Overview
A decades-old residential community in Jiangsu, China began upgrading its elevator systems to support IoT-based remote monitoring and predictive maintenance, in line with new safety regulations. The goal of this elevator modernization project was to connect each elevator cabin to the building's central management platform for real-time status reporting, fault alerts, and data logging.
However, these elevators — installed over 20 years ago — had no pre-installed Ethernet cabling, and the limited space inside the traveling cable made it impossible to add standard network wiring. Re-cabling would require elevator downtime and heavy civil work — unacceptable in a densely populated community.
Challenges
● No Ethernet in the existing elevator shaft.
● Limited traveling cable capacity — not feasible to pull new Cat5e/Cat6 lines.
● Required stable IP communication for elevator IoT gateway with power supply.
● Strict requirements on installation time, cost, and disturbance to residents.
Solutions
The system integrator of the elevator modernization project chose Ourten's OT-PLC302POE/OT-PLC302-DC PoE over 2-wire Extender, which enables PoE and IP transmission over a spare pair 2-wire inside the elevator's traveling cable.
Using just two cores from unused signal/control wires, the device delivered network + power directly to the IoT module in the cabin — with no new cable and no elevator shutdown.
Results
After deploying Ourten's OT-PLC302POE/OT-PLC302-DC, the elevator IoT terminals (for fault diagnostics, sensor data, and predictive alerts) are now connected 24/7 to the building's monitoring center with a stable data transmission was achieved.
The Installation completed in less than 2 hours per elevator — no impact on resident use.
Key Takeaways
Perfect for old buildings with no Ethernet wiring in elevators
Supports PoE + Data over legacy 2-core cables
Enables full elevator IoT connectivity: fault detection, usage data, remote updates.
Saves time, cost, and avoids disruption in residential environments.
Why This Matters
As the smart city requirements push for digital transformation in safety infrastructure, older buildings face serious limitations in supporting smart systems. Ourten's solution helps bring legacy elevators online — without breaking walls or budgets — enabling safe, smart, and connected mobility for the modern city.
