Strategic Enterprise Paging Modernization Program at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)

Project Overview

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) relies on an enterprise communications infrastructure to broadcast passenger announcements, emergency alerts, and operational data to 36 million annual travelers.

To support ongoing facility expansion, MSP needed to replace its legacy CobraNet audio transport architecture with a Dante-based network. EDC partnered with MSP and AtlasIED to design and execute a phased enterprise-wide migration.

The project establishes a scalable communications backbone to accommodate future construction without disrupting current daily operations.

Problem

Replacing an active airport’s core communication network presents severe logistical hurdles. MSP’s system drives thousands of daily announcements, life-safety alerts, visual paging, and digital signage across multiple terminals, maintenance facilities, and concourses.

Taking the system offline to install new equipment would halt critical airport functions and create security risks. MSP needed a deployment roadmap that allowed the legacy equipment and the new technology to function simultaneously.

The strategy had to accommodate existing capital funding cycles, support active terminal renovations, and preserve active third-party system integrations.

Solution

EDC developed a hybrid architecture and phased migration strategy, allowing MSP to modernize its infrastructure systematically.

• Core Dante Backbone: EDC established the central network infrastructure first, creating an enterprise foundation that simplifies adding future amplifiers, paging stations, and endpoints.
• Strategic Initial Deployment: The rollout began in Terminal 2 and a major concourse in Terminal 1, bringing immediate audio networking upgrades to high-traffic areas while setting the stage for wider expansion.
• Hybrid Interoperability: Engineers built a bridge between the legacy CobraNet platforms and the new Dante system, routing audio and control data across both networks to ensure consistent operations.
• Critical Integrations: EDC connected the new architecture to MSP’s essential workflows, including fire alarms, speech-to-text accessibility tools, and flight information display systems.

Outcome

The phased migration equips MSP with a resilient, scalable audio network capable of expanding alongside the airport’s physical footprint.

• Zero Operational Downtime: Passengers and staff receive uninterrupted announcements and emergency alerts throughout the transition process.
• Protected Investments: Extending the life of compatible legacy equipment reduces immediate capital expenditures while advancing the core network capabilities.
• Streamlined Expansion: The established Dante backbone reduces the engineering complexity, timeline, and costs associated with future terminal additions.
• Maintained Compliance: Life-safety and ADA-compliant accessibility systems function consistently across both old and new network segments.