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| Paul Allen of Admiral Voice & Data |
Architects constantly need to share large graphic design files with clients, contractors and engineers, so being able to upload and download them rapidly and without hiccups is vital.
Nathan Silver is a distinguished architect who has been architecture correspondent of The New Statesman, Head of a London school of architecture, author of several leading texts on his subject, and a principal of a large UK practice. He now carries out a vital service as an expert witness and consultant for the building and construction industry, providing his valued judgement in disputes, negotiations, and other tough problems.
His work requires the sharing of plans, photographs and detailed graphic material with clients, lawyers, engineers and other technical experts. In most of his professional assignments, rapid interchange and response are essential. For Silver, his doubly challenging operation—complex concurrent assignments, plus the need for swift turnaround on negotiations and agreements—means that he has to have the support of a high-speed internet connection. It has to be capable of communicating effectively with others, and crucially, able to upload as well as download large files. His overall requirement is speed for business-critical communications, which is why he selected Urban Wimax.
Implementing WiMAX
Previously, Nathan Silver Architects used a standard ADSL connection. Although it was adequate for basic Internet use and email, the capacity of the service was insufficient for the practice’s file download and upload requirements. Silver became increasingly frustrated with the lack of productivity in sending and receiving documents. He had to have a service that wouldn’t ‘crowd him’—allowing him to reduce his administrative task time, and to increase his time available for professional service. He needed a fast, reliable, symmetrical Internet connection.
In May 2006, Silver signed up his firm to become one of Urban Wimax’s first customer sites in the city of Westminster.
A constant concern for Silver is that his need to work at top speed on client problems means that any disruption can be a hazard, so he is always cautious about adopting new technology that might cause initial delays. When he implemented Urban Wimax, he was reassured by the riskavoidance of the whole process. The Urban Wimax client services team saw to it that Nathan’s business continuity was maintained throughout, leaving him to concentrate on professional support for his client base.
Urban Wimax uses mapping software prior to installation to assess the capacity it can offer to any customer depending on their location and distance from the base station, without the customer having to wait for an engineer to travel to the site. Urban Wimax was able to offer Nathan Silver Architects a symmetrical connection (the same upload and download speeds), which Silver is now using for all of his email, Internet and business application data traffic.
After installing an antenna on the roof, a cable was run down into the main office, and from there the service uses a small router. It was an easy installation process without disruption. All deployment commitments were surpassed, enabling Silver to start using the service immediately.
WiMAX benefits
Using Wimax to speedily upload and download large reports has appreciably increased productivity. The significant efficiencies reduce unproductive time in his chargeable expenses, and increase value by ensuring that his own use of time is concentrated on his professional services and earnings. Urban Wimax’s opportunity benefits applied by Nathan are acknowledged by his existing clients, and help to attract new clients when his work is recommended and evaluated.
Summary:
Symmetrical connection – equally fast upload and download speeds Much quicker to upload files Dramatically less expensive than cable symmetrical alternatives
Technical Specifications:
The IEEE’s WiMAX 802.16d 2004 standard for fixed wireless 4Mb symmetrical connection