Beyond Line-Of-Sight Communication
EXPLORER Push-To-Talk (PTT) is an IP-based radio communications device that supports BGAN Satellite/3G/LTE/LAN back haul and Land Mobile Radio (LMR) integration to provide seamless voice communication in any situation. It is a cost-effective system designed to expand and augment traditional LMR systems widely used in the Public Safety, Utility, Mining, and Oil & Gas sectors.
EXPLORER PTT extends legacy Push–To-Talk capabilities to hybrid data networks such as terrestrial cellular networks (where available), supplemented by the Inmarsat BGAN satellite network where no terrestrial network coverage is present. With no user intervention required, the system automatically routes voice and data traffic via the least expensive and most reliable network available.
EXPLORER PTT turns traditional LMR, satellite, cellular, and the internet, into a closed managed Wide Area Network, with beyond line-of-sight communication.
Enhanced Capabilities
The EXPLORER PTT solution solves many challenges faced by traditional LMR system operators:
Coverage are a can be extended by using BGAN satellite and existing cellular based networks. Lowers expensive terrestrial infrastructure costs thus allowing for a higher return on investment. Constant communications in any environment while on the move.
• High availability to support critical communications. Scalable from two to thousands of units. Functionality built in to allow for automatic switching between available satellite, cellular, and LAN connectivity thus ensuring constant communications and least cost routing.
• Compatibility with many different brands of land mobile radios. Voice compression technologies are used to allow for the most efficient use of bandwidth across multiple transport mediums.
The look and feel is exactly like a legacy LMR system utilizing a simple Push-To-Talk speaker microphone handset. Vehicle installation includes a BGAN on-the-move terminal and an EXPLORER Push-To-Talk (PTT) terminal with a Control Speaker Microphone. Up to two USB modems (optional) can be connected to the PTT base station allowing for two independent cellular network connections. The all important least cost routing functionality enables automatic switching between the available networks: Uses cellular networks as default. If one of the cellular networks is congested or unavailable the system will automatically switch to the other cellular network. If limited or no cellular coverage the system will switch to the Inmarsat BGAN satellite network.
Server infrastructure
The heart of the system is the Push-To-Talk server infrastructure. A server setup initially consists of two standard 19” rack servers that can be placed anywhere connected to the public internet: The PTT server is handling all switching between the mobile units, the call groups and the dispatchers. The transcoding server handles the voice transcoding and compression.
Details
• A ruggedized and easy to use digital Push-To-Talk communication solution.
• Designed to cost effectively expand and augment Land Mobile Radio systems.
• Built-in support for LMR devices to ensure over-the-horizon radio communication.
• Voice-over-IP technologies optimized for use under difficult satellite or terrestrial link conditions.
• Automatic voice and data least cost routing between cellular (2G/3G/LTE) and satellite(BGAN) networks.
• Beyond Line-Of-Sight communication - global coverage.
