The Isle of Man is moving into the second phase of its communications plan with the use of mesh and fixed wireless broadband technology to add mobile data capability to complement its emergency services’ Tetra radio network.
“The Government here is very committed to developing the communications infrastructure,” said Robert Williamson, technical director of the Isle of Man (IoM) government’s department of home affairs communications division. “If we can improve our [emergency] response times it’s all to the good.”
Motorola, which supplied the Tetra network, is supplying its mesh technology and Canopy, its fixed wireless broadband system, for the IoM to test its capabilities.
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| The network in a "covert car" |
Williamson said CCTV can be deployed over Canopy and it also allows “video-conferencing from any two points on the island”. One of its uses will be to allow lawyers to conduct interviews with prisoners without physically having to visit them.
Mesh is being used to create ad-hoc networks with devices connecting to each other when the transfer of data is needed.
“We see Tetra as the core platform to drive voice and data over,” said Gary Maughan, business director at Motorola. “But sometimes you want to transmit video over short distances and for this there is mesh. Mesh allows you to create your own network and it’s self healing.”
Maughan said mesh can work at distances up to 250m and can still connect at speeds of 250km/hr. The current technology operates in the 2.4GHz band but “we’re working to secure some public safety spectrum to avoid interference”.
A mesh network can be set up from the ‘covert car’ which Motorola has developed to show how technology can be hidden in an unmarked police vehicle.
www.motorola.com