Lancashire County Council

Project

The council required a digital signage and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) solution installed within council buildings to facilitate the effective sharing of appropriate information with the general public. Public libraries are the most suitable environment for the initial rollout of the new network.

Partner Selection Process

A tendering process was initiated to ensure the council selected an AV installer who could meet all the project requirements. The successful installer had to demonstrate to the council:

• A clear understanding of the objectives.
• Innovative ideas to meet the objectives.
• Experience with similar AV installation projects.
• Expertise in the technologies to be used.
• Resources to reliably deliver to an agreed deadline.
• Ability to provide long-term support and maintenance.
• Commercial value.
• A commitment to sustainable operations.

Carillion Communications was invited to submit a response to the council’s initial RFI, proposing and detailing three different digital signage and IPTV platforms. This led to a meeting, which included a technical overview and demonstration.

Carillion was awarded the contract around ten months after the initial RFI.

Implementation

Signagelive digital signage software, running on Brightsign Media Players, was the core technology selected for the project, with TV streaming from an encoded IPTV Media Server.

Before the preferred digital signage displays were chosen, the project teams at both LCC and Carillion worked closely together to carry out multiple site surveys, reporting on building configurations and areas of highest footfall. This enabled optimal placement to be identified,
and the most suitable display solution was selected, which included Phillips 55” wall-mounted displays and 50” freestanding totems.

During the survey process, several installation challenges were uncovered at separate locations. These included the need for more reliable power or data supply at designated display locations and the necessity for the existing IPTV solution to remain operational until the new one was rolled out, then it could be decommissioned without loss of service to the public.

Results

In total, seven wall-mounted displays and 15 freestanding totems were installed across the council’s library estate. All supported digital signage and IPTV, ensuring the public had access to council information and announcements, served in real-time via Signagelive’s cloud-based platform.

With the necessity for council buildings to be multipurpose, maximising usage and improving how much they benefit the community, many libraries provided additional services such as exhibitions and regular events. Carillion ensured all displays could be overridden in particular cases by connecting a local device, such as a laptop or tablet, via HDMI cables and inputs.