Networking should support the system, not complicate it. With OmniCALL, building a simple, scalable emergency voice communication network is exactly that: simple. Whether you’re fitting out a single tower block or delivering a multi-panel installation across a wider campus, the approach stays consistent. Panels connect cleanly, the system behaves as one and you can add capacity in a controlled way as the site’s needs change.
OmniCALL’s expansion panel range is there to make that scalability practical. It gives you a compact, flexible way to extend the system where you need to, without forcing a redesign or a change in how the network operates. The platform is designed to meet BS8893: 2024, so you’re building on a standards-aligned foundation from the outset.
One network, built to scale
The point of networking panels isn’t simply to make a system bigger. It’s to keep the system cohesive as it grows, so call handling and system behaviour stay consistent across the site.
OmniCALL supports networking of up to 100 panels. A typical system capacity is 512 outstations and 512 assistance alarms, with larger system capacities available on request. For specifiers, that sets a clear envelope for design. For installers and system integrators, it provides a scalable architecture that doesn’t change character as the job gets larger. And for facilities teams, it means the system can evolve without becoming fragmented.
Networking options: copper or fibre, chosen to suit the site
OmniCALL networking is designed around two straightforward choices, depending on distance and site layout.
For shorter links, copper networking is built in. Each network span uses a 4-core connection with FP200 cabling, with a maximum distance of 200 metres per span. That’s a simple, workable rule for many buildings and compact sites and it keeps installation familiar.
Where distance pushes beyond that, fibre provides the reach. OmniCALL supports duplex fibre connections, using two fibres per span, via dedicated fibre interfaces. Single mode (OCFIS) with SC duplex connections supports spans up to 4 km, while multi mode (OCFIM) with SC duplex connections supports spans up to 2 km.
The benefit is that you’re not locked into one approach. You can choose the network medium that fits the geography of the site and the routes available, while keeping the overall system architecture consistent.
Expansion panels that make real-world layouts easier
Expansion panels are often described purely as a growth tool, but in practice they’re just as much about layout. They help you build a system that fits the building, especially when risers, zoning, or long cable routes make a single-panel approach less practical.
The OCEPS Network Expansion Panel provides a compact and flexible way to extend OmniCALL systems, and it offers the same networking flexibility as larger expansion panels. That makes it useful in two common scenarios.
On smaller sites, it’s a neat way to deliver a fully networked system without overcomplicating the hardware footprint. On larger sites, it’s a practical building block that lets you place capacity where it’s needed, align the system with the physical layout, and keep the network tidy and maintainable.
Crucially, the networking behaviour remains consistent across the wider OmniCALL platform, which is what allows a system to scale without turning into separate “islands” of functionality.
Line card flexibility: loops or radials, and room to configure
Networking is the backbone. Line cards are where you make the wiring work for the building.
Each expansion panel is supplied with one line card fitted as standard. That supports either one loop with up to 32 outstations, or four radial circuits with one outstation per radial.
Each panel can take an additional three line cards, giving four in total. Each line card supports either one loop or four radials. With the three additional cards fitted, the system can support 32 outstations distributed across four loops in any configuration required. Outstations can be allocated freely across the loops, or across 16 radials, to suit the site layout.
That flexibility is useful on any project where the “clean” drawing and the real building don’t quite match. It gives designers and integrators options, and it makes it easier to adapt the topology to what’s sensible on site without changing the fundamentals of the system.
Keeping it simple as you scale
The value of OmniCALL networking is that it stays simple as the job scales. Up to 100 panels can be networked, typical capacity sits at 512 outstations and 512 assistance alarms, and you can choose copper or fibre based on distance without changing how the system works overall. Pair that with compact expansion panels and flexible line card configurations, and you get a network that can be designed around the building, not forced into it.
If you’re planning an OmniCALL system and want to sense-check the best way to structure the network, we’re happy to talk it through. The earlier networking and topology are considered together, the cleaner the outcome tends to be.
