Originally published September-October 2001, St. Louis Construction News and Review

Shoppers at 17 of the Dierbergs Markets in the St. Louis area are enjoying the ‘sound of silence’ these days thanks to Sonacom IT Partners.

Over the past few years, St. Louis-based Sonacom has designed and installed an NEC-manufactured wireless integrated telephone system in the 17 locations. The wireless component allows Dierbergs’ managers to carry and use the telephone when traveling throughout a supermarket.

“The wireless system has cut down on an overabundance of overhead page traffic and increased the ability of customers to reach our managers,” said Bob Francis, director of engineered services, Dierbergs Markets.

The system that Sonacom IT Partners designed incorporates the existing telephone network with a wireless component that does not lose or “drop” phone calls as a manager walks throughout the store, and the system seamlessly transfers calls between multiple zones. Each of the Dierbergs Market are divided into six to eight zones, stated Mike Tippit, resource manager, Sonacom IT Partners.

The wireless system from NEC gives Dierbergs’ management staff a full-featured wireless extension of the current phone system. This wireless telephone clips easily to a belt or fits into a pocket and delivers advanced telephone features such as call forwarding and even conferencing options. This set also allows 911 to be dialed from the parking lot, which is outside the standard zone transceiver area.