Gatwick Airport
Zenitel, in collaboration with Fourway Communications, completed a comprehensive PAVA system upgrade at Gatwick Airport Station—one of the UK’s busiest transport hubs. The project enhanced audio clarity, safety, and communication coverage throughout the station, improving passenger experience and operational control. Built around Zenitel’s VIPEDIA platform, the system delivers superior performance and sustainability for future expansions.
The Requirement
Gatwick Airport required a multi-node distributed Public Address and Voice Alarm (PAVA) system at the South Terminal, with a central management system to monitor and control other third-party safety subsystems
The Solution
ASL/Zenitel’s solution was to network multiple nodes together over a fibre IP secure loop network, providing synchronised, high-quality audio from a variety of inputs including background music (BGM),departure gate announcements and emergency microphones.
An iVENCS control system was used to manage the entire system, with workstations installed at the airport control centre, the baggage hall, information desks and at the fire team’s office. Text-to-speech announcements can be made throughout the airport, whilst the system also providesthe facility for pre-recording and scheduling Digital Voice Announcement (DVA) messages.

A backup network provides the capability for hardware bypass broadcast; so in the event of an emergency, all-call broadcasts can be still be made from central emergency microphones, even if the entire IP network or PAVA
routers were disrupted.
The Result
The success of the Gatwick project has already set a precedent. Fourway Communications has since applied the same Zenitel upgrade and migration process at Paddington Square — highlighting the strength of the collaboration between Fourway and ASL/Zenitel. With further stations in the pipeline, the upgrade approach delivers better value for money and enhanced sustainability across the network.