THE FIRETIDE BLOG

Top 5 benefits of wireless water and irrigation network oversight (part 2)

Apr 08, 2015

2015-04-08 Wireless Water and Irrigation Network.jpgIn the first part of this series, we discussed why wireless video surveillance networks are so ideal for flood monitoring and for eliminating the manual oversight of rivers, canals and irrigation networks. But, these are far from the only benefits this technology can provide. Here are three more key benefits of wireless water and irrigation network oversight.

3) Well-suited for monitoring large distances
Perhaps the main reason that manual methods are so poorly suited for waterway oversight is because it is next to impossible for one person or a few people to effectively keep tabs on up to hundreds of miles of infrastructure and territory. A wireless mesh network in particular is well-suited for such a task, as it is designed and built specifically to cover long distances. The success of The Royal Irrigation Department of Thailand’s wireless mesh network, which covers 342 miles of river-adjacent territory in the Chao Phraya River Basin, is proof of this technology’s efficacy over extended distances.

4) More cost-effective than fiber alone
While video monitoring technology may be clearly superior to manual oversight, organizations do have a few deployment options for their video network. In particular, the choice typically revolves around whether to make it dependent on a wired, fiber network or make it wireless. However, for projects where the time to deployment and costs need to be minimized without sacrificing overall quality of service, wireless mesh networks are superior to wired technologies like fiber optic cabling.

According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, major fiber optic cable projects in the U.S. from over the last 15 years have cost anywhere from $6,800 to $79,000 per mile. Even on the low end, laying down new wires is more often than not an expensive endeavor, especially over long distances. Plus, a lengthy installation project can take years to complete. In comparison, a wireless mesh network is much more cost-effective and can be implemented in a fraction of the time.

5) Highly reliable
Once organizations realize that video is far more efficient than manual oversight and that wireless networks are often much more cost-effective than wired solutions over long distances, the next step is determining what wireless option in particular to choose. In comparison to a Wi-Fi or satellite-based solution, a wireless mesh network from Firetide is the ideal choice since it is built to be reliable.

For starters, as a mesh network, redundancy is built into the overall framework. This ensures that in the rare event a single link goes down, overall network functionality is not negatively impacted. In addition to network connectivity redundancy, The Royal Irrigation Department of Thailand’s wireless mesh network includes redundant power sources, weather-proofed RF connectors and best-of-breed tower install quality. This helps to ensure that latency within each hop in the network is less than a microsecond – significantly shorter than a blink of an eye – and that the overall network will function effectively regardless of outside adverse conditions.

For truly effective wireless water and irrigation network oversight, turn to a HotPort-based outdoor mesh network. Contact a Firetide representative today to learn more about available custom deployment options.


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