What is the right linking solution for your organisation?

Connection Blog Posts Link it upWhen it comes to linking solutions for your DMR or P25 network, do you find yourself asking the following questions? “What throughput is required – voice and data?” “Can I mix and match solutions for my network?” “What is the right choice now, and will this continue to be the right choice for my organisation in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years?”

There are so many linking solutions you can consider – Fiber, microwave or narrowband radio linking. Lisa van Vuuren,  Sales and Marketing Coordinator at MimoMax, gives us the lowdown on what the options are, and how to come up with the right solution.

a. Fiber – Fiber is generally considered the best option for short, densely-populated paths that require reliable linking because once installed, the link is less susceptible to weather conditions and it also allows for superior transfer of information. However, the cost of repair and installation can be costly.

b. Microwave – Most microwave solutions offer a fantastic rate of information transfer, they are upgradable to support growing future needs and are significantly cheaper than fiber. However, microwave is more susceptible to weather and terrain conditions than sub-1GHz narrowband linking. Before you consider a microwave solution, you need to also know that while microwave is cheaper in terms of initial outlay and takes less time to install, ongoing maintenance costs can get expensive due to the constant requirement of realigning the antenna during significant weather events.

c. Narrowband – a narrowband linking solution is, almost without exception, the simplest to deploy and adjust due to spectral efficiency and smart technology available now.. It stands up to significant weather events that microwave can’t handle, and provides secure linking in often difficult terrain (eg. NLOS paths, across water and through foliage). Narrowband linking often proves to be the best value for money, too, and offers future proofing and growing data rates. Narrowband linking is a great way to obtain excellent performance with minimal ongoing costs options and therefore should be considered as the potential linking solution.

Across a vast network, the opportunity to mix and match linking needs makes all three options potentially viable. No two networks have the same linking requirements, and the technology choices available mean you should take the time to appropriately plan and engineer your linking to find the best solution.

Do you want to know more? Contact us and we’ll be more than happy to answer any of your queries.

 

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