Many of the world’s most prominent businesses and events have opted for IP-based communications technology in recent years — including the most recent World Cup tournament in Germany — because of the combination of features, cost effectiveness, and ease of deployment it offers. Now, Head Of The Charles Regatta, the largest two-day rowing event in the world, has gone IP, choosing Whaleback Systems’ CrystalBlue Voice service for the annual event on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts.

 

We’re not talking about the coxswain talking to shore-based team members via a wireless headset — at least not yet. However, the race organizers have selected Whaleback’s managed IP telephony service for its Cambridge headquarters, largely because of the ease of expanding the communications system to race operations facilities, media center, merchandise and sponsorship facilities, and other on-site offices for race weekend.

 

Whaleback provides a full line of IP handsets developed by Polycom (News - Alert) — the SoundPoint IP Series — that is certified for the CrystalBlue Voice service and offer the latest advanced telephony features. The CrystalBlue service, running on an SMB 1500 IP PBX deployed at the customer site by a Whaleback partner — but monitored by Whaleback so the customer can “set it and forget it,” while enjoying reliable IP-based communications.

 

 “Whaleback’s voice services offer a unique blend of hardware and services that address our key operational needs — an enterprise-class telephony service with reliability and rich features that are grounded in operational flexibility and simplicity,” said Fred Schoch, the Regatta’s executive director.

 

For temporary deployments, such as race weekend, Whaleback customers can use either the Executive IP handsets, which can easily be deployed in remote location with broadband access, providing users with the same IP features they get at the home office. Alternatively, Whaleback offers its Executive IP Softphone, developed by CounterPath Solutions (News - Alert), which can easily be configured to connect to the CrystalBlue Voice service.    With either solution, employees and volunteers will have reliable, robust connectivity throughout the event.

 

“It is simple with Whaleback. We can concentrate on staging a world-class event while Whaleback manages the telecom service and equipment,” added Schoch. “We can easily and cost-effectively scale our telecom service during race weekend, while avoiding costly line activation fees.”

 

The installation of the CrystalBlue Voice service was managed for Head Of The Charles by Whaleback channel partner Fusion ConneX, which is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire and services SMB customers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

 

The deployment is yet another testament to the ability of VoIP technology to provide high quality communications institutions requiring temporary deployments for special events. The 43^rd Head Of The Charles Regatta being held on October 20^th and 21^st, and while the communications system does not extend downriver to the shells, participants, event staff, and fans will be assured constant, reliable communications are in place to meet their needs through race weekend and beyond.