Benefits - use of the mobile network

The Distributed Antenna System (DAS) provides all-round improved communications (including for example, the ability to use internal extension numbers on mobiles). The DAS also includes support for all internet capable devices and any and all internet facing services. This flexibility means it can support existing services with flexibility between Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity, increasing coverage and reliability for services including:

• fridge temperature monitoring 
• waste management and waste collections
• emergency department porter booking
• taxi booking

In addition to supporting existing services, the DAS has also made it simpler and quicker to deploy new internet facing services. They can be deployed safe in the knowledge that the required wireless connectivity to support them is in place and there won’t be additional infrastructure requirements or costs.

This includes a wayfinding solution that has been introduced at Addenbrookes, guiding patients and visitors around the site to improve their experience. As this service is available over mobile connectivity, users can connect to it without having to sign in to the Wi-Fi network, and the experience is more consistent and reliable due to the enhanced coverage.

The estates and facilities team have benefited from better access to connectivity across the site. By moving away from radio, paging and manually assigning jobs to implementing and using a workflow application (FSO GO) to send jobs to staff, they have improved efficiency and reduced unnecessary travel around the hospital.

For example:

• from August 2023 to August 2024 over 40,000 tasks were issued to the maintenance teams via their mobile devices using the application FSO GO - these include things such as electrical and plumbing faults, and medical gas testing
• mobile apps were used for 260 workplace assessments over a 6-month period and 105,000 cleaning audits over the same period