The Educator Magazine U.K. Jan-April 2024 issue - Magazine - Page 40
Schools and Colleges Targeted
With Free Trial of Innovative
New Comms Technology
Education professionals are being offered the chance to try out a groundbreaking new
walkie talkie technology that promises to keep staff better connected at all times.
Two way radio specialist Brentwood
Communications is inviting schools and
colleges to sign up for a free trial of IDARO,
an innovative solution which combines the
best features of traditional radio and mobile
phone technology.
By using data networks (3G, 4G and WiFi),
IDARO offers universal coverage, solving the
limited range and distance issues familiar
to two way radio users. This is of particular
benefit to education setting with
particularly large campuses or even more
so to those that operate across multiple
sites. Even if staff move between locations,
they can continue to use the same devices
for secure, reliable and efficient
communication.
mobile comms solution for staff to use,
the school contacted Brentwood
Communications to speak about IDARO on
the recommendation of another school.
School Business Manager Srividya Srivathsan explained the difference IDARO has
made. “We operate across three sites. Staff
were previously using personal mobile
phones and landlines around school, but
because the buildings are old, coverage
was an issue. Some staff also objected to
using a personal device. We felt it was best
to invest in school radio devices.
“The IDARO radios are used by our pastoral
team. Reception calls for an on-call
member when they are notified that
a student needs to be supported in a
classroom or removed. The premises team
also use them so they can be reached at all
times when there is an urgent query related
to facilities. The system certainly serves
the purpose of reaching out to colleagues
anywhere across our sites.”
Breakthrough in Communications for
Education settings
Brentwood Communications is a distributor
of IDARO in the UK and Europe.
The company’s CEO, James Miller,
describes the fusion of two way radio
technology with mobile data connectivity
as the biggest breakthrough he’s seen in
radio communications.
In particular, the limitless connectivity
IDARO radios offer does much to support
safeguarding protocols. For example, staff
can continue to use mobile-connected
radios when they take groups of students
off site, and can raise alerts and report
incidents in real time. By making use of
existing infrastructure like WiFi and cellular
networks, IDARO radios also cut the cost of
buying Ofcom licenses needed for secure
and private two-way radio networks.
Brentwood Communications is hosting a
free online webinar on January 23rd for
anyone interested in learning more about
what IDARO is, how it works and what its
benefits are.
Oaklands School
Oaklands School in Tower Hamlets, London
has already adopted IDARO with great
success. Having formally had no formal
“Two way radios are still the gold standard
for workplace communications because
they are simple, robust and incredibly
reliable. But it is a fact that they can be
limited by transmission range. By operating
via a wireless internet connection, including
3G and 4G mobile networks, IDARO removes
those limitations.
“It’s a real revolution for professional
communications. Instead of being limited to
talking to colleagues in the same building or
on the same site, you can talk to colleagues,
individually and in groups, anywhere in the
world, all at the touch of a button. And it’s
not just voice communication, either. Text
and live chat, video calls, picture messaging,
connecting to team apps and work platforms - IDARO can do it all.”
Tom Boatman, Head of Innovation at IDARO,
explains how IDARO works: “IDARO has
three essential components, what we call its
‘three pillars’,” he said. “You need a device,
the IDARO app, and an internet connection.
“With the IDARO app, users within the same
call groups can use their existing mobile
phones or a purpose-built radio device.
We recommend mobile-ready smart radios
because they are tougher, built to industry
standards and easier to use than conventional smartphones.
“For example, different call groups can be
set up and they are all accessible at the
touch of a button, without the need to start
scrolling through contacts lists to invite
people individually for every call. In an
education setting, you might have call
groups for all staff at an individual school, or
even for an entire trust of schools. But then
separate call groups can also be set up for,
say, teaching staff, facilities and maintenance teams, senior leadership and so on.
“With push-to-talk broadcasting, you have
the ability to contact large numbers of staff
in an instant. This is reassuring for things like
fire safety and other security protocols, as
it means critical messages can get around
with maximum efficiency.”
The webinar showcasing how the IDARO
system works is free to all and will take place
at 12.30pm on Tuesday, January 23rd.
Click here to register, or visit
www.brentwoodradios.co.uk.
To arrange a free trial of IDARO for your
business, contact the Brentwood
Communications sales team on
020 3904 5684.
You can also follow Brentwood
Communications on Facebook, Instagram
and LinkedIn.