The 67-acre King’s Cross Estate has been transformed from London’s former industrial district into a busy neighbourhood combining commercial, residential and public spaces. The estate now includes offices, shops, leisure destinations and more than 1,120 homes, with approximately 18,000 people working across the development.
Further phases of development are still underway and the number of people using the estate is expected to grow beyond 40,000. As King’s Cross continues to expand, its communication infrastructure needs to grow with it, supporting security, facilities management, everyday operations and emergency response across an increasingly large and complex site.
The Challenge
Continued development across King’s Cross placed increasing demands on the existing radio network. Poor coverage in certain locations, signal drop outs and limitations when communicating between different areas of the estate were beginning to affect day to day operations.
The addition of new buildings and a growing operational footprint made these challenges more noticeable, with reliable communication becoming increasingly important for teams working across the site.
To improve current performance while preparing for future growth, the estate’s 15-repeater Multi-Site Linked Capacity+ DMR system was upgraded to provide a stronger and more scalable communication network.
The Solution
Working closely with the King’s Cross team, we developed the system around the changing requirements of the estate. Regular site visits, ongoing reviews and system maintenance help ensure communication remains reliable as new areas and buildings are introduced.
A comprehensive maintenance package was put in place, providing 24/7 support and access to spare equipment when required. TRBOnet Watch was also introduced to continuously monitor the radio network and help identify potential issues.
Motorola VB400 body worn cameras were integrated to provide security teams with additional support and the ability to capture footage during incidents.
To address coverage and signal drop outs, the communication infrastructure was further enhanced using Motorola WAVE Push to Talk over WiFi alongside RF over Fibre technology.
As development continues and more organisations move onto the estate, new technology is also being tested to ensure the system can accommodate future requirements. This has included trials of Motorola WAVE with Motorola ION devices and the customer’s existing terminals. The additional functionality available compared with the previous DMR system was well received by the customer.
The Results
The upgraded network has improved radio coverage across King’s Cross, giving teams more dependable communication throughout the estate.
Bringing different communication technologies together has also improved communication between teams and supported quicker coordination across the site. Motorola body worn cameras provide additional support for security and incident management while the upgraded infrastructure gives the estate greater flexibility as it continues to expand.
The maintenance package provides further reassurance with technical support available when required to help keep essential communication systems operational.
Ongoing Support
Our work with King’s Cross Estate continues as the development grows. Through ongoing maintenance, system monitoring and further technology upgrades, the communication network can continue to adapt to support the estate’s changing operational, security and coverage requirements.
