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Reach
Issue 6 2014
4GMax multiple bearer high level architecture
Rather than waiting for LTE to be fully
rolled out and then starting to explore
the possible public safety applications,
Airwave is exploring these today,
so that we are able to exploit
current and future technologies
as quickly as possible.
from vehicles. As consumers, we
‘consume’ data – most of the time
we are downloading data and that’s
where the bandwidth is. From a
public safety perspective, it’s the
uplink for sending data that is more
often important. Similarly, Airwave
is working with Hampshire Fire &
Rescue Service on a solution that will
deliver remote incident management
capabilities which has similarly
already been used operationally.
4GMax works by aggregating
bandwidth from the commercial
networks, both cellular and
wi-fi, and managing the multiple
connections to create a multiple
bearer high level architecture.
Coverage diversity increases the
probability of service, providing greater
resilience than reliance on a single
commercial network, but still short
of a mission critical service. Built-in
load balancing maximises bandwidth
availability, and capacity management
enables intelligent use of each of the
SIMs. The data packets are split and
spread across the networks – smaller
packets move faster. It’s a secure
solution, as no one party has all the
data while it is in transit.
So how could 4GMax assist
operational effectiveness? There
are many applications: delivering
more intelligence from the fire
ground; enabling more interaction
with the control room; sharing data
with mutual agencies; providing a
standardised applications gateway for
a temporary incident-specific Police
station, and capturing footage for
evidential purposes.
When we ask our users about the
perceived advantages of LTE, video
is usually mentioned, but specific
applications are less defined. Now
we have the capability in-vehicle, and
together with Surrey Police, Hampshire
Fire and Rescue Service and other
customers we can explore how to
leverage the bandwidth and work out
which data is mission critical, which is
business critical, and which is neither.
Airwave is expanding the 4GMax
pilot to Ambulance Services, looking
at uses such as patient telemetry. We
need to build and collate knowledge
from across the blue light user
community to ensure that we are
able to exploit LTE’s capabilities as
and when it is proven ready and
capable, while in the meantime taking
advantage of technologies that deliver
enhanced data services and cashable
savings for our customers today.
