Radio Data Networks Gateways Enable Mission Critical Remote Sensing via Space

As many will have experienced, the cellular networks leave a lot to be desired, with patchy coverage, outages and the evident but not acknowledged downgrading of 2G and 3G services as 4G and soon 5G rolls out. Satellite is considered by many as an expensive option and yes it can be if vast amounts of data are required. However, if data is lean (bit or byte size), costs can actually be significantly lower than using cellular, in particular when you take into account the dire consequences of lost signals and non-delivered mission critical messages.

Mission Critical Remote Satellite Gateways

Moving to the next level, where sensors are distributed, using our proven and exclusive licenced radio data network channels, it is possible to concentrate data from multiple sensors, including those not normally accessible for either satellite or cellular, such as sensors buried below ground in drains, sewers or ducts to a single location for uplifting over the satellite system. This we call a Ground Based Sub-Net.

From a Mission Critical perspective, satellite can be more resilient. If you take the Iridium network for example, then there are typically three satellites within reach at any one time. Data is secure, encrypted and unlike the cellular networks where prolonged power outages cause them to fail or during events such as wide scale flooding and/or get congested during “incidents”. It is important to remember that being in space, satellites are both independent of local power and more importantly do not depend upon the local internet for the backhaul, hence are more cyber secure.

As with our Tetra and DMR services, data can ultimately be delivered in any format imaginable, from e-mails, files formats such as CSV, JSON, XML and for legacy systems we offer compatibility via our data gateways which can even reconstruct discrete analogue (4-20m) or digital relay contact status alarms.

RDN Press Office 07/07/17