Capestone and Unica ICT Solutions integrate 4G mobile internet connections at construction sites Nikkels with Cradlepoint routers

Unica ICT Solutions is a fast-growing partner in safe, effective and efficient ICT solutions. With over 280 specialists, they help and guide organizations in digital transformation in the field of fundamental solutions. Capestone and Unica ICT Solutions have a long partnership that goes back to 2010! In the past twelve years, several projects have passed by in which Capestone was able to deliver the right solution to Unica ICT Solutions. In 2022, a project for construction company Nikkels was added to that list.

Nikkels is a versatile and innovative family business with approximately 150 employees. They work for and with a large number of regular clients such as housing associations, property developers, companies, investors and healthcare organizations. In addition, they generate a significant proportion of orders from their own project development. Unica ICT Solutions had been working with Nikkels for some time in the field of ICT and telephony. This time, Nikkels asked Unica ICT Solutions to provide a suitable 4G/5G solution for its construction sites.

Business challenge

Menno Kolkman, Network/System Administrator at Nikkels says, “From our employees on the construction sites, we were increasingly getting the request for a faster and more stable Internet connection.” This is needed to create a good workplace in the construction site. This way, employees can attend teams meetings, open cad drawings and answer emails without having to wait for a long time due to a slow connection. Getting a good Internet connection for construction companies can be complex due to the location of the construction site. New construction projects, for example, do not yet have fiber optics. Also, a construction site does move some distance once a portion of the project is completed. Therefore, it is desirable to work with a mobile Internet connection, which can be connected plug & play. Other requirements of Nikkels were the robustness of the devices, the speeds to be achieved, the possibility of positioning and manageability through an online portal.

Bouwkeet Nikkels 4g Antenne

Solution

Capestone advised Unica ICT Solutions to work with a Cradlepoint E102 4G router and a Poynting XPOL 4G MIMO outdoor antenna. The connectivity was provided by Nickels. Menno says, “We received the Cradlepoint E102 with Poynting outdoor antenna and tested it for several weeks. The Poynting antenna was mounted on the outside of the construction site and connected to the 4G router hanging inside. We liked this so much that we have now equipped all of our construction huts with this setup.” The E102 router’s features include a Firewall throughput of 850 Mbps, Cat7 and Wi-Fi 5, and because of the MIMO technology in the Poynting antenna, Nickels gets the optimum speed out of the mobile 4G router. Also, the antenna is robust, lightweight and water resistant, making it a perfect fit for Nickels’ needs.

Nikkels bouwbedrijf 4G internet router

Remote management with NetCloud

Cradlepoint also offers the management and application platform: NetCloud for real-time network management. Menno says: “The NetCloud portal is clear and well-organized. For example, you can place a router in a group so that it immediately takes over the entire configuration of the group. So you don’t have to reconfigure each new router. In addition, we can do a speed/signal measurement from a distance to see what the speed is like on site.” This results in money and time savings because we can quickly rule out whether the problem is in the connection or has another cause. This results in money and time savings because employees no longer have to take measurements at each location.

Read more about Cradlepoint NetCloud Services
NetCloud

Want to know more?

Are you curious about what Capestone can do for your company? Our sales department would like to think along with you! Please contact sales@capestone.com or call +31 (0)85 111 0838. Would you like more information about Unica ICT Solutions or Nickels? You can read more on the following websites: https://www.unica.nl/ict-solutions | https://www.nikkels.nl/.

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