BBC

Introduction

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The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), established in 1922 and headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, is the UK’s national public service broadcaster. Gcom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Installation Technology, began its relationship with the BBC’s Technology Department in October 1982, starting with a modest installation of a 5-pair cable in the cheque printing room at BBC Northern Ireland (NI). Since then, Gcom and Installation Technology have proudly supported the BBC across the UK and Northern Ireland with a wide range of cabling and infrastructure projects. 

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A Long-Term Partnership

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Over the past four decades, we’ve had the privilege of supporting the BBC with a wide range of cabling, infrastructure, and technology solutions across the UK and Northern Ireland. From modest beginnings to large-scale, mission-critical projects, our work has consistently helped modernise and future-proof the BBC’s broadcast and operational environments.

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The milestones below highlight just some of the more notable and interesting projects we’ve delivered—each one contributing to improved performance, enhanced reliability, and greater flexibility across the BBC’s estate. Whether upgrading legacy systems, supporting major studio refurbishments, or enabling new technologies, our team has played a key role in helping the BBC adapt to the evolving demands of media production and digital transformation.

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These projects not only reflect our technical capability and commitment to quality, but also the long-standing trust placed in us as a delivery partner. We’re proud of the impact our work has had and continues to have on one of the world’s most respected broadcasters. 

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Key Milestones

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Oct 1982 – Our first engagement with BBC NI began with the installation of a 5-pair cable in the cheque printing room. This modest start laid the foundation for a long-standing partnership built on trust and technical reliability.

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Mar 1993 – We supported the refurbishment of Studio 8 by removing outdated cabling and installing a new structured cabling solution. Our team also assisted BBC engineers with the integration of new audio and video equipment, helping to modernise the studio’s broadcast capabilities.

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Apr 1994 – Played a key role in migrating BBC NI from its legacy telephone system to a modern solution across multiple sites. This upgrade improved communication efficiency and supported future scalability.

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Jun 1995 – Delivered a full structured cabling installation across all eight floors of BBC NI’s headquarters as part of an open-plan refurbishment. This work enabled flexible workspace layouts and enhanced network performance.

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Jun 1997 – Undertook a major upgrade of structured cabling across BBC Belfast and Radio Foyle, replacing legacy infrastructure to support higher data throughput and improved reliability.

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Sep 1999 – Supported BBC NI’s Y2K readiness programme by replacing legacy workstations and equipment. This ensured operational continuity and compliance during a critical global IT transition.

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Apr 2002 – Project managed and quality assured the structured cabling and fire stopping installation at BBC Mailbox in Birmingham. This work was essential in preparing the site for the migration from Pebble Mill studios, ensuring safety and performance standards were meticulously adhered to throughout.

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Jul 2004 – Led the LAN network refresh across BBC’s English Regional estates, modernising infrastructure to support evolving digital workflows and improving overall network resilience.

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Jan 2005 – Installed, tested, and commissioned LAN infrastructure upgrades across the BBC NI estate, enhancing connectivity and supporting the organisation’s growing data demands.

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Sep 2005 – Conducted detailed site surveys across BBC NI and English Regions to support the rollout of a new VoIP telephony solution. These surveys provided critical data for accurate planning and seamless implementation.

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Feb 2011 – Assisted in upgrading approximately 1,000 workstations from Windows XP to Windows 7. This large-scale refresh improved security, user experience, and compatibility with modern applications.

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Aug 2016 – Installed and commissioned standalone CCTV systems at BBC Belfast and BBC Radio Foyle, enhancing site security and monitoring capabilities.

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Jul 2017 – Supported the relocation of the BBC Workplace department within Belfast, ensuring minimal disruption and continuity of operations during the move.

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Jul 2020 – Decommissioned legacy telephone handsets as part of a Skype rollout project, helping the BBC transition to a more flexible and modern communication platform.

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Jun 2021 – Delivered further CCTV system integration works, expanding surveillance coverage and improving system interoperability.

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Apr 2022 – Managed the closure of a legacy data centre and the migration of services to a new facility and cloud-based platforms. This complex transition was executed on schedule, ensuring data integrity and service continuity.

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Sep 2022 – Refurbished Studio 7 by stripping out legacy cabling and installing new Cat6A UTP cabling and 96-core OS2 single-mode fibre. This upgrade significantly enhanced the studio’s data capacity and future-proofed its infrastructure.

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Oct 2023 - We are currently delivering a major refurbishment of BBC NI Broadcasting House, including the construction of the data infrastructure within their new data centre featuring Cat6A structured cabling and OS2 single-mode fibre.

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