Technology and IT

Doing more with less

Organization: Vivo

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

Customer need: Property and asset protection, Operational efficiency

São Paulo, Brazil, 2023

In its mission to lead the digital transformation in Brazil, Vivo has replaced analog cameras with IP technology from Axis to achieve greater security, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency.

Reconciling quality with cost-effectiveness

Developing the ideal security system for a retailer is a challenge, but finding a solution that can be scaled to more than 150 locations requires trust and expertise to make it viable from both a technical and financial point of view. The partnership between Axis and Vivo, a fixed-line, mobile, broadband internet and pay-TV provider in Brazil, demonstrates that it is possible to reconcile quality, scalability and cost-effectiveness. In an effort to improve quality and security, Vivo is gradually modernizing their operations with Axis solutions.

"When an opportunity to modernize a store is identified during internal planning, we use Axis technology. We started using fisheye cameras to improve image quality and reduce our camera count. As a consequence, we benefit from a reduction of licenses, cabling, switch ports and data storage. There are currently 80 stores in this project, but we will exceed 100 establishments, so the savings really add up," says Rodrigo Silva, Senior Asset Security Manager for Vivo.

The solution uses a camera from the AXIS M30 Dome Camera Series for its fisheye capabilities which offers an excellent wide-angle view with IR illumination to produce clear video even in challenging light conditions or in total darkness, in combination with a device from the AXIS P14 Bullet Camera Series and one from the AXIS M31 Dome Camera Series.

Stores also use the AXIS Camera Station S22 Appliance Series, an all-in-one network video recorder (NVR) with integrated PoE switch for HD monitoring of up to 24 channels. The NVR is designed for easy installation, offers flexible storage options, is preconfigured to minimize installation time, and comes pre-loaded with software licenses.

In practice, one fisheye camera provides the image quality and coverage equivalent to four analog fixed cameras. It is estimated that Vivo has been able to reduce its camera footprint by 600 as a result of their switch to Axis IP technology. In addition to a substantial savings from deploying fewer cameras, Vivo has also benefitted by the use of Axis Zipstream technology that has resulted in a 30-35% decrease in storage costs. Further reductions in licenses, cabling, and switch ports have increased their savings and culminated in a big win for the customer.

Trust and quality are the pillars that every security player needs to deliver, in addition to the service and availability that the Axis team provides. The team's follow-up is also very important, listening to the customer's pains, discussing them internally and bringing an effective solution to support us.

Rodrigo Silva

Senior Manager of Asset Security at Vivo

Strategic security

The partnership between Axis and Vivo also extends to the company's radio base stations which are a network of decentralized sites located all across the country. These sites operate on Milestone XProtect®, an enterprise video management system.

After a proof of concept, the AXIS M30 Dome Camera Series devices with fisheye lenses were installed to monitor the perimeter of the stations and the technology operating at these sites, keeping the company's core business protected. Once again, fisheye technology has managed to increase security capacity while reducing the need for equipment: the device covers an area that would have required four to six fixed cameras.

"We even named it Project Fisheye because of the Axis camera. The solution was totally innovative, reducing costs and adding a lot of security for Vivo. At many of these sites, we had to have a whole apparatus with four or five cameras, plus the alarm, and now we have reduced it to a smaller scope of devices, while at the same time enhancing the level of security. Another Axis technology we are using are intercoms, which, integrated with the video images, allow us to control access to the site. As well as increasing the level of security, this has brought agility and efficiency to operations," says Rodrigo Silva.

Silva also says that it was only possible to work on the access control issue in the way they are because there was a reduction in the bandwidth transmitted to the central office. The Axis network video intercoms and Milestone’s VMS allow authorized visitors to talk to security center personnel who can view them remotely and grant access.

Expanding applications

The enhanced reliability and diminished need for staff resources has made it possible to balance the cost-benefit ratio and increase the Return on Investment (ROI). This scenario opens up new opportunities for future collaboration, some of which have already been mapped out. In addition to expanding into more Vivo stores, the company is already carrying out proofs of concept to integrate the images with the fire monitoring center for an extra layer of protection.

"We are studying the possibility of integrating the fire alarm with access control via IP intercoms, so that in critical situations, if there is a need for a rapid response to firefighting, the fire brigade agents can communicate directly with our center via intercoms and allow the team to enter or obtain information about the scenario. But the idea is to expand the applications and we are already doing a pre-project using AXIS Site Designer to include other administrative buildings as well," concludes Silva.