NTL: Telewest Business
Big Case Studies
ExCeL London shines as gem of UK's Exhibition Centres
ExCeL London, in London’s Royal Victoria Dock, is one of the UK’s largest exhibition and conference centres. Located on a 100 acre site, it has hosted over 1,700 events since it opened in 2000. The venue spans 65,000 square metres of exhibition floor space, and comprises exhibition halls, banqueting and conference suites, retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, apartments and more than five function rooms.
During the building project the contractors were looking for the right partners to bring the venue’s technology infrastructure firmly into the 21st century and beyond. “Our vision was to get it right first time and build an IT and telecommunications platform that would support potential future requirements,” said Timo Bayford, ExCeL’s Head of IT.
ntl:Telewest Business was appointed in April 2000. Installing the copper and blown fibre cabling infrastructures in such a massive building to this tight timescale was a major challenge. But leading and working with a team of IT suppliers, ntl:Telewest Business had overall responsibility for ensuring that all the hardware, software, networking systems, the PBX and normal telephone services, pay phones and the mobile phone facilities were ready and working on time.
The scale of the project was also large and every single service from Internet access to IP Telephony is now delivered securely from multiple areas within the venue. From the two exhibition halls to the further 60 rooms for hire, as well as entrances, food outlets and restaurants, ExCeL London now has one of the most advanced communications systems out of all the UK exhibition spaces.
Following on from the successful installation, ntl:Telewest Business was awarded an additional six-year fully managed service contract in 2004. Its responsibilities include the management and maintenance of the site’s advanced IP network, and the installation and de-installation of all exhibition and conference communications.
