Why did the Aventin retirement home switch to peoplefone’s phone system?
Our previous phone system was so old that replacement parts were no longer available. As a result, the manufacturer could no longer offer us a warranty, which is why we had to start looking for a new solution. We spent a long time evaluating various options, including an offer from Bouygues in partnership with the provider peoplefone. Price-wise, this was definitely a viable alternative, but I was very skeptical about a software-based solution at first. I prefer wires, cables, and boxes (laughs). With our old, analog system, we never had a single outage, even though it handled around 400 phone numbers. I’d also heard many times that voice quality isn’t good with VoIP. peoplefone and Bouygues assured us that these concerns were unfounded and that the VoIP solution would be just as stable and offer the same high quality.
Was that promise kept?
Yes, everything turned out as promised: The new system works flawlessly, and we’re all very satisfied with it. My personal doubts have also been put to rest. We also appreciate the great flexibility the solution offers us. If we need additional features in the future, they can be easily integrated and implemented.
Did you have any specific requirements for the phone system?
Reliable operation is absolutely essential for us: Our phones and our alarm system must function around the clock so that we can respond immediately in emergencies. The entire system is complex. On the one hand, the phones in the nursing home still operate on an analog system, since we completely overhauled them just a few years ago. On the other hand, the new phone system had to be connected to the existing alarm server via a custom-developed interface. This was important to us because it means that if the phone system fails, we automatically know that the alarms aren’t working either. In the past, if there was a software failure, we could only use test alarms to check whether the alarm system was also affected by the malfunction. So the new system also provides us with greater security.
Are there any other notable advantages?
A major advantage is the automatic callback feature when an emergency call is received. If a resident triggers an alarm, our staff can now automatically call back to the correct apartment with just two clicks. In the past, they had to manually enter a code—which took longer and was more prone to errors. At our request, Bouygues developed this special feature in collaboration with the manufacturer of the telephone system.
How did the transition to the new system go?
The actual switchover took only one day and went off without a hitch. For safety reasons, we ran both systems in parallel for a day and then switched all alarms over to the new system. The brief interruptions—which are completely normal during such a transition—went unnoticed.
And how would you describe your collaboration with peoplefone and Bouygues E&S InTec?
It was excellent and a pleasure. We were working with a dynamic, young team. Everyone knew what they were doing and worked hard right up to the end to find the right solutions for us.
Interview with Peter Nösel, Head of Technology and Security
, installed by Bouygues E&S InTec Switzerland AG, Kloten