NTL Broadcast, the UK's leading provider of broadcast transmission services, has recently ordered 300 custom designed and built monitoring units from Audionics.

NTL owns and operates a network of over 300 radio transmitters nationally. The company also handles text-based services and is working closely with local digital radio stations. Maintaining this complex network of sites requires careful monitoring so that engineers can be sent out rapidly to deal with any faults.

A new and more accurate tracking system was required and NTL managers approached Audionics to design and build a suitable monitoring unit. The monitor would have to be accessible by telephone and controllable via the telephone keypad. Audionics quickly produced a prototype and, following tests, it went into production. The new monitors have been installed at transmitter sites and independent radio stations throughout the UK. This allows NTL's national control centre to rapidly check through the audio paths from studio to transmitter, cutting down the time to locate any problem.

Stewart Lythe, Customer Support Manager at NTL said "I have known Audionics for many years and had confidence in their ability to find a cost effective solution for our monitoring needs, within the tight schedule."

Several last-minute additions were requested by NTL once they had seen the prototype, which were incorporated into the final product without a delay to delivery.