Supporting a two-party system
Site infrastructure for wireless messaging that was used to support the national political conventions also shows promise for disaster relief and site startup applications.
Political conventions and disasters may not have much in common (or maybe they do), but in terms of two-way data services, this summer’s political conventions provided a communications model that could be a lifesaver when disaster strikes.
WebLink Wireless’ strategic partner, Metrocall, teamed with Congressional Quarterly to provide wireless data services to the news media and party officials at the 2000 Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Metrocall turned to WebLink Wireless to ensure that the convention centers in Philadelphia and Los Angeles had adequate coverage for these services.
Metrocall used the two-way wireless data service to help news media at the conventions stay in touch. CQ provided two-way wireless devices – Motorola T900s – to news media. Reporters could then receive instant notification about any hot news at the convention. Reporters could also use the wireless messaging feature of the devices to query the CQ staff for any research requests and to receive the results wirelessly. It was like having a private news wire on their belts. More than 350 members of the media got the devices at the Republican convention in Philadelphia, and because the same service was later offered at the Democratic convention in Los Angeles, reporters could use the same devices at that convention.
The key challenge at both conventions was in-building coverage. When a large building, such as a convention center, is decked out for a political convention, getting signals into and out of the building becomes problematic. With the bleachers for convention attendees, intricate stages and the wealth of electronics that go into putting on a meeting of that size, the building becomes much more of a challenge to provide reliable coverage. A typical advanced messaging device has an output power of about 600mW, so it becomes essential to have a nearby receiver.
For crucial, time-sensitive messages like those being sent to and from reporters, the message paths needed to be reliable. Extensive testing was performed over two days prior to the convention to identify areas that would need special attention, as it was essential to ensure that there were no coverage gaps.
WebLink Wireless had an easy solution: a mobile unit that creates a temporary extra site. The self-contained unit, a small equipment shelter on a trailer with a tower and a VSAT satellite dish, requires only about an hour of setup time once it arrives at the location for the temporary site. On-site workers only have to raise the tower and optimize the satellite path. The unit, which has its own gas-powered generator that provides about 30 hours of continuous operation, operates independently of any phone connection and can be controlled and monitored remotely through an IP-based network via satellite. The trailer is only about 23 feet long, and the accompanying shelter is about 8 feet 3 8 feet. An SUV or pickup truck can be used to position the trailer at any location.
At the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, this setup was a sharp contrast to what other wireless carriers did. Some brought in construction trailers and mounted antennas and equipment to the building. Others had to plan in advance to get high-speed data lines connected so messages from the convention center could be delivered to their networks. Others needed on-site construction cranes to set up and eventually dismantle their towers. Because WebLink Wireless uses a two-way satellite network for traffic delivery, messages could be sent from the convention wirelessly, with no connection to the local physical infrastructure.
Conventions to catastrophes While this application of two-way wireless data was effective and helpful, it demonstrated that two-way service provided through a temporary site could be useful in even more critical situations, such as a natural disaster. Communications is crucial during disaster response efforts, but a disaster like a hurricane, earthquake or tornado often disrupts ordinary lines of communication. Landlines are damaged or overwhelmed by traffic. Wireless towers may be toppled. A mobile unit like the one used to provide coverage at the political conventions could be the solution. It can be set up quickly, and because it’s self-contained, it doesn’t rely on any of the existing infrastructure that might have been damaged. The unit can provide wireless data coverage even if local power is out and local phone lines aren’t working.
Although wireless data may not seem an obvious choice for disaster communications, it does have some unique advantages. One advantage is a broadcast capability. Just as breaking news items were broadcast to all reporters at the political conventions, important information can be simultaneously transmitted to all relief workers at a disaster location. Information such as weather updates, locations of relief services or the arrival of supplies can be broadcast to a large number of people simultaneously. With the exception of two-way public safety radio, that message distribution is difficult to accomplish with voice communications. Because the message information is also stored on the device, busy workers wouldn’t have to try to take notes from radio voice transmissions. When they needed to access the information, it would be there. With the two-way wireless data capability, they could also respond with questions or supply requests, and they could send information from their location, such as casualty or damage reports. The two-way wireless data network connects to the Internet, so all of this information can be sent instantly anywhere in the world. Relief workers could also access Internet information on demand.
Getting a site up and running Another scenario, less dramatic than disaster applications but still requisite to network buildouts, is using a temporary site unit to provide coverage until a permanent base station can be built. This could be important to a carrier that wants to provide premium service to a new corporate customer in a location that isn’t adequately served by the existing infrastructure. With a temporary site in place, the carrier can begin serving the customer immediately.
It’s important that carriers treat these temporary base stations the same way they’d treat a permanent installation. All of the considerations that go into the planning stages during the construction of a typical tower site must be taken into account. Security and safety are key concerns. These sites are often set up in places where people aren’t accustomed to seeing radio towers, such as parking lots at convention centers. This could tempt the curious to try to see just what is in that little trailer. Just as carriers would fence a regular site, a longer-term installation requires the construction of temporary fencing to keep the equipment secure.
Many of these telescoping towers can extend to 100 feet, so it’s important to consider the location of the unit and its surroundings. The fall zone should be evaluated, and the final location of the site should be carefully planned.
Two-way wireless data offers a great deal of flexibility for creating temporary sites, whether for a big planned event like a political convention or for an unexpected natural disaster. This flexibility in providing coverage allows wireless data to support a number of applications, such as broadcast information and two-way messaging.
