atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information What would you install?

High rise hotel- approx 200 rooms. Voice and data drops in each room. IDF's on each floor. Gigantic phone room on main floor. I'm helping the electical engineer write the spec's. I've got the data network diagram done and think it's pretty solid. I'm looking for input on the voice side from the seasoned phone pro's on what you would include in the spec if you could have everything you wanted for a new install, rather than making whatever they give you work. Not so much interested in specific brand of hardware over the other, but what would make your life easier.

I look forward to your advice.

Don't forget the wireless transmitters on each floor and you might need two for each and the coax for the Movies and.... and Just make sure it's Plenum rated...and.... don't forget to talk to the movie vendor contractor...He will need your help and you will need his... As far as the PBX or Vendor of choice for voice now that's the fun part. The movie vendor is key.... It's a lot like pay per view everyone gets a cut.

My advice is to get a dealer involved ASAP...ideally one who has experience with networks.

There are several phone systems out there that are tailor-made for Hotels.

I am assuming that you are designing this while keeping in mind the distance limitation for Ethernet cabling and having the phones in each room wired on their own dedicated circuit.

As has been said before, your phone dealer is your friend; make a good one.

Phone Suite is the choice system for several major hotel chains. I am a dealer for phone suite if for some reason I could be helpful plese let me know.

Yes PhoneSuite is the most cost affective and specifically tailored for the hospitality industry.

A wireless Dect system to allow contact directly with any employee on the grounds....

As far as phone equipment room, Lots of outlets, duplex, not quad, spaced 2 feet apart. Space at least 8 feet wide and 4 feet high dedicated to phone equipment only. A REAL Building ground, #6 or bigger wire, with a buss bar for mutiple connections. 20 amp circuits, NOTE the PLURAL! Ideally the AC would have a breaker panel right in the phone room. I assume the phone room is also the data and movie room. Set space division for each craft. Be sure and provide plenty of power for them. But be reasonable, Give them all plenty of space. Nothing looks worse than a room with all the stuff jammed onto 1 wall, and stuff mounted at weird angles. And of course, it becomes VERY hard to service.
My personal phone system recommendation, MITEL. They must have 80% of the small/medium market for SOME reason. John C.

You’re going to have to get interested in the specific brand of hardware
First step is to find out what brand hotel, each one has an approved list of systems that you can use. The list has only 2 or 3 allowed systems. Some hotel chains require 2 phones per room as well as wired hi-speed internet for some percentage of rooms. There will also be cabling between the property management and phone system for turning on the phones at check-in and SMDR for the guest folio. These are just a few of the considerations.

Climate control in your phone room. Specifically AC.

Also battery backup and/or generator power for power outages. In some areas this is required for safety reasons.

Outlets should be dedicated.

You might want to invest in a BICSI Manual (Installers manual and more importantly a RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designers) Manual). Lots of great info in them on standards.

Bill
TTSI