Case Study: Maple Leaf Financial

Maple Leaf Financial (Maple) is an independent claims management company that advises customers on compensation matters for mis-sold financial products.  The company opened a brand new office in Oakham, Rutland in premises without prior data cabling. It needed a robust networking solution that would enable it to be up and running as quickly as possible.

The Challenge

The challenge for Maple was to find a reliable networking solution that would facilitate the connection of eight workstations together and to the internet within a matter of hours – Including  computers, printers and VoIP telephones.

Maple initially considered installing CAT5 structured cabling – however the time and further redecoration costs for installation, together with a 2 week wait for installation, rendered the overall cost too high – requiring removal of carpets and floorboards. A wireless connection was also considered, though initial tests revealed reliability issues within the building. 

The Solution

Power Ethernet’s Powerline Sockets offered Maple Leaf Financial an easily-installed, cost effective solution for networking its office. Five Powerline Sockets, installed within a matter of hours, were enough to enable the company to connect all its computers, printers and VoIP phones together via a high speed, reliable Ethernet network.

Internet access was automatically shared across all other Powerline Sockets by connecting one of the  Sockets to the company’s internet router, while built-in Quality of Service (QoS)  helped prioritise applications such as VoIP over other network applications, ensuring an optimum quality  for phone communications.

“The Powerline Sockets provided us with the best option in quickly establishing a fast and reliable network, enabling us to get our business up and running in a matter of hours. Installation was incredibly straightforward – at less than a third of the price we’d been quoted for CAT5 cable installation” said  Belinda Milton, Office Administrator Maple Leaf Financial.

Neil Panchmatia, from Benchmark Property Services Grantham, said: “I was asked to install the Powerline Sockets in Maple’s new offices, and have to admit I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Installing the Powerline Sockets in 35mm back boxes, embedded in the plaster board, proved a very straightforward task, unlike running CAT5 cable. Set-up and testing time took only minutes, and after attaching computers, printers, IP phone and the router, everything just worked out of the box.”

Download the PDF version of the Maple Leaf Financial Case Study