What Are Comms Rooms?

Good communication has always been one of the cornerstones of business, but in modern business it’s an absolute necessity. The number of advances in communication technology over the last two decades have led to a highly competitive business landscape, one where even the smallest of margins can make big differences. As such, it’s crucial that your organization maximises their communication capabilities. And one of the best ways to do this is by installing a market-leading communication room.

Is a Communication Room the Same as a Server Room?

A communication room – or comms room as they are better known – is essentially the same design as a server room, and the terms are often used interchangeably. But what exactly is a comms room? Well, as the name suggests, they are dedicated to communications. And, in particular, they are the heartbeat of an organisation’s communication infrastructure.

A communication room will typically house all of an organisation’s telecommunication and data processing technology. This includes, but is not limited to, cables, servers, connecting hardware and splice closures. These are the essential components of communication and data processing equipment, without these in place then your business will fail to make even a basic phone call. So, as you can tell, a comms room is a business essential.

What is a Typical Comms Room Design?

When it comes to the design of a communication room, there are a number of elements which need to be factored in for it to be functional:

• A ceiling height which allows your equipment to fit in with at least 500mm clearance to allow adequate airflow
• Ideally, a comms room should be temperature controlled through an air conditioning system to prevent overheating
• The room should be dedicated purely to communication and data processing technology, no other services should be installed
• No windows, this is encouraged to enhance both security and temperature control
• The installation of appropriate security measures e.g. keypad entry and locked racks
• Read more on Comms room design here

What Comms Room Standards Should You Follow?

Whilst there is no legal requirement for comms room to adhere to specific standards, it is good practice to following these standards to maintain performance and functionality:

• A controlled temperature range of between 18 – 23 degrees Celsius to limit the chances of equipment overheating
• To minimise the risk of electrical equipment corroding, a dew point of between 5.5 – 15 degrees Celsius should be observed
• The size of your comms room should be determined by the number of data outlets required e.g. less than 100 data outlets would require a 100 sq ft room whereas 200 – 600 outlets would need around 400 sq ft
• A comms room should follow your building protection plan e.g. adhere to all fire safety and manual handling policies
• Give your comms room a deep clean every three months, specialist cleaning companies are available to carry these out safely and effectively.

Server Rooms & Comms Rooms

A communication room which is well designed and maintained will allow your organization to remain competitive and keep pace with modern technology. As ever, flexibility is key and budgets need to be closely monitored, but the impact and benefits of a comms room mean they should be treated as a business priority.

For articles on Electrical and Data technology please visit our main BLOG page here