The solution and result

Sam Browne, Senior Property Services Manager at Emeritus, discusses their experience with first time call failures and the implementation of Appello's analogue to digital converter, SmartBridge.

What issues were you experiencing with your analogue equipment?

First time call failures seemed to be common. The major issue was the length of time connections were taking and the fact that some calls seemed not to connect at all. On occasion, it was taking twenty minutes to connect and I don't think anyone else could use their pull cord at the same time. We were concerned about the reliability of the service.

Why did you choose an analogue to digital converter as a solution?

We took the view that we'd be better off installing SmartBridge analogue to digital converters for a relatively small cost. We've always planned a full digital upgrade in the medium to long term, depending on the need at each site. While that project’s already underway, we inherited a group of properties that had some other pressing issues. Being able to move the warden call replacement to the medium term, rather than needing to deal with it in the short term, has meant we can financially plan what to do when and protect our cash flow.

Why did you choose Appello?

We use Appello for our alarm receiving centre, so it meant we didn't need to make any changes in that regard. It was as economical resolution that we were likely to find.

How have you found SmartBridge?

The initial impact was noticeable. The speed of connection was very good and the call quality much improved, so those elements have been a real positive. There is one site where we don't currently have SmartBridge but the sites with it installed no longer appear on our weekly first time call failure report.

Have you had any challenges?

Appreciating the need for an additional broadband line for the converter. I wasn't clear why we couldn't just connect it to the existing router, so there was a worry about that in the run-up to the installation. There's an element of scrutiny when you're entrusted with others' money, so you don't want to raise an order to pay for an additional broadband contract if you don't need to. But the actual installation process did not present any problems. The engineers were professional and the residents' experience has been fairly seamless. It's the same but just a bit better now; quicker and louder for them.

What advice would you give to housing providers ahead of the switchover?

I can only say that – if you have a degree of responsibility or concern about the welfare of the people who are your customers – it's critical to have a solution in place before you lose the analogue lines.