Challenges
Challenges Facing Communication Systems
Workplace mobility brings unique and evolving challenges in industrial environments. For example, a lone worker may be unable to send an alarm after falling unconscious. Critical equipment issues may also occur when the designated maintenance engineer is unreachable, which increases both safety risks and operational downtime.
To remain productive and safe, mobile workers require workplace mobility solutions that connect them seamlessly with colleagues, machines, alarms, management, external specialists, customers, and other ICT systems in real time.
Here are key challenges industrial organisations face today:
Maintaining safe and reliable communications within industrial ATEX spaces is essential, but also technically complex. Effective ATEX communication solutions are vital for supporting both workplace safety and operational efficiency in these hazardous environments.
Protecting remote or isolated workers is a top priority. In high-risk situations, lone worker protection systems must enable rapid alerts even when a worker is incapacitated. This ensures that emergency teams can respond quickly when needed.
Responding to critical equipment issues depends on effective communication and coordination. Without the ability to reach the right maintenance engineer or team instantly, organisations risk prolonged downtime, lost productivity, and potential safety incidents. Automated critical equipment maintenance alerts help bridge this communication gap.
Solutions
Our Comprehensive Critical Communications Solutions
At IDS-INDATA, we help industrial organisations unlock the power of near-real-time digital information. Our critical communications solutions ensure that actionable insights flow seamlessly between critical systems and staff, wherever they are.
We enable your business to improve productivity, workplace safety, and customer satisfaction through fully integrated industrial communication systems that support your operational goals.
Our workplace mobility solutions bridge communication gaps between equipment and staff. Mobile teams can take pre-emptive action, assign tasks, and track progress while on the move. With mobile workforce communication tools, you can streamline workflows and enhance operational efficiency.
We integrate mobile staff with personal safety and alarm systems to enhance worker protection. Our lone worker protection systems enable enterprise-grade man-down and no-movement alarms, helping you safeguard staff across your operations. We also deploy ruggedised and ATEX communication solutions that maintain safe and reliable connectivity in hazardous environments.
Our solutions support advanced technical alerts that help maximise customer, staff, and guest comfort. Teams can respond swiftly to issues affecting lifts, air conditioning, heating, and other services. Logging staff movements and response times also enables continuous improvement and more effective service delivery. Automated critical equipment maintenance alerts further help prevent downtime and support a smooth customer experience.
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Your technology partner
Our Industrial Communications Managed Services
Keep your critical communications running with confidence. IDS-INDATA offers flexible, scalable managed services that ensure your DECT, VoWiFi, and lone worker systems stay optimised, secure, and compliant – no matter how complex your environment.
Flexible Service Levels
| Reactive | Proactive | Managed |
|---|---|---|
| When urgent issues arise, our reactive service provides immediate technical assistance. We troubleshoot disruptions and restore communication systems fast – minimising safety risks, downtime, and operational disruption. | Gain 24/7 oversight of your industrial communication infrastructure. From signal stability and battery health to alert system integrity, we monitor your systems in real time – preventing issues before they impact users or safety-critical operations. | Our end-to-end managed service model handles everything from system configuration and firmware updates to compliance reporting and lifecycle planning. Acting as an extension of your team, we keep your communication infrastructure aligned with industry regulations and evolving operational demands. |
Why Choose IDS-INDATA for Industrial Communications?
Our solutions are purpose-built for industrial environments where resilience, uptime, and safety are non-negotiable. We understand the demands of petrochemical plants, utilities, remote field teams, and high-risk operations.
We integrate VoWiFi, DECT, lone worker protection systems, and mobile applications into a cohesive solution tailored to your operational needs.
Our critical communications solutions are backed by 24/7 monitoring, regular updates, and proactive performance optimisation – ensuring your systems remain reliable, secure, and fully compliant. With managed services for Ascom, DECT, and VoWiFi, we take the pressure off your internal teams, offering expert support, lifecycle management, and fast issue resolution to keep your operations running smoothly.
We help clients align with ATEX, HSE, and industry-specific safety regulations, ensuring all communication systems are fit for purpose and audit-ready.
With a 99% customer renewal rate, we’ve built long-term relationships with clients in industrial sectors who rely on our expertise to protect people and operations.
Our Strategic Partners
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Our Approach
Our Approach to Critical Communications Deployment
We take a practical, step-by-step approach to delivering resilient communications systems. Starting with a discovery audit, we identify risks and compliance gaps, then design tailored solutions based on your site’s layout and safety needs. Our team handles deployment with minimal disruption, integrating tools like DECT, VoWiFi, and lone worker systems. We ensure full compliance with ATEX and other standards, and provide ongoing monitoring and support to maximise uptime and responsiveness.
Key Steps:
(1) Discovery & audit of existing systems and compliance gaps
(2) Custom solution design tailored to your environment
(3) Seamless deployment of DECT, VoWiFi, and alert tools
(4) Regulatory alignment including ATEX-certified equipment
(5) Ongoing monitoring and managed support services
Frequently Asked Questions
Critical communications refer to systems, devices, and protocols that support instant, reliable, and secure communication in high-risk or complex operational environments — such as manufacturing, petrochemical plants, utilities, and remote facilities. These systems are essential for:
- Maintaining safety for lone workers and mobile teams
- Enabling rapid response in emergency scenarios
- Ensuring operational continuity and compliance
Industrial communication systems prioritise resilience, coverage, and integration with operational infrastructure, often utilising DECT, VoWiFi, ATEX-certified hardware, and real-time alerting tools.
Our lone worker protection systems provide mobile staff with enhanced personal safety features, including man-down and no-movement alarms, location tracking, and emergency SOS alerts. These systems help ensure that remote or isolated workers can receive help quickly during emergencies.
Yes. Our critical equipment maintenance alerts provide real-time monitoring and automated notifications when equipment issues arise. These alerts enable faster responses, support preventative maintenance, and help minimise the risk of operational downtime.
Yes. We integrate VoWiFi business communications and Ascom DECT solutions to ensure high-availability, site-wide connectivity. These technologies complement other communication tools and provide reliable voice and data services in even the most challenging industrial environments.
A man down system detects when a worker has fallen, is motionless, or is in distress—automatically triggering an alert for assistance. It’s commonly used in environments where employees work alone or face physical risk, such as warehouses, factories, or healthcare facilities.
Yes. We provide fully integrated man down protection as part of our critical communications systems, including DECT, VoWiFi, and lone worker devices. Our solutions are designed to detect incidents instantly and trigger fast, automated alerts—ensuring safety compliance and rapid response.
Not by name, but UK health and safety laws require employers to protect lone and at-risk workers. If there’s a chance an employee could be incapacitated without immediate help, a man down solution is considered an essential safety measure.
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Secure Your Operations with IDS-INDATA
If your teams rely on safe, instant, and compliant communication – you need a partner who understands the industrial landscape.
Contact us today to learn how our critical communications solutions can protect your people, optimise operations, and future-proof your infrastructure.
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