Control Case Study
A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
November 2015
The Challenge
To deliver reliable, affordable and secure connectivity over a private network to link over 10,000 scratchcard terminals across the UK
with an aggressive roll-out plan.
The Control Solution
• A private cellular network using WestAccess – highly scalable, robust and on-demand networking
• Vodafone’s industry leading IOT Global Data Services Platform
• External antennas installed in hard to reach connectivity sites
• Over 10,000 SIMs activated within a 9 month period
• Real-time monitoring and critical network support 24/7/365 from Westbase.io
The Results:
• A secure private cellular network enabling rapid deployment and self-installation of terminals
• A high performance network providing the stability and reliability required for this business-critical estate
• Early results indicate WestAccess is one of Camelot’s most reliable networks
• Westbase.io are now working with other lotteries who are using cellular networks as their primary network service
Case Study / A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
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A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
Camelot
Camelot UK Lotteries Limited has been the licensed operator of the UK National lottery since its launch in 1994. Running one of the
world’s most successful lotteries for over 20 years, Camelot has been awarded an extended third licence term until 2023. Aiming to
maximise returns to the National Lottery Good Causes in the most socially responsible and cost efficient way, Camelot spends only
around 4% of total revenue on operating costs. As a result Camelot runs the most cost efficient lottery in Europe.
Camelot’s Challenge – “Compact Lottery Terminals”
National lottery Scratchcards have long been a popular instant way to play
lottery games, and sales have doubled in the UK over the last 8 years. To
capitalise on this long term growth Camelot initiated on a project to roll out
over 10,000 scratchcard-only terminals, also known as “compact lottery
terminals”. Delivered to retailers in non-conventional, diverse markets such as
coffee shops and licensed premises, these terminals were designed to create
new alternative revenue streams across the UK.
The touch-screen terminals needed to be self-installed for fast deployment, and
required a connection to remotely sync data between the terminal and
Camelot’s central systems; the connection would also deliver media to feature
on-screen when it wasn’t in use. The large number planned for the roll-out
meant the offering needed to be highly available and delivered to the set
budget.
“Cost efficiency is at the heart of Camelot’s operating
success, and as the sites we were targeting with this
offering would mean low profit margins, this demanded
that the solution we chose was not just effective but also
economical.”
Mike Pellett, Network Manager at Camelot.
The Considerations
In deciding what solution would be required to deliver the compact lottery terminals, Camelot considered the following options initially:
• Existing Access Technologies – Primarily run on satellite and DSL, these were too expensive and didn’t allow for the self-install option
• Existing On-site Broadband – Too much variance in reliability and quality of in-store connectivity negated the use of this, plus linking terminals back to the central network via this method would be insecure
Camelot came to the conclusion that to meet the requirements of the scratchcard project they needed to design a purpose-built cellular
router to install within the terminals. To keep the network within their control and completely secure though, they also decided that
they would need a private mobile network solution to connect the routers.
The Requirements:
• A secure, reliable, private network
• National coverage
• Highly available core
• Resilient at the Endpoint
• Affordable
Case Study / A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
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Hitting the Jackpot with the WestAccess Network
In Camelot’s search for a suitable private network, Westbase.io were
recommended as a supplier. After receiving a project brief, Westbase.io put
together a solution proposal which met all of Camelot’s requirements and,
following credential checks, were selected to be their solution provider.
Mindful of keeping operating costs to a minimum, the enterprise-grade security
that WestAccess delivered with no up-front costs, naturally met with Camelot’s
approval. The cost efficiencies went further still as the WestAccess solution was
delivered at a fraction of the expenditure usually associated with a private APN
setup and MPLS infrastructure. Providing the same security benefits as a private
network, but well within budget and providing an advanced feature set and
flexibility, the WestAccess cellular network delivered a complete transport layer
and vendor-managed solution.
“Using our experience in cellular networking solutions, we were able to offer Camelot a highly
scalable, on-demand solution, powering the full 10,000 sites as easily as 1.”
“This meant the terminals could be rolled out and connected in an aggressive timeframe to suit the
business requirements.”
Sacha Kakad, Managing Director at Westbase.io
As well as providing a robust cellular network to connect the routers, the Westbase.io solution could also be easily integrated with satellite or DSL connectivity where this was required by certain sites – encapsulating all modes of connectivity into one private network for simplif ied management. WestAccess is also completely hardware agnostic, future proofing the network against changing topologies.
Using Westbase.io’s WestAccess
network Camelot were able to
create a completely private and
secure network, whilst also
leveraging Vodafone GDSP
connectivity which features
national roaming for all UK
mobile operators.
Case Study / A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
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How Westbase.io Delivered a Winning Solution
With unrivalled industry knowledge, and over 25 years’ experience in delivering effective networking solutions, Westbase.io set about
delivering the solution to link thousands of scratchcard terminals nationwide for Camelot. To achieve this they undertook the following:
Advice and Consultancy
Westbase.io provided advice and consultancy on the development of the cellular router that would be enclosed within the scratchcard
terminal, in order to make sure it met the network’s requirements.
Pilot and Pre-deployment Testing
Before launching a full solution, extensive testing was undertaken. Westbase.io worked alongside Camelot to test application
performance over the cellular solution, for which a detailed plan with success criteria was agreed and executed. The pilot was highly
successful, with the network outperforming the baselines for all test criteria.
Establishing the Network with Vodafone
Westbase.io managed the delivery of SIMs direct to the terminal manufacturer for installation as part of the manufacturing process.
The SIMs were shipped in a test mode with an agreed amount of included data, allowing connectivity to be verified at point of
manufacture without triggering the monthly subscription for each SIM.
Activating Over 10,000 SIMs
The advanced Vodafone Global Data Services Platform provided Westbase.io with the features required to match activations to the
rollout, the SIMs being automatically activated once they had used their test allowance. To date in excess of 10,000 connections are
active on the network, with most of these rolled out over a short 9 month period.
External Antenna Installation for Poor Signal Areas
Westbase.io facilitated site surveys and installation services for areas where a suitable signal could not be achieved with the built in
antenna. After assessing the best connectivity solution for these sites, Westbase.io-appointed engineers installed external antenna to
provide the service required by the terminal.
24/7/365 Active monitoring
Westbase.io provide 24/7/365 support and monitoring for the Camelot estate, using active monitoring to deliver real-time alerts on
the core network.
“Early results indicate that WestAccess is one of Camelot’s most reliable networks”
The solution that Westbase.io delivered was viewed as a resounding success. Not only was the solution cost effective but the cellular
network also enabled quick and simple installation which was an absolute necessity with the aggressive roll-out required for the
scratchcard terminals.
As part of their internal procedures Camelot test and monitor the stability of their networks by tracking “re-tries” – the number of
these has been consistently low on this cellular service compared to other services which Camelot use on different projects.
Case Study / A Winning Network Solution for Camelot Lotteries
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“One of the benefits of using the WestAccess network is that once the terminals are connected,
even in the challenging sites where external antenna have had to be used, they stay connected”
said Pellett. He continued “Certainly the early results of our monitoring indicate that WestAccess is
one of Camelot’s most reliable networks.”
Introducing the Technology: WestAccess
Providing the same benefits of a private APN infrastructure, but without the costs of building and running it,
WestAccess is a total private networking solution:
• Highly scalable and flexible – connect 1000s of sites as easily as 1
• Enterprise-grade security – on-demand private managed networking
• Network and hardware agnostic – works seamlessly across multiple operators and can provide hybrid networking with fixed line and satellite services
• Extends enterprise networks with ease – create a Wide Area Network extension over cellular
• Rapidly deployed – fully managed, end-to-end connectivity that can be rolled out in days and weeks instead of months
If you have any questions about this case study, please contact Control
[email protected]+44 (0)118 321 9475 @ControlLtd