Zebra Technologies Brings High-Speed Wi-Fi to Remote Village for UAE's National Catering Company

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The UAE's National Catering Company (NCC) has implemented Zebra Technologies Corporation's (NASDAQ: ZBRA) T5 Power Broadband solution to connect 234 residential caravans in the remote desert area of Al-Ruwais near Abu Dhabi. Using NCC's current telephone wiring for fast, easy and cost-effective upgrades, the new system offers high-speed Wi-Fi service to improve residents' experience with uninterrupted connectivity for all their mobile devices.

NCC's village provides residents with Wi-Fi connectivity as an essential service. Its previous wireless network was unreliable, with limited or no connectivity to some of the caravans, requiring residents to find random points to access the network. The previous network was also unable to accommodate the bandwidth requirements of the increasing number of mobile devices used by residents, such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones. NCC's IT division, Business DNA, decided to address these challenges by investing in a new wireless system that would provide residents with uninterrupted high-speed connectivity, as well as the flexibility required to meet future customer demand.

NCC estimates significant cost savings compared to the alternative high-speed (CAT 6 cabling) network, and it can rely on the scalability of the solution to meet future customer demand with minimal cost and easy maintenance. The upgrade in each residential caravan was completed in minutes – eliminating the need for complex and costly installations and without the need to rip and replace any existing wiring. NCC's Business DNA, partnering with Data Capture Systems (DCS), was able to complete the project in two weeks – half the time of deploying alternative cabling infrastructures.

KEY FACTS

• To simplify deployment, the T5 Power Broadband system was integrated with the wireless networks used by Zebra's self-scanning solution in the village's retail outlets. As a result, TS-524 Power Broadband switches are managed by the existing Zebra RFS 6000 controllers.
• Existing wall jack plates were replaced with TW 511 wall plate access points (APs) to deliver high-speed coverage in the caravan where they were installed plus several neighboring caravans. Only 84 TW-511 wall plate APs were required to provide adequate coverage for all 234 caravans. 
• Factors such as distance and construction materials – including metal components – impacted wireless coverage and performance in many of the caravans. The unique architecture of the T5 Power Broadband system eliminates these issues.
• NCC is now able to monitor network performance, identify issues, and address problems before they impact service quality.

SUPPORTING QUOTES

Mohamed Abou El Kasem, IT operations manager, Business DNA (NCC IT Division)
"The T5 Power Broadband system is a cost-effective solution that allows us to offer the world-class Wi-Fi services our customers expect. Using our existing infrastructure, we are able to deliver high-speed internet access inside each caravan and accommodate many more devices. The system is easy to maintain and provides us with the scalability we require to extend our network at any time. Business DNA now plans to roll out similar deployments of the T5 Power Broadband system in two more NCC villages in 2015."

Tariq Hasan, regional sales manager, Enterprise Networking and Communication, Middle East and North Africa, Zebra Technologies

"The T5 Power Broadband system is a relatively new technology in the Middle East, enabling the delivery of high-speed Wi-Fi services using existing telephone lines and offering superior performance at minimal cost."

SUPPORTING RESOURCES

Facebook:  Zebra Technologies
Twitter: @ZebraTechnology

About National Catering Company (NCC)
The NCC Group of Companies is one of the largest organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), specializing in catering, facilities management, and retail services. It also manages 17 residential villages accommodating employees of large businesses located in remote parts of the country. These include major oil and gas companies, as well as multinational groups such as General Electric and Hyundai. The villages offer mobile caravan housing and residential services including housekeeping, room service, maintenance, security, and retail outlets.

About Zebra Technologies
Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) makes businesses as smart and connected as the world we live in. Zebra tracking and visibility solutions transform the physical to digital, creating the data streams enterprises need to simplify operations, know more about their businesses, and empower their mobile workforces. For more information, visit www.zebra.com/possibilities.

Media and Industry Analyst Contact:
Valerie Berrivin
Zebra Technologies
+33 607 956 184
[email protected]

Zebra Technologies, Zebra and the Zebra logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corporation and are used under license. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Zebra Technologies Corporation. All rights reserved.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140731/132232

SOURCE Zebra Technologies Corporation

Related Links

http://www.zebra.com