case study
harrods
Our first involvement with Harrods was in 1998, when we were engaged by their PABX supplier at that time to install and terminate a 5000-pair link cable between their PABX room and another remote frame room. This began what remains to this day an excellent relationship, which has seen NBC involved in numerous projects over the ensuing years.
Much of our work has been undertaken for a variety of their preferred electrical contractors, who are frequently engaged on an almost-constant programme of departmental refurbishments or developments, both large and small, throughout this prestigious store. These projects invariably involve the provision of new (or the relocation of existing) IT cabinets, the stripping out of redundant cabling and the installation of new fibre optic and/or multi-core voice backbones and Category 6 structured cabling. Harrods IT department now specifies HellermannTyton Category 6 structured cabling as their product of choice which, as an approved ‘Network Sciences System Installer’ for HellermannTyton, NBC are fully authorised to install and certify.
Just a few of the more significant projects we have been involved with in more recent years are listed below.
In 2013/14, we were contracted to provide the entire cabling infrastructure – fibre optic and copper backbones, new structured cabling – for the new ‘Shoe Heaven’ development on the fifth floor. After installing the ‘base-build’ cabling, we were subsequently engaged to also provide the cabling for many of the individual concessions within the Shoe Heaven environment.
In late 2014, as part of the Harrods LAN upgrade project, we were contracted directly by Harrods to install an OM4 fibre optic network to key locations, in order that the store could achieve 10Gb links to their key cabinet and server room locations.
In 2014/15, we were again contracted to provide the entire cabling infrastructure for another major development, this time for the new ‘Women’s Superbrands’ department, in the same manner as described above for Shoe Heaven, including the subsequent cabling of various concession areas.
Also in 2015, as part of ongoing store improvements, we were contracted by the customer’s 4G solution provider to install a single-mode fibre optic network around the store to their various node locations.
In 2017, we were awarded a very similar contract for the new ‘Fine Watch Room’. Ironically, as part of this particular project, we were also required to undertake the diversion of the 5000-pair link cable that we first installed in 1998, as this was routed directly through the area being refurbished. This task was planned and managed in conjunction with Harrods Technical Services Department and required all telephony services throughout the store to be maintained throughout the core hours of 8am to 9pm.
Commencing in August 2018, another significant development for overseas customers from non-EU countries to be able to reclaim the VAT paid on purchases within the store, comprising fibre optic and structured cabling to support CCTV, WiFi, EPOS, data and telephony.