MINING NETWORKS & CONNECTIVITY
3D-P has introduced its new Hybrid
LTE/InstaMesh ® Osprey Intelligent Endpoint ®
(IEP). Designed to complement LTE technology,
the Hybrid Osprey guarantees mission critical
connectivity
guarantees mission critical connectivity, extending
the coverage and performance of LTE networks
through the addition of client meshing.
It says deployment of Hybrid Ospreys on a
mining fleet helps you guarantee performance of
an LTE deployment at three levels:
1. By providing reliable and complete coverage
– the meshing capability of the Hybrid Osprey
allows mobile equipment to remain connected,
even when outside LTE coverage or shadowed at
the working face, through meshing with connected
LTE neighbors or Rajant infrastructure.
2. By addressing the limited uplink bandwidth –
the hybrid Osprey analyses each connection on a
packet by packet basis, to determine the best
route for that particular traffic, consistently
sending the traffic over the best available link.
3. By creating a native Layer 2 network support
– While many mining applications today still
require a Layer 2 network, LTE is built upon a
Layer 3 architecture. The Hybrid Osprey simplifies
providing a Layer 2 solution by leveraging the
integrated RPT tunnelling which is native to
Rajant’s Instamesh.
“Our strong partnership with Rajant has
allowed us to develop the hybrid Osprey, which
not only facilitates but also significantly
improves the performance of LTE networks in
the mining environment when facing coverage
and uplink challenges. We could not be happier
of how well the product has been received so
far by the industry,” says Evan Hansen, CTO at
3D-P.
Network as a Service
Another option 3D-P offers is providing a Networkas-a-Service
(NaaS) which it says might mining
customers address those challenges by ensuring
they rely on a technology solution that provides
access to all the data their mine needs to perform
optimally without impacting cash flow.
“While justifying the upfront purchase of a new
wireless network is typically a long process, it has
become even more challenging through these
unprecedented times. Long term budgeting is
often a necessary first step and justification of the
ROI can be daunting. Even when budgeted, the
investment might have to be postponed due to
unforeseen circumstances. The challenge is that
this delay in technology upgrade might have a
cost – the sub-performance of your operation
resulting from delayed access to your critical
mobile fleet data.”
The company argues that when transitioning
the purchase of a new wireless network from
capital to operational budgets, justification of the
business case can become a lot simpler thanks to
smaller, scheduled cash outlays. And ROI can be
demonstrated and achieved faster through minimal
upfront payment and maximal technology benefits.
“Network-as-a-Service benefits your cash flow,
but also your operations as a whole. Not only does
NaaS allow you to upgrade your wireless network
to the latest and most appropriate technology for
your site on a regular basis, it can also guarantee
the necessary performance without any necessary
staffing adjustments to manage the network. With
NaaS, you have the option to delegate
management, maintenance and upgrade of your
wireless network to experts, allowing your team to
re-focus on what it does best – mining.”
A 3D-P network delivered through NaaS is
customised around a mine’s unique site
requirements and may include 24/7 support,
proactive monitoring of the mine’s network,
scheduled on-site maintenance visits, embedded
resources and more. “Our team will seamlessly
monitor the performance of your network and
provide the necessary support to all the
departments relying on its performance.”
Strata Worldwide takes advantage of
Geoverse solution
Geoverse, a leading provider of private LTE/5G
solutions and the largest neutral host carrier in
the US, has announced support for licensed
wireless spectrum on its existing GeoCore™
network service platform.
This solution combines low-band licensed
spectrum with Citizens Broadband Radio Service
(CBRS) to form a high performance and reliable
private LTE/5G network that enables the adoption
of Industry 4.0 for mining, oil and gas exploration,
utilities, and other industries, it said.
“It merges the power of CBRS with the
performance of licensed 600 MHz and 700 MHz
spectrum to guarantee a reliable network where it
is needed, supporting voice calling, high-speed
broadband and critical low-latency IoT,” the
company added.
One company taking advantage of GeoCore and
the combined spectrum offering is mining-focused
Strata Worldwide. Tom Michaud, CTO of Strata
Worldwide, said: “In such extreme environments,
the performance and reach of the low-band
spectrum can make it a preferred option for select
applications. And, it complements CBRS quite well
so collectively they can serve a variety of use
cases found across our remote locations,
providing a high-performance service connecting
users, devices and even delivering highly reliable
service for our automated equipment.”
Geoverse offers an option to use its unique
GeoCore service platform to deploy the licensed
600 MHz and 700 MHz spectrum from their
solutions across 14 western states in the US. “The
best part is that since the network uses licensed
spectrum it belongs exclusively to the enterprise it
serves,” the company explained.
It added: “Industries such as mining, oil and
gas exploration, energy, and more have turned to
a variety of wireless solutions to try to keep their
daily operations flowing smoothly. However, this
patchwork of networks can be costly and difficult
to manage, while still falling short of the various
connectivity requirements. In the era of
automation and the digital workplace, inadequate
coverage and inconsistent performance can
disrupt operations to reduce productivity and
impact the bottom line.”
Rod Nelson, CEO and Co-Founder of Geoverse,
said private LTE networks meet the design,
operational, and performance requirements that
heavy industry needs, while giving them authority
over coverage, capacity and function. “By
combining the coverage and exclusive use of
licensed spectrum with the capacity depth
provided by CBRS, we create one private LTE/5G
networking solution to satisfy many needs,” he
said.
CBRS enables enterprises to deploy and
maintain their own networks. Now, with the
addition of licensed spectrum, these same
networks can do even more, all from a single,
scalable, and secure network, the company said.
“The Geoverse 5G-ready solution provides a
unique opportunity for enterprises to digitally
transform their business,” it added. IM
44 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2020