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Building Automation

Increasing Safety and Operational Efficiency in Wildlife Conservation Organizations

Use Case

Marwell Wildlife needed a more cost-efficient and resilient SMS communication channel to replace an expensive internet-based email-to-SMS service.

With internet dependency posing a risk and SMS costs rising, they adopted a SMSEagle hardware SMS gateway to regain control over alerting, reduce messaging costs, and ensure critical notifications could still go out even when internet connectivity failed.

“Despite years of service with our previous provider, the cost per SMS was becoming prohibitively high. We needed a cheaper solution without compromising our ability to send and receive important messages.”
Dave Whitehead
IT & Telecoms Manager, Marwell Zoo

About the company

Marwell Wildlife (owner of Marwell Zoo) is a UK-based nature-conservation charity situated near Winchester, Hampshire. Founded in 1978, the organisation runs a 140-acre park home to over 150 exotic species, engages in scientific research, secondary education and reserve management. The zoo’s infrastructure includes self-sufficient buildings, advanced sustainability features and a volunteer workforce of 150+. As a charity, operational efficiency and donor value are major priorities.

Company website: www.marwell.org.uk

Challenge

  • Marwell was using an external email-to-SMS service that, while charity-rated, delivered rising costs per SMS that were becoming unsustainable.

  • As a charity with gates closed during COVID-19, every cost mattered: Marwell’s IT lead sought ways to reduce SMS costs and optimise operations.

  • The existing alerting relied on internet connectivity; a failure of the internet link meant the organization couldn’t send critical alerts about CCTV, network, alarms or other systems.

  • Marwell needed an SMS solution that offered both cost control and communications resilience, independent of internet service providers.

Solution & Deployment

  • Marwell selected the SMSEagle hardware SMS gateway, installed on-site and integrated with their systems, with full control over SIM contracts and carrier choice.

  • The SMSEagle gateway supports GSM, 3G and 4G standards and can bypass internet dependency by sending SMS directly through the mobile network.

  • It provides internal firewall control, enabling secure access rights and reducing exposure to external services.

  • Integration included: email-to-SMS conversion, automated scheduling of messages, connection to fire alarms, intruder alarms, temperature monitors and network monitoring systems.

  • Marwell reports elimination of approximately £1,000 per year in SMS costs, and the freedom to send “unlimited texts via our SIM”—enabling future integration with other onsite systems.

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Results & Benefits

  • Marwell achieved faster SMS delivery, improved operational efficiency and much lower messaging costs.

  • They eliminated prior dependency on third-party internet-based SMS services; alerts now work even if the internet link fails.

  • The organization gained full control over carrier contracts and messaging expense, aligning with their cost-sensitive charitable mission.

  • The gateway is now being considered for broader use across onsite systems beyond alerting, thanks to its reliability and flexible integration.

  • In summary, Marwell gained a secure, cost-effective and resilient SMS communications platform, supporting both its conservation mission and operational infrastructure.

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