Active lifestyle retailer, Fat Face has employed the services of IT experts Vodat International to revamp its communication links between stores and head office, employing the latest WAN technologies to help cope with the growth of the business.

Stuart Nelmes, IT director at Fat Face, said, "Fat Face is continuing to expand and we know we need to facilitate this growth with a simple communications infrastructure between stores and the head office.

The system we are using is intranet based. Communications amongst stores and head office is via an MPLS network. The system has been trialled in 20 stores and we are hoping to roll it out across the entire chain during the early part of 2006."

The successful multichannel clothing brand plans to continue opening new stores, in addition to the already successful presence in both the Web and Home shopping arenas.

Fat Face realised in 2004 that its existing Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) based communications infrastructure was no longer satisfactory for its requirements. The decision was to implement a WAN to all stores, based upon a Broadband (ADSL) network solution.

Initially, the decision was made to trial a system based on BT's NetEquip solution. However, this proved to be a tremendous drain on internal resources - with an experienced member of the technical support team often dedicated to keeping it operational.

Fat Face decided on a different approach for the 20-store pilot completed in mid 2005.

Stuart added, "The decision to use Vodat was based partly on cost but largely on its project management and support during the installation. Fat Face chose Vodat; not only on these criteria, but on the knowledge that Vodat is a specialist in the retail industry who could readily understand our concerns and requirements."

He added: "We are very pleased to say that the pilot project was a great success. All objectives were met and the involvement from our own team was minimal."

"The successful implementation of the MPLS infrastructure is essential to our expansion plans, and as such Fat Face is now finalising the roll out of the Vodat solution to its remaining stores in 2006. "Vodat has proved it has the ability to understand the clients' needs, and as such I consider the relationship between us a true partnership," said Stuart

Neil Poultney, Operations Director at Vodat International, based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, said; "Our managed broadband network not only provides a new technology platform but ultimately saves money".

"We can utilise what many consider to be cutting edge technologies for instance Voice Over IP (Internet Protocol), card-fraud detection, CCTV, Intranet Deployment, visual merchandising and connecting remote workers."