The Challenge: Constant Connectivity for Surveillance Boats
The Municipality of Amsterdam uses electric surveillance boats for various purposes, including law enforcement, safety, and environmental monitoring – in and around the city’s canals. Those on board require a reliable connection to access the internet, communicate with headquarters, or notify police should an emergency arise.
Many wireless communication technologies, including Wi-Fi and cellular networks, rely on a clear line of sight between the transmitter (e.g., a cell tower) and the receiver (e.g., a smartphone). While patrolling Amsterdam’s canals the vessels are below ground level, obstructing the line of sight and network stability.
Using telephones with 4G/5G capabilities quickly proved as an inefficient way of communicating, with teams onboard suffering data outages and dark spots with no connection at all.
The Solution: Dual 5G Routers Paired with IP68 Mobility Antennas
Network Innovations went on to source dual cellular MAX HD2 MBX 5G routers with the help of Frontier’s European branch, Frontier BV.
Acting as a mobile communications powerhouse on each vessel, the routers provide speed, reliability, and coverage by combining the best of 5G and LTE. Additionally, mobility antennas with IP68 rated enclosures allow for optimal positioning to obtain the best cellular reception.
While a few of the vessels were still in the latter phases of construction, the team collaborated closely with the boat engineers to guarantee a smooth installation process.
“By integrating multiple cellular connections into a single robust link, our client has accurate control of their equipment. This enhanced system ensures seamless communication between the control units and the machinery.”
– Edwin Sanders, Pre-Sales Manager at Network Innovation
The Outcome: Enhanced Communication & Unified Support
The solution provides great advantages to the Municipality of Amsterdam:
- Elimination of communication blind spots on the move
- Bandwidth bonding and seamless failover
- Unified support for each stage of implementation and maintenance
With installations on multiple vessels, they can make use of Peplink’s cloud-based management platform, InControl 2, to remotely monitor network activity and manage the fleet. This in itself saves manpower and provides ultimate visibility.
With an enhanced communications capacity, those on board can confidently connect and are better equipped for the exchange of key information between teams and personnel.