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Case Study: South Metro Fire Rescue Authority Speeds Delivery of Critical Dispatch Information with Exalt Microwave Radio Systems
Emergency services require ultra-reliable communications for the delivery of dispatch information, and that means having a fast and equally reliable network. By replacing legacy, license-exempt radio systems with Exalt (News - Alert) radio systems in the 4.9 GHz licensed public safety frequency band, the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority near Denver has increased available bandwidth and provided the nonstop communications availability to ensure timely arrival of fire and rescue personnel.
The men and women of the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority serve the people and properties within 176 square miles of Arapahoe and Douglas counties in Colorado. South Metro provides fire and emergency medical services to the suburbs in the southern Denver metro area. The department was formed in 1951 as the Castlewood Volunteer Fire Department, and over the years it has grown to include the former Cherry Hills, Louviers, and Parker Fire Protection Districts.
Enterprise-Class Radio Not a Fit When the Parker Fire Rescue District did a major network upgrade in 2004, the goal was to increase network capacity and to eliminate monthly recurring charges for the leased T1 and ISDN lines that linked its fire stations and operations center. The department and its consultant, KNS Communications of Denver, chose point-to-point Wi-Fi-based radios that used the 5.3 and 5.8 GHz frequency bands to connect facilities located roughly 4 miles apart.
Though this approach eliminated dependence on leased lines, it was hardly a panacea. The network capacity wasn't sufficient to keep up with the growing traffic and the 'best effort' links suffered from the effects of even the modest levels of interference in the license-exempt 5.3 and 5.8 GHz frequency bands that were being used.
When South Metro network and communications manager Steve Macaulay arrived in 2006, he immediately began researching better solutions for the wireless network. At the time, the South Metro District was participating in FCC (News - Alert) testing of the 4.9 GHz public safety band, and Macaulay felt that use of this reserved frequency would better ensure critical communications availability.
'We liked the idea of using the dedicated 4.9 GHz frequency because we knew it would be an easy way to minimize the likelihood of interference,' says Macaulay.
KNS Communications recommended Exalt EX-4.9i microwave radio systems for the network upgrade because of Exalt's strong reputation for performance and reliability. KNS and Macaulay deployed the Exalt systems in nine locations beginning in 2006. The microwave network carries 55 megabits per second of Ethernet data traffic between five fire stations, two headquarters buildings, and two communications towers. This backbone supports not only South Metro's computer-aided emergency dispatch system, but also its IP telephone system, e-mail, file sharing, and other applications.
Faster, More Reliable Operations with Exalt Since the Exalt EX-4.9i microwave radio systems were deployed, Macaulay reports that traffic moves more quickly over the network and that interference issues have been almost completely eliminated, particularly in the most troublesome areas.
'We have two radio links that were almost impossible to keep running when we were using Wi-Fi™ radios in the 5.3 and 5.8 GHz bands,' says Macaulay. 'One link between a fire station and a tower in Parker was completely overshadowed by interference from a small ISP that was using the same frequencies to do some of its backhaul. The 4.9 GHz radios from Exalt completely solved that problem.' Another improvement came from the all-indoor configuration of the Exalt radio systems. The older Wi-Fi radio systems were outdoor units that were subject to reduced performance in snow season as snow piled up against them, but this problem has also been eliminated because only the antennas for the Exalt EX-4.9i systems are outside. 'We've had virtually no impact on the network from weather since we switched to the Exalt systems,' says Macaulay.
Other exclusive features of Exalt radio systems have proven invaluable for South Metro. A new, 100-foot tower the organization built in 2008 now hosts five co-located EX-4.9i radio antennas, and Exalt’s built-in spectrum analyzer and advanced interference mitigation technologies make it possible for all of these systems to maintain strong and reliable connections.
'The built-in spectrum analyzer on the Exalt systems was a big plus,' says Macaulay. 'That has helped out a lot by giving us the ability to fine-tune the radios. When necessary, we can just turn on the spectrum analyzer from our office and see what the environment looks like in terms of interference. Then, we can tune the radios in 1-megahertz increments if necessary.' When your business is saving lives and property, fast and reliable communications are essential. Through its upgrade to Exalt microwave radio systems, South Metro Fire Rescue Authority has built a solid, trouble-free network that rapidly delivers vital information to support its mission.
Challenges - Reduce effects of interference experienced with Wi-Fi-based radios in license-exempt 5.3 and 5.8 GHz bands - Increase network capacity - Eliminate weather-related reliability problems Solutions - Deploy Exalt EX-4.9i microwave radio systems to leverage the frequency isolation of the licensed public safety band - Configure Exalt radio systems to deliver 55 megabits per second of Ethernet - Use all-indoor radio system configuration to eliminate link reliability problems from snow piling up on radio electronics
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