Case Study: Wyre Forest Community Housing Association

Posted on 25th May at 03:10 PM

Wyre Forest Community Housing Association covers 5,560 properties in Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourport-on-Severn. Its tenants had analogue communal TVs dating back to the 1970s, which had recently been supplemented by a proliferation of satellite dishes.

An MATV head-end upgrade was considered; however this would not have dealt with the proliferation of satellite dishes or the need to replace the old systems. So an IRS was selected. Wyre Forest Community Housing Association chose to procure the systems using a partnering agreement with a supplier. The partner designed and installed the systems and now provides ongoing maintenance in return for an annual payment recovered through service charges. This contract therefore allows for the evolution of the system and passes the risk to the installer, who has a duty to ensure ongoing compatibility through digital switchover and beyond.

This figure shows a “tree and branch network”, where there are central trunk cables with branches tapped off to each outlet. In older systems, “loop networks” are also found, where the cable loops from one outlet to the next in a daisy chain. However, this type of network is no longer recommended, as a fault in any outlet will affect all users further down the chain.

Both systems can be enhanced to carry a range of other services, such as video from security cameras and door entry systems, and online services such as email, internet access and connection to e-government services. Pilot projects involving data services have been carried out by Glasgow Housing Association and in the London Borough of Newha.

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