Kinnarps, the 'better at work' company, embraces 'better at wireless' from Meru Networks

Meru provides 802.11n virtual cell™ wireless network to Kinnarps HQ and branch offices

London – Tuesday 30th June 2009 - Kinnarps, Europe’s third-largest provider of office furniture and interior solutions,  has deployed Meru Networks’ 802.11n wireless LAN infrastructure based on the IEEE 802.11n draft 2.0 standard throughout its UK headquarters and seven new branch offices nationwide. Kinnarps switched to Meru from Trapeze in order to eliminate the dropped connections it had experienced with its previous WLAN infrastructure.

According to Kinnarps UK’s IT Director, Tony Gamble, the previous infrastructure’s performance and connectivity problems were lowering efficiency and impeding the sales process. Sales associates and employees were frequently experiencing dropped connections to the WLAN as they roamed about the building; in some cases, laptops needed rebooting to re-establish network access.  Kinnarps’ design team was also having trouble sending high-resolution 3D presentations and designs, not only internally, but also externally through the processing system and into the factory for production. When connections failed as executives took customers around the showrooms, which are intended to showcase the most inspiring and efficient workspace solutions, Gamble knew it was time to act.

Frustrated with the WLAN’s connectivity and performance problems, Gamble sought  a reliable, business-ready wireless infrastructure that would offer unbroken, ubiquitous high-speed connectivity—yet without the connection problems typical of the micro-cell architecture that is commonplace to most wireless networks, including the Trapeze infrastructure previously in place at Kinnarps’ UK headquarters. Kinnarps technology partner Building Zones, a specialist in using wireless networks to support creative and productive businesses, recommended Meru.

Meru’s virtualized 802.11n WLAN with virtual cell architecture fit Kinnarps’ needs perfectly.   Meru counters the potentially volatile nature of the 802.11n WLAN with its revolutionary virtual cell technology, which works by choosing a single channel for use by all access points enterprise-wide, thus removing any co-channel interference – even with 802.11n – and eliminating the need for a detailed site survey at conception and during the WLAN’s lifecycle for adds/moves and changes. Meru offered Kinnarps the high-speed, unbroken wireless networking solution they were looking for.
 
“Thanks to Meru’s virtual cell technology, you don’t need a detailed site survey, and the lack of RF interference means access points are on full power,” said Gamble. “With Meru we have true seamless roaming capability and no dropouts. Better yet, we’re using 30 percent fewer APs than we would be using with almost any other wireless network provider.

“The Kinnarps vision has always been to be 100% wireless, and Meru has made this dream a reality.”
 
According to Gamble, the role of wireless is less defined at Kinnarps internationally, but Kinnarps UK seems to be “leading the way.” Gamble said he plans to continue developing Kinnarps UK’s wireless capabilities in the years ahead, with immediate plans to add video and voice over the wireless network within the next 12 to 18 months.

“The only reason we haven’t deployed video and voice over the wireless network yet is priorities,” said Gamble. “We have recently expanded the business with new offices, and that has been on a very tight roll out. But adding voice over the wireless network is something we’d like to do, and Meru will definitely enable it.”

Jason Green, chief technology officer at Building Zones, said: “Kinnarps’ rationale is that you don’t tell people how good your system is – you show them. The same applies to wireless networks. You can’t see how they work, but you do notice the quality of service. After years of issues with other wireless equipment, we now recommend only Meru for enterprise deployments.”

With Meru’s 802.11n WLAN with virtual cell architecture, Kinnarps employees enjoy a seamless and ubiquitous connection as they roam the office. They are able to collaborate and communicate with mobility and ease, and without the perpetual distraction of connection failures.  Thanks to Meru, Kinnarps employees can stop worrying about their wireless connection and return to sharing their ideas for the most effective, inspired workspace solutions.