Premier League, London: headquarters communications infrastructure
ACCL has designed and installed major infrastructure technology into the Premier League’s new London headquarters. This now provides structured connectivity and is making a significant difference to the IT infrastructure throughout the organisation.
Premier League, London: headquarters communications infrastructure
Structured cabling and communications infrastructure for the Premier League’s new London headquarters.
After eight years as the Premier League’s cabling contractor, ACCL won the tender for its relocation to new headquarters on Gloucester Place. ACCL fast-tracked the first-fix Systimax GigaSPEED XL cabling in just eight days, then built out VoIP and media-broadcast infrastructure, a UPS communications room and environmental monitoring on top of it.
The result
ACCL delivered structured cabling and communications infrastructure for the Premier League’s new London headquarters. The completed project provided the Premier League with:
- Fast-track 8-day first-fix cabling
- Centralised VoIP communications
- Media-broadcast application support
- Full UPS communications room
- Environmental fire and flood monitoring
- Early-warning alerts sent direct to IT
- Cabling re-stacked for internal office moves
- Performance well beyond Category 6 specification
Services delivered
Overview
The Premier League’s major IT infrastructure upgrade began after the organisation vacated its existing building to move into new headquarters on Gloucester Place, London. The move gave the Premier League the opportunity to revise its network strategy and put a solution in place that would grow with both the business and the demands of its IT applications.
ACCL had already provided cabling installations for the Premier League over the course of some eight years, so when the relocation project came about, ACCL was invited to tender for the cabling work. Having won the contract, ACCL began work on installing the Systimax system as a Systimax Business Partner.
Fast-tracking the cabling solution
ACCL started with a fast-track installation for all of the first-fix cabling and completed this initial phase in just eight days. The scale of the relocation meant every part of the new headquarters needed to be ready together, so the programme left little room for delay.
ACCL installed the Systimax GigaSPEED XL Solution, with performance well beyond Category 6 specification. The cabling now runs reliably and efficiently across the entire building, and gives the Premier League a fast return on its infrastructure investment.
Centralising communications
The Premier League wanted to develop a centralised communications system that would support advanced applications for at least the next five years. It opted for VoIP, together with a range of media-broadcast applications, all running over the cabling ACCL installed.
Building a single platform for voice and media-broadcast traffic meant the network needed genuine headroom, not just enough capacity for the applications running on day one. The GigaSPEED XL cabling gave the Premier League that margin.
Project context
Corporate headquarters · Gloucester Place, London
Structured cabling for commercial premises →Relocating your organisation’s headquarters against a tight deadline?
ACCL fast-tracked the Premier League’s entire first-fix cabling in eight days, without compromising on quality. Talk to us about a similar relocation or fit-out.
Protecting the comms room
The Premier League has since asked ACCL to install a full UPS communications room, along with a full environmental monitoring system within the communications environment. Part of that system is an early-warning sensor that detects fire or flooding, sending a signal straight to the relevant IT services team the moment either threat is identified.
ACCL has also been asked to re-stack, or re-locate, the cabling on more than one occasion as internal office moves have taken place. Throughout these projects, ACCL has maintained a close working relationship with Premier League officials, built on a flexible approach to problem-solving and a commitment to quality.
Technologies used
ACCL’s role
This project needed more than a cabling installation. ACCL’s scope covered:
- Winning the relocation cabling tender
- Fast-track first-fix cabling in 8 days
- Installing the Systimax GigaSPEED XL system
- Designing for VoIP and media-broadcast traffic
- Installing a full UPS communications room
- Installing environmental fire and flood monitoring
- Re-stacking cabling for internal office moves
- Sustaining an eight-year ongoing client relationship
Related guidance
Foreword by Wayne
“We had already been the Premier League’s cabling contractor for eight years when the relocation came up, so we understood how the organisation worked before we ever tendered for this project. That mattered, because an eight-day first-fix programme leaves no room to learn on the job. We built the network to carry voice and media-broadcast traffic on the same platform, then kept working with the Premier League long after the move: a UPS room, environmental monitoring, and re-stacking the cabling every time their office layout changed. It is a healthy relationship built on trust, and one I am genuinely proud of.”Wayne Connors, Managing Director, ACCL
“Despite the complexity of the installations, and the tight timescales that were allocated for them, ACCL have maintained high levels of quality and professionalism throughout. We have been constantly impressed with the way all members of the ACCL team have gone about their business and continue to do so. In these days of global communications, and in the high-pressure environment of football administration, we need to have 100% confidence in our IT infrastructure, and ACCL provide that confidence.”Simon Thunder, Head of IT, Premier League
Frequently asked questions
What did ACCL deliver for the Premier League?
ACCL designed and installed structured cabling and communications infrastructure for the Premier League’s new London headquarters on Gloucester Place, including the Systimax GigaSPEED XL cabling system, VoIP and media-broadcast support, a UPS communications room and environmental monitoring.
Why was ACCL chosen for this project?
ACCL had already provided cabling installations for the Premier League over roughly eight years. When the relocation project came about, ACCL was invited to tender for the cabling work and won the contract.
How quickly was the cabling installed?
ACCL fast-tracked the first-fix cabling and completed this initial phase in just eight days, working to a tight programme tied to the relocation.
What is Systimax GigaSPEED XL?
GigaSPEED XL is a structured cabling solution from Systimax, for which ACCL is a Business Partner. It performs well beyond Category 6 specification and supports demanding applications such as VoIP and media broadcast.
What applications run over the network?
The Premier League opted for a centralised VoIP communications system together with a range of media-broadcast applications, all running over the cabling ACCL installed.
What environmental monitoring did ACCL install?
ACCL installed a full environmental monitoring system for the communications room, including an early-warning sensor that detects fire or flooding and sends a signal directly to the Premier League’s IT services team.
Has ACCL done further work for the Premier League since the relocation?
Yes. ACCL has installed a full UPS communications room and has re-stacked, or re-located, cabling on more than one occasion as internal office moves have taken place.
What did the Premier League say about ACCL’s work?
Simon Thunder, the Premier League’s Head of IT, said ACCL maintained high levels of quality and professionalism throughout, despite the complexity of the installations and the tight timescales involved.
How long was the system designed to last?
The Premier League wanted a centralised communications system that would support advanced applications for at least five years, which shaped the choice of a high-performance GigaSPEED XL cabling platform.
Upgrading a corporate headquarters network?
Talk to the team that fast-tracked the Premier League’s entire headquarters cabling in eight days.
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