CARE International – Voice and Data Network

"The installation went extremely smooth. SSi worked around the clock to get the system in and operational so that as desks and furniture arrived users had functional phones. The key was to minimize downtime and alleviate user fears over having a completely new system to learn when they returned to work."

Gerard van der Burg,
Vice President
i2K

Zambia, Kenya & Ottawa

In 2003, SSi was approached to build two networks; a 6 site satellite network in Zambia, and another 6 sites in Kenya. The client: CARE International. At this time, CARE's largest hurdles were offering their remote workers reliable communications between sites and to their head office (located in Canada.) As a non profit organization, they were also interested in reducing long distance communications expenditures, and generally keeping costs low.

SSi provided CARE International with an architecture that provided for voice, video and Internet services. Internet connectivity was supplied via our Ottawa uplink facility. Space segment was sourced from Newskies, in Sweden. We implemented a VOIP interconnect to CARE HQ in Ottawa. SSI Micro provided the design, supply, installation and training on site.

The logistics and transportation of the equipment posed new challenges for the team - getting equipment from Canada to Africa can pose some unique hurdles. The climate was also new for our crew, who are used to working in the Arctic. Our team had the opportunity to meet with African CARE employees and hear about what was going on in the communities, politically and socially. By traveling to diverse places our global awareness as a group has evolved. We have found that no matter what country we are in, when you set forth to bring communications to a remote area, the local interest and the hospitality is always gracious and new friendships are forged.

SSi also provided the installation of a 110 seat VOIP implementation for CARE Canada at their new corporate headquarters in Ottawa, Canada. The project at CARE Canada was a challenge for everyone. CARE had extremely rigid timelines and when our technical team arrived the contractors were still busy pulling LAN cabling, installing doors, painting and moving furniture. All of this added to the overall intensity of the move but in the end it all worked out perfectly and users were able to get right back to work with a minimum of training.