Al Futtaim Telecom, in partnership with Alcatel, has bagged the contract for the supply and installation of the PABX telephony system in Madinat Jumeirah, Phase 1.

This victory comes hot on the heels of similar contracts that the telecommunications leader has been awarded in the past few months, according to a company spokesman.
Recently, the company completed the installation of telephony systems both at the Shangri-La Hotel and the Grand Hyatt Dubai, he says.

Speaking on the significance of communication systems especially in the hospitality industry, the spokesman says: 'Communication systems such as those in the hospitality industry, have come a long way from being isolated components to highly integrated solutions that are seamlessly spun together. In addition to the obvious inter-working between the PABX and the computer network, there are the less-perceived threads, which connect most, if not all, the components in a building project, including for instance access control systems. This reliance on communication network means that the service provider for infrastructure needs to be well equipped, highly responsive and dependable.

'Telephony systems might not be the first thing that springs to mind while discussing construction. However, the need to incorporate quality systems in buildings is as important as the need to communicate itself. Providing the right solution to the telecommunication needs of any enterprise is challenging as the requirements are constantly evolving.'
Divisional Manager of Al Futtaim Telecom, Venkataraghavan suggests four areas which need to be addressed in order to satisfy the needs of the project managers or the builders.

'The first issue that telephony system providers should address is to have clear understanding of the project specifications. Since Dubai is mushrooming in building developments and fast becoming a leader in high-technology advancements, those specifications are growing in sophistication,'' he says. ''For instance, in one of the projects, the client requested a unified messaging solution for guests, which is quite a complex requirement, but we were able to interpret it into tangible technology.''

He continues: 'The second challenge faced by the telecommunications industry is the cost factor. Al Futtaim Telecom places a strong emphasis on the 'total cost of ownership' and stresses that the initial purchase price should not be the focus for project managers.  A cleverly deployed system with appropriate features can not only enhance the productivity of the users, but also offer better service to the clients.

'Convergent applications such as 'unified messaging' and PC-Softphones have also reduced the 'phone-tag' phenomenon and have displayed increased efficiency. There are also savings, which are more tangible, and can be achieved through the use of features such as 'least cost routing'. Above all, the 24/7 support of Al-Futtaim Telecom, which is offered to most critical deployments as part of the contract, is a benefit that clients perceive as a great value proposition for their investment.

'The third requirement, which is significant to the development of the business is that of timely implementation. The progress of IT deployments is interdependent and reliant on the progression of the other components of the construction. The installation of a telephony system cannot and should not hinder completion and hand-over of the project and commencement of its usage.

'In an ideal project, every element of the new construction follows the timetable, but unfortunately this is not always the case. This sometimes means that telecom vendors have to be flexible and prepared to put in extra effort in the final stages of the project in order to deliver on time. So far we are proud of our ability to meet deadlines.

'Finally, the system has to be manageable. In addition to providing on-call technicians around the clock, Alcatel lends its clients support by way of a one-year warranty, followed by an annual maintenance contract, which includes regular servicing and configuration support. The company also provides training to a delegate from the client side.'

Alcatel, a French company under the Al Futtaim telecom portfolio, has more than doubled its market share in the last three years.