 
Any organization currently transferring data
across T1/E1 lines or using traditional microwave systems could be
wasting thousands of dollars – or even hundreds of thousands – every
single month. As more and more organizations – including service
providers, enterprises and public safety organizations – crunch the
numbers, they realize that point-to-point solutions are much more
economical than alternative technologies for applications such as
wireless backhaul, remote connectivity as well as deployments in
challenging non-line-of-sight environments.
The Bottom Line for
Service Providers: Big Savings in Operating Costs
For mobile service providers, the cost of
backhauling network traffic – where network traffic is transferred
from the towers back to the switching centers – remains a huge part
of their operating budgets. And given that the cost of leasing T1/E1
lines runs anywhere from $200 per month to upwards of $1,500 per
month, it is easy to see how quickly these costs can add up. The
cost of connecting just 10,000 cell towers can easily reach $15
million per month. In fact, according to the research firm Heavy
Reading, leased lines can account for as much as 25 percent of a
mobile operator’s operating expenses. And with the advent of 4G
technology, those costs are only going to continue to rise.
That’s why service providers’ reliance on
T1/E1 technology is waning. There is no question that T1/E1
technology is still the dominant backhaul technology in markets such
as Latin America, North America and Eastern Europe, but by 2014,
“the use of T1/E1 for backhaul will disappear in most markets and
will be significantly reduced in the rest,” according to the report
“Mobile Backhaul – Global Market Analysis and Forecast” by ABI
Research.
Many service providers are already turning to
point-to-point (PTP) wireless technology to add additional backhaul
capacity and reduce the dollars spent on T1 leased lines. Motorola’s
Point-to-Point systems can transfer data up to 124 miles (200
kilometers) at speeds of up to 300 Mbps. The bottom line is that
operators can on average see a ROI in less than a year for a typical
point-to-point deployment.
Making the Public
Safer with Wireless Point-to-Point Technology
When it comes to communications, the biggest
concern for public safety organizations is reliability, and that’s
where 4.9 GHz licensed point-to-point solutions offer first
responders critical peace of mind. Because these systems are
licensed specifically for public safety operations, there is less
chance of interference or blocked traffic when using them. This
means public safety organizations are now using 4.9 GHz
point-to-point systems to support mission-critical operations such
as backhauling traffic from radio towers to the 9-1-1 command
center, and ASTRO 25 system and for other crime-fighting systems
such as video surveillance. Of course, public safety agencies can
use point-to-point systems that operate in other frequencies as
well, including the unlicensed 5.4 and 5.8 GHz frequencies.
Motorola’s Point-to-Point radios in the unlicensed band do offer an
unparalleled level of interference mitigation techniques that enable
the radios to deliver carrier grade reliability even in high
interference, multi-path environments.
Public safety organizations around the globe
are already using a variety of wireless PTP technology (both
line-of-sight and non line-of-sight systems) to support
mission-critical operations. For instance, Central Scotland Fire and
Rescue Services – which responds to 10,000 emergency calls per year
– deployed seven point-to-point wireless links, placed from a few
meters apart to more than to 21 kilometers (13 miles) apart, to
support VoIP emergency calls and administrative data. By installing
the PTP system, the organization completely eliminated the need for
leased lines.
In Shanghai, a solution was needed to
backhaul multiple T1 connections from Xu Jing to Feng Xi, a distance
of 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) across an environment obstructed by
tall buildings. In less than three hours, service provider ROOTS
Communications had installed a system with integrated antennas that
backhauled T1 traffic in a non-line of sight environment.
When leased-line T1 connectivity proved too
costly and provided limited bandwidth, city officials in Torrance,
Calif., turned to broadband wireless for VoIP, email and Internet
access as well as to provide network access to two police
sub-stations and two animal control facilities. Running at 33 Mbps,
the signals are highly secure and reliable – even though they have
to work around a courthouse obstructing the three-mile (4.8
kilometer) path. The system is on pace to pay for itself in less
than three years.
When the City of Santa Barbara Fire
Department in California needed to upgrade its T1 networks for voice
over IP applications and add more bandwidth for a video conferencing
application to train fire personnel, it also turned to wireless
point-to-point technology. The network had to overcome significant
interference from nearby hospitals and universities and provide
connectivity across hilly terrain and around city buildings. In
addition, communications had to be reliable and provide continuity
in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes.
The city deployed eight Motorola 5.8 GHz PTP
bridges – six integrated systems with internal antennas and two
connectorized systems with external antennas. The network provides
consistent performance while delivering 22 Mbps throughput in six
fire stations and 45 Mbps throughput in the airport and headquarters
stations. And it was so reliable that the city removed its existing
leased vendor-supplied fiber optic cable and now relies solely on
the PTP network for its data communications to the Santa Barbara
airport fire station. The city estimates its annual savings at
$106,000.
An Enterprising
Replacement
Instead of leasing T1/E1 lines or installing
expensive traditional microwave systems, enterprises can use
wireless point-to-point systems to connect remote facilities to a
network quickly and cost-effectively, to provide reliable
campus-wide high-speed network coverage or to support applications
such as video surveillance. Generally, installing a wireless network
in these cases represents a minimum savings of 80 percent compared
to a wireline system.
For instance, take a look at a real-world,
head-to-head comparison between a wired and a wireless video
surveillance system. One manufacturing company building a major new
plant wished to remotely monitor and control the construction site
throughout the process. The site was located about 45 minutes away
from the company’s main offices, and a six-camera video surveillance
network was designed to cover the area.
Two of the cameras in the system were located
approximately 300 feet (91.4 meters) from the main switch, two were
located 366 meters (1,200 feet) from the main switch and two were
located 3,200 meters (two miles) from the main switch. And the cost
of deploying a wired network to support that video surveillance
would have been $134,296 – and that doesn’t even begin to include
the monthly recurring costs for the service. In contrast, installing
a wireless system with the same capabilities cost only $11,860.
Point-to-point systems have demonstrated
their technical strengths and economic advantages in deployments
around the world. The bottom line is that PTP systems can pay for
themselves within a year or even just a few months by eliminating
leased line costs for operators. A win-win situation for all.
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