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imageDigital Acoustics IP Intercoms
Improve Support for UNC Charlotte

photoThe challenges   How does University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) satisfy the educational technology demands of 1,400 faculty members and 20,000 students spread across a 1,000-acre campus in 74 buildings? How does a nine-member classroom support team meet its ten minute response time benchmark to address service requests?

The beginning   Twelve minutes into a film-studies lecture the video projector flashes “no signal” on a blank screen. With 200 students waiting, a UNCC professor attempts a “Dr. Quick Fix” but gives up after 15 minutes. Class dismissed! Heading back to his office intending to call-in the projector problem; he is instead intercepted by a student and promptly forgets about issue. The next day, after three more instructors are unable to complete their classes, the Office of Classroom Support is finally contacted and the malfunctioning projector repaired.

Steve Clark was facing challenges like this many times a day. As Interim Director of UNCC’s Classroom Support Team, he is responsible for keeping equipment operating so classes aren’t disrupted or cancelled, instructors are satisfied and his small technical staff effectively utilized. The primary bottleneck for better service was the university’s existing one-way message system between classrooms and the support center. In addition to many problems going unreported, if professors did contact the center, the one-way system’s poor performance typically necessitated an on-site classroom visit. “Our people were running into classrooms with no idea as to what the problem was,” Clark relates. If thesolution required a replacement part, or a chartspecial diagnostic tool, a round-trip back to thesupport center was often required.

After exploring various communications solutions, Clark selected Digital Acoustics’ ii3 Internet Protocol (IP) Intercoms and TalkMaster Software. “Since many of our classrooms don’t have PCs, we realized a software solution would not meet our requirements. And Classroom Support needed an inexpensive hardware solution. We chose the Digital Acoustics product because configuration is extremely simple, the cost is less expensive than adding new equipment to the network, and installation is as simple as plug-and-play.” With this decision made, The Office of Classroom Support installed its first 50- ii3 IP Intercoms in classrooms across campus, providing educators with the equivalent of a standard Push-to-Talk Intercom.

The Solution   Plugged into UNCC’s existing local and wide area networks, the intercoms provide instant two-way communication between classrooms and the Support Center using standard network IP Protocols and CAT5 or CAT6 Cabling. Each intercom is a network ‘edge device’ having its own IP and MAC Address. For this reason, individual intercoms can be addressed over the university’s LAN or a WAN. Wired, wireless and fiber applications are equally easy. To complete the picture, Digital Acoustics TalkMaster™ Enterprise Edition Software provides central command and control functions, allowing multiple PCs to easily manage two-way communications among many intercom units. “The Digital Acoustics intercoms leverage our existing infrastructure, and TalkMaster provides the scalability and failover capabilities that are absolutely essential for a campus-wide support operation,” says Clark. “And with Digital Acoustics software providing multiple console support, we can use more than one PC to monitor calls.” The software also provides the means to record and queue help requests, which are processed in turn as support staff become available. Since the initial installation, Clark has grown his intercom system to nearly 200 classrooms and expanded the number of PC’s supporting the instructors.

Now, to report a malfunctioning data projector, a UNCC instructor simply presses the intercom’s “Talk” button and speaks directly with a trained support representative. After asking a few questions, the support person can apply a remote solution; or if a service call is needed, dispatch a technician to the room. Instead of having to cancel class, an instructor has help on the way within 5-10 minutes, long enough for the problem to be diagnosed and repaired. “By making support ‘one-button easy’ instructors do not hesitate to report problems as they happen, minimizing the disruption students experience,” says Clark.

Clark adds, “Without exception our biggest success is being able to support classrooms and allow instruction to continue without having to leave the office.” And if a problem does require a classroom visit, the support technician arrives with an understanding of what the solution may be as they arrive.

The Answer   With the help of the Digital Acoustics IP Intercom Solution, the nine-member Office of Classroom Support team is now approaching their ten minute response benchmark—delivering rapid responses that avoid disruption for students and faculty.

Clark observes: “No one likes having technology problems while they’re trying to teach a class. The Digital Acoustics intercoms are easy enough to use that faculty do not hesitate to request help, and receive the needed assistance in a timely fashion.”

A top priority for UNC Charlotte next year is to place an ii3 IP Intercom in the remaining teaching spaces on campus, as well as at the satellite locations. This will include classrooms with minimal technology as well as the high-tech smart classrooms. “I can think of no better way to let faculty know that support is available than by providing a one-button help request system with the ease of use that this one offers,” says Clark.

If you have an interest in IP Intercom or upgrading your existing system with less cost by using Digital Acoustics, please contact Security Sales Director, Kevin Fitch (kfitch@soundinc.com).