Radio Communication Solutions for 8 Bishopsgate

Building a Radio Communication for 8 Bishopsgate

Standing 204 metres tall, 8 Bishopsgate is a state-of-the-art commercial skyscraper and a recent addition to the iconic City of London skyline. Ranked the capital’s 11th tallest building when it opened in 2023, most of the building’s 560,000 sq ft is given over to high-end office space, with amenities that include a floor-sized kitchen, bar and terrace, a meeting and event space, and assorted retail and hospitality concessions at street level.

8 Bishopsgate is also distinguished as the UK’s tallest building to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ sustainable certification rating from BREEAM, reflecting its exceptional sustainability credentials. From top to bottom, the building is designed with energy efficiency in mind, including a unique controllable airflow system and AI optimisation.

Challenge

As a commercial building, 8 Bishopsgate is ‘work’ for thousands of people, including the reception, security and facilities management professionals who keep the building open, safe, and in good operational order. One of the things they need to do their jobs effectively is a reliable communications system that allows them to stay in touch around the building.

That’s easier said than done in a building that size. Getting sufficient signal coverage for two way radios to work effectively across 50 floors is (pardon the pun) a tall order. Not only that, but in the middle of a metropolis the size of London where tens of thousands of other radios are being used in other buildings, by taxi drivers, by the emergency services etc, jam-packed airwaves create the risk of signal interference.

With all of that to take into consideration, it was clear a state-of-the-art comms solution was required for a state-of-the-art building.

Solution

Brentwood was brought on board before construction was completed. After we attended meetings to discuss communications requirements, we advised that the size and scale of the building meant a PoC (push-to-talk over cellular) solution that ran on 4G and WiFi would perform better.

To confirm this, we carried out 4G and WiFi connectivity surveys, once for 4G during construction, and then after completion when WiFi was live. Satisfied that the tests demonstrated reliable coverage, building management took us up on our recommendation to opt for the IDARO system.

IDARO is a smart software platform that combines the simplicity and reliability of two way radio with the global coverage of mobile. Via a SIM card and app, devices installed with IDARO can connect to both 4G and WiFi networks, providing high quality voice and data connectivity wherever wireless internet is available.

IDARO can be run on standard smartphones. But for durability and ease of use, we always recommend purpose-built PoC handsets for commercial customers. In this instance, we recommended the Hytera PNC380. With its compact, robust design, the PNC380 is easy to carry but hard-wearing – perfect for long shifts on the move. It features a prominent push-to-talk button for simple one-touch calling, but also has a full keypad and screen, making it ideal for text messaging, telephone integration, and connecting to other systems throughout the building as required.

Outcome

Lucio Sartori, Security Operations Manager at 8 Bishopsgate, said: “The radios are used extensively onsite by the security, facilities management, and front-of-house teams to ensure smooth operations and effective incident response. We operate them over mobile networks rather than WiFi for greater reliability, though the building does have robust WiFi coverage.

“The radios have lived up to expectations in terms of functionality and ease of use. Our experience working with Brentwood has also been excellent – the team has been helpful and responsive to our queries, and always willing to help and go the extra mile.”