Case Study: Citywide VoIP and Metropolitan Area Network in Norwalk, CT

Connecting 40 Buildings to Support Data, Voice and Video Applications Throughout the City

 

The Client

The City of Norwalk and Norwalk Public Schools, Connecticut.

 

The Project

The City of Norwalk, Connecticut, engaged RCC Consultants to assist in the development and deployment of technology and telecommunications services to improve the quality of life and delivery of services to the citizens of Norwalk. Additionally, the City wanted to consolidate efforts that had been undertaken by several City departments and agencies.

 

RCC's Role

RCC provided many important telecommunications-related services for Norwalk during this project, including:

  • Designed a private, fiber optic-based gigabit Ethernet metropolitan area network connecting 40 City buildings (City Hall, 19 schools, 7 fire stations, 3 police facilities, DPW garage, Health building, parking facilities and others) that will support and enable data, voice and video applications throughout the City.
  • Designed a citywide Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone system platform (Cisco) to replace a variety of disparate and obsolete systems at each facility
  • Upgraded technology systems for the Brien McMahon High School, including telephony, data network, video distribution, media retrieval system, audiovisual systems, security systems and fiber, copper and wireless network infrastructure fiber, copper and wireless network infrastructure.
  • Upgraded technology systems for renovations at Norwalk High School, including telephony, data network, video distribution and security systems.
  • Additionally, RCC worked with Norwalk on the following projects:

- Upgrading technology systems for new police headquarters, Emergency Operations Center and dispatch center including telephony, data network, dispatch center and console configuration, E9-1-1 system, audiovisual systems and fiber, copper and wireless network infrastructure.


- Planning and design to improve the City’s outdated public safety and public service radio systems, and migrate the City into a single trunked radio system. RCC is also assisting the City in promoting a regional public safety radio system that will support several municipalities in the area.

 

- Assisted the City in the development and preparation of grants intended to fund public safety technology systems, in particular seeking homeland security funding.

Throughout these projects, RCC worked closely with the Mayor and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Committee. The Committee consists of representatives of major City departments, and is charged with the consolidation of technology planning and decision-making functions for the City.