH’s Wi-Fi access points, to provide radio coverage within and between buildings. The access points on the ROH Wi-Fi network already provided total coverage so no further access points were required; CSE Chatterbox simply supplied 25 Icom IP100H handsets with headsets for the event and installed two Icom IP1000C system controllers to monitor all radio activity. The ROH system used two 20-handset controllers ‘daisy-chained’ together to provide a system for the 25 handsets, with potential for a maximum of 40 handsets.
TurboVoice requires minimal equipment, and is therefore quick to install. The radios, routers and access points it does require are extremely price competitive, and it does not need an Ofcom two-way radio licence. Everything combines to make TurboVoice an effective, financially viable solution for short-term applications like Deloitte Ignite.
In this instance CSE Chatterbox supplied the system on short-term hire but clients can purchase the system for longer-term requirements.
“ TurboVoice represents a genuine innovation in two-way radio communication providing a potential solution where licences are virtually impossible to obtain, which is the case in London.
If a client has a Wi-Fi system in place TurboVoice is an elegantly simple cost effective way of achieving effective radio coverage.”
Richard Blackwell
Senior Account Manager, CSE Chatterbox
“We were delighted that CSE Chatterbox was able to provide a system on short-term hire to give us the coverage we needed. It was perfect for our regular but short-term requirement and has saved us investing in permanent infrastructure.”
Tom Nelson
Creative Producer, Royal Opera House
A New Approach
TurboVoice is an innovative system and its implementation does require a new approach.
IT Department Buy-In
Because the system requires an IP/WLAN host close co-operation is required between CSE Chatterbox engineers and the organisation’s IT department from the outset of the project.
The three initial questions most IT departments have are:
1. What impact does TurboVoice have on the host system security?
There is no threat to the security of the host system as radio operators have no means of accessing it.
2. What impact does TurboVoice have on the host system bandwidth?
The effect on available bandwidth of the IP host system is minimal, each radio uses 150kbps per transmission (300kbps for full duplex).
3. What are the system requirements?
The system can work with any IP protocol. It operates on either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz or both, switching automatically between the two depending on signal strength.
“The TurboVoice radio system supplied by CSE Chatterbox enabled us to use the ROH network as a solution to a potentially costly communications requirement with very little impact on the system itself.”
Marco Mignone
Network and Security Engineer, Royal Opera House
Training
The Icom IP100H handsets, like most two-way radios, are simplex but they become duplex when a headset is added i.e. using them is like having a telephone conversation where communication is simultaneous as opposed to speaking alternately. In full duplex mode everyone on the channel can hear and join every communication. This mode does have applications but those operating the radios need to be made aware that discretion may sometimes be required. CSE Chatterbox offers live and online training via YouTube videos on this and basic operating functions.
Application
TurboVoice is clearly different to a conventional two-way radio system and offers some very specific advantages however it is only as robust as its host IP system. Generally this is not an issue but it is obviously a consideration for critical communications where resilience is required.
