Birmingham tech firm and Velbus UK help give a DIY SOS family a home that simply works
Behind the scenes of “Ahmed and Rifat’s Fresh Start”, now available on BBC iPlayer
GH Services (UK), the Birmingham-based communications specialists, and Velbus UK (MDAR Limited) are delighted to have worked together on BBC One’s DIY SOS: “Ahmed and Rifat’s Fresh Start”. The episode, set in Southampton, was broadcast on 6 October at 8pm and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
GH Services supplied the home’s internet connection, building LAN, CCTV and media screen technology. Alongside it, Velbus provided the lighting and heating control, and Bellman & Symfon supplied technology to support the deaf and hard of hearing community. The result is a completely ordinary-looking home, where the #Inclusivity hardware was carefully woven into the building rather than taking a front seat.
The data network brings an everyday benefit: video calls between rooms. For a deaf family, that is far easier than chasing each other around the house just to ask who wants a cup of tea.
The Velbus system runs as a separate, isolated network and keeps working even without an internet connection. Linked to the internet service installed by GH Services, the family can also connect to their home remotely and reach all of the technology. For other households, the same approach means controlling everything directly with voice commands or a phone app.
Stuart Hanlon, Director of MDAR Limited (Velbus UK), said:
“Every build should have a solid digital backbone, a good internet connection and reliable Wi-Fi. If it does, adding assisted living and inclusivity features takes very little effort, and everything seen in this episode becomes easy. It was a pleasure to work with Glen and the GH Services team.”
Watch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0032l3x/diy-sos-series-35-3-ahmed-and-rifats-fresh-start
