IBM Case Study

Wireless Business Solution
IBM Research, a business unit of IBM and the world’s largest industrial research organization,
has been the force behind IBM’s position as a leading technology company. Headquartered in
two facilities in Westchester County, New York, IBM Research claims five Nobel Prize winners
and has produced more than 22,000 patents—so the people who work there know when
something is truly “innovative.”
Which is how Albert Schneider, Director of Information Technology for IBM Research,
described the Nextel wireless products and services provided to IBM Research at its Yorktown
and Hawthorne facilities in New York.
“Our facilities are in a remote area and some of our buildings are about 40 years old and made
from stone and steel, so we were having problems with cellular coverage,” said Schneider.
“Nextel was able to solve these coverage problems as well as provide us with innovative
wireless solutions that no one else could.”
The Nextel Custom Network Solutions (CNS) team at Sprint and IBM designed and
implemented an in-building solution that provided seamless coverage throughout the
facilities’ combined 1.2 million square feet, including elevators, stairways and internal
conference rooms and offices. The improved cellular coverage ensures that researchers,
administrators, executives and facilities management personnel working at the two sites can
utilize Nextel’s 4-in-1 handsets that include digital cellular walkie-talkie service, two-way text
messaging and Nextel Online® wireless data.
The Nextel in-building solution has resulted in very good cellular coverage,” said Schneider.
“The improved coverage means our people, most of whom are frequently moving within
the facilities, are always reachable, experience clear calls and can get more done.” According
to Don Preiss, the IBM Research project manager who oversees the installation, the Nextel
solution has exceeded expectations. The walkie-talkie service alone has led to countless day-
to-day productivity and efficiency gains.
Nextel® Choices
IBM RESEARCH – NEXTEL
SOLUTIONS KEEP PRODUCTIVITY UP,
EVEN WHEN POWER’S DOWN
“Before Nextel, we had poor cellular coverage
and a limited number of two-way radios. When
the power outage occurred not everyone had
a radio, but everyone had a Nextel phone.
With Nextel Walkie-Talkie service, we were
able to maintain communications pretty much
throughout the entire blackout.”
– Don Preiss, Project Manager, IBM Research
> Situation:
World’s largest corporate research
organization needs improved cellular
coverage and innovative wireless
communication capabilities to improve
productivity.
> Solution:
The Nextel Integrated Cellular/WLAN
in-building platform and 130 Nextel
handsets with walkie-talkie service.
> Success:
Seamless cellular coverage, improved
employee productivity and broadband access
throughout the campus.

“The guys responsible for calibrating the research equipment tell me the Nextel walkie-talkie
is invaluable. Before, when they used traditional two-way radios, they would have to leave
the room whenever they needed to talk with someone because the radios interfered with the
equipment they were working on. They don’t have to worry about that with Nextel Walkie-
Talkie. That alone saves a lot of time and leg work.”
Preiss says that now their Nextel handsets are the primary means for communication, and
they have reduced the need for the two-way radios and about 75 pagers. What’s more, they
proved especially valuable during the East Coast blackout in August 2003.
“Before Nextel, we had poor cellular coverage and a limited number of two-way radios,” said
Preiss. “When the power outage occurred not everyone had a radio, but everyone had a Nextel
phone. By using walkie-talkie service, we were able to maintain communications pretty much
throughout the entire blackout.”
The Nextel in-building solution was developed in partnership with RadioFrame Networks and
also includes an integrated Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) that provides broadband
data access to the Internet throughout the IBM Research facilities—allowing visitors to
wirelessly access data without interference through the IBM firewall. WLANs have proven
benefits—studies have shown that a WLAN provides an additional 16 minutes of productivity
per employee per day, an annual value of $6,000 per employee.
The Nextel WLAN solution, a product of Sprint, communicates with a full range of mobile
devices. The solution is Wi-Fi® Certified, conforms to IEEE security standards and has an open
network architecture that allows users to add multiple wireless standards with a simple “plug
and play” upgrade. Furthermore, the WLAN traffic runs over the same infrastructure as the
cellular traffic, which makes installation and management of the network simple and cost-
effective.
Now hundreds of current and prospective IBM Research customers use the Nextel WLAN when
they are on-site to gain untethered access to e-mail, the Internet and data. This capability not
only improves their productivity, but also reinforces IBM Research’s image as a technology
leader.
“Our tech and research people have a deep knowledge of different WLAN systems,” said
Schneider. “They all acknowledge that the Nextel solution is very manageable and provides
an effective and efficient way to manage both cellular and 802.11 capabilities and provide for
future upgrades.”
For more information visit us at sprint.com/cns.
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IBM Research facilities in New York
065328