The TUI UK head office based in Luton required a new IT network to keep up with the demands placed upon it by the ever-expanding workforce. ACCL was chosen to deliver the solution. https://network-data-cabling.co.uk/

1. Case Study: ACCL takes off with TUI
TUI Group is the largest leisure, travel and tourism company in the world. Previously known as
Thomson Holidays in the UK, TUI UK & Ireland serves 6 million holidaymakers and employs 12,500
people from travel agents to cabin crew, and engineers to back office staff. The UK Head Office in
Luton employs more than 3000 people and advances in technology meant that a new IT network
was required to allow faster applications, consistent WiFi, and to ensure an efficient and productive
workplace. With a large building and 24/7 operations, TUI required a trusted, experienced partner
and ACCL was selected.
Custom Solution
ACCL worked closely with TUI to understand their specific requirements and identified that a new 10
gigabit network was required, with a new fibre optic backbone linking 20 network cabinets. The
Head Office network supports all the IT systems as well as the building access control, meeting room
system, WiFi and CCTV.
Ensuring business as usual
Maintaining business as usual was critical for TUI’s 24/7 operations and once the specification and
timing for the project was agreed, ACCL developed a plan, with back-up contingencies, split into
phases.
Phase 1: The existing fibre backbone
would not be able to support the new
10Gig switches and so a new fibre
network was installed by an 8 man ACCL
team over 2 weekends. 8 kilometres of
OM4 fibre optic cable and a total of 40
fibre cables were diversely run under
floors and above ceilings, split so that the
whole network in the building could never
go down.
Phase 2: The existing network
configuration was not recorded and the
cabinet cabling was disorganised, with unlabelled cables. An audit was needed to identify and
document the functions of all of the circuits, and to create a clear plan for the new cabling.
Phase 3: TUI purchased the 65 CISCO switches needed for the upgrade and ACCL built, configured
and tested these at their off-site build labs, to ensure that all components functioned correctly.
Phase 4: Over 4 weekends, each of the 4 floors of the building was in turn connected to the new
network. The existing cabling was checked on the Friday night and removed from the cabinet,

2. allowing the new cabling and switches to
be connected on Saturday. The new
cabling was carefully planned, labelled
and documented, ensuring that any future
changes will be straightforward.
On the Sunday, all the IT equipment and
other systems on the floor were checked,
and during Monday’s troubleshooting
there were never more than 3 fault calls
due to the careful planning. This phase
required close liaison with TUI employees,
to ensure that all weekend workers were
relocated to active network areas in
advance.
ACCL project managed the work, working closely with the TUI team to ensure that all challenges
were overcome and all of the work was completed to schedule, with minimal TUI employee
disruption.
Scott Ronan, General Manager Technical Services, at TUI UK and Ireland commented: “Installation of
our new network was an amazing piece of team work. To coordinate this work around other issues
was challenging, but Wayne and the ACCL team were great, and I am delighted that they will be TUI
UK and Ireland’s preferred cabling partner going forwards.”
Wayne Connors, Managing Director at ACCL responded: “This was a challenging project, both due to
the technical aspects and the co-ordination required to maintain business as usual operations
throughout. I am very pleased that everyone’s hard work paid off and I am looking forward to
working with TUI on future projects in the coming months.”
About ACCL
ACCL designs, implements and supports the data and communications networks which provide
connectivity and drive business performance. Privately owned, and with more than 25 years of
experience in London and the South East, customers are at the heart of everything we do. Our
specialist cabling services are designed with your current and future needs in mind, bringing high
quality solutions that are excellent value. Please visit https://network-data-cabling.co.uk/
A network for the future
 Faster network applications have increased employee productivity.
 Greater energy efficiency save money, as organised cabling allows easier air
penetration and system cooling.
 Structure and well documented network to allow future additions and changes.
 Minimal business disruption whilst the programme was carried out.
