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Solo replaces legacy access control

Homes for Students provide 235 student accommodation properties across the UK and Ireland. JPR Fire, Security and Data provide the security system for the One London Road site in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Until recently, the accommodation was secured using a classic standalone access control solution. The existing system was becoming difficult to manage, with approximately 500 residents across five blocks, including the on-site gym. Registered students gain access by entering a valid access code or presenting their fob. The site managers were continuously replacing lost fobs, creating additional running costs for the system.

Mike Gater, department manager at JPR Fire, Security and Data, approached the site after attending Paxton’s Tech Tour launch event for Solo, a phone-based, cloud-hosted access control system. He saw the opportunity to upgrade the site to a more modern solution.

Solo is a smart, convenient, connected access control system. With the simplicity of standalone systems and the power of a networked solution, Solo is designed to make access control simple and cost-effective, using a smartphone to administer the system and gain access through the door.

With the free Paxton Solo app, the site management team can administer access to the premises from anywhere, via their smartphone. For students, it means never having to remember an access code or carry a fob, as they would use their phone to access their building.

When a smartphone with appropriate access permissions is presented to a Solo-controlled door, the phone communicates with the Solo controller via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to open the door. With minimal on-site Wi-Fi, the phone uses mobile data to confirm that appropriate access permissions are available for that door. When no network connectivity is available, the credential can be stored on the phone for 3-4 hours, allowing access even when the phone is offline.

By running Solo alongside the existing standalone system for a period of time, students were migrated over to Solo in a phased approach. The access code for the legacy system was changed to prevent access via this means once all residents were up and running with the Paxton Solo app.

Gater said, “As soon as we saw the Solo introduction, we knew it would be a great fit for our clients at One London Road. The premises have no network infrastructure, so a standalone system was always going to be required, but with approximately 500 students on site, our clients would really benefit from more features of a centralised system.

“We know that Solo is very new, but as it is a Paxton product, we had faith in it from day one. We know Paxton products are reliable, and if it is needed, the Paxton team are there to support.”

As a Paxton Platinum Partner, JPR Fire, Security and Data has extensive experience with Paxton products, so it felt very confident in proposing the solution to meet the requirements of their valued and longstanding client.

Gater continued, “Aside from the benefit of Solo being cloud-based, with no network infrastructure requirements, the other real selling point for our customers was the price. The upfront cost of the Solo kit is very accessible. Even with the ongoing cost of the door subscription, our clients would see a cost saving compared to extending their previous standalone system, as they were constantly replacing lost fobs in significant numbers. They were immediately interested in the new system.”

With the introduction of the Solo system on site, One London Road was also able to secure access to the students’ common rooms. Where previously access was available to anyone who had gained entry to the building, with Solo, only students in residence with appropriate access permissions can use the space by presenting their phone to the Solo DoorTag.

Tallulah-Mae Moran, general manager at Homes for Students said, “Paxton’s Solo system has reduced the ongoing costs of replacing fobs and the time spent doing this. The ability to see the date and time of who accessed which door is extremely useful for us, allowing us to manage the site to a higher standard, and it provides accurate information when investigating issues on site. It also allows us to set up users and manage them remotely rather than provide and collect physical fobs. It has been a worthwhile investment and will continue to be effective in years to come.”

For more information about Solo, security installers can attend a free 2-hour training session with Paxton. Every company that attends will walk away with a free Solo one-door kit to fully trial the system and demo to customers.

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