paging system – 4 easy steps

Best practices and prerequisites.

4 easy steps to deploy a paging system

Paging system – 4 easy steps

Best practices and prerequisites.

After reading this post Paging System the 4 easy steps, you will learn how to deploy an intercom or paging solution. From staging, and configuring the paging amplifiers, to making the right connections, configuring the phone system, and finally how to conduct a basic site survey for best sound,  and performance.

A paging system it’s essential for a variety of reasons. From emergency announcements, locating office personnel, public announcements, and facilitating background music.

Several months ago I wrote a blog post, ‘eight steps to help you troubleshoot paging issues;’ however, in this post, I take it a step further and go over implementation best practices. As project engineers, you will find yourself integrating new or existing paging solutions to your voice topology. Here, I will walk you through ways to install a paging system using these 4 steps.

  • 1- What to look for when deploying a paging solution?
  • 2- Equipment needed
  • 3- Deployment of the equipment
  • 4- What to watch for?
  • *- Resources

1.- What to look for when deploying a paging solution?

When installing any solution, you need to sit-down with the salesman and sales engineer to discuss the customer’s needs. Once you have gathered all the installation details, it is a good practice to get together with he customer and review the notes and related documentation.

Site survey – Here you need to perform a walk-through of the entire building or plant to collect the following information=

Warehouse environment – Noise plays big part for good performance. If there are conveyor belts, forklifts, or heavy machinery operating.

Room dimensions –  Identify the height of the ceiling, and room square footage.

Hallways, auditoriums, or tunnels – Here you have to look for metal beams, fans, ceiling height, type of ceiling, and square footage of the room.

Offices, and Call Centers – how noisy it could be in the call center, ceiling height, type of ceiling, and square footage of each room.

Indoor or outdoor – Each scenario is different. You need to know the distance between each horn and how noisy it is.

Outdoors – Horns are recommended

Indoors – Both Horns and Ceiling Speakers (Depending on the environment)

2- Equipment needed

Now that you have the entire place surveyed, with room noise levels, ceiling heights, and square footage of each room, you need to divide the total square footage by the speaker coverage, and that number will give you the total number of speakers needed. For more information in the calculations jump to the Resources listed below.

When installing a new paging speakers you need to consider the following=

  • When to use horns versus ceiling speaker – Normally, you need horns installed, in open spaces such as yards, and warehouses, or manufacturing plants.
  • Best recommended surface – For outdoors, use horns with brackets and overhead covers to help them survive extreme weather.
  • Indoors – Dropped ceiling is the most common surface. Always use security brackets and enclosure boxes to keep them secured.
  • Spacing between walls – Try to install the first speaker around 10 feet away from the wall(s).
  • Spacing between speakers – Depending on the wattage delivered by each speaker, you need to consider the space between each one. Normally, on a 70 Volt Bus/Star implementation you will install them 16 feet apart, in an odd configuration. For more info refer to Resources.
  • Cable types – When using a 70V system cabling normally will work on both configurations UTP or conventional speaker wire ranging from 16 AWG to 24 AWG. Refer to the Bogen link listed under Resources. I recommend that you use the speaker wire to connect the speakers and UTP to make the PBX connections.
  • When to use horns versus ceiling speakers – For yard, warehouses, and very noisy places, you should use horns. For office environment, use ceiling speakers.

3- Deployment of the equipment

For best results, try running the speakers in a Bus or Star topology. This will facilitate troubleshooting and better sound distribution quality.

4- What to watch for?

Buildings’ obstacles  – Each building will be different. When installing the speaker, watch for beams, concrete or brick walls, and columns obstructing the paging sound.

Noise in the room. Always test each speaker, as you install them to see if you can hear the page, adjust the volume levels as you go.

Conventional Phone Systems – It is also important to note that you can integrate a paging system using an Analog station or CO Trunk Port off the PBX using a UPAM, UTI1 or any other relay interfacing between the Paging Amp and Phone System.

IP-PBX – For IP-PBX there are SIP Gateways that help the integration with SIP Trunks and SIP-enabled speakers. I have provided a quick setup guide link below.

Question – When deploying a new paging system, what is the most common issue that you have experienced?

Resources

 

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Category: Telecom Adjuncts

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