Satellite Cell on Wheels or as we like to call it our ‘SatCOW’
Filed under: ADSL, corporate, innovation, mobile phone, networks, technology
Expanding on our existing Next G™ network technology Telstra has now developed a new prototype Next G™ mobile base station that is highly portable and offers almost immediate mobile coverage in areas without any infrastructure.
A fitting complement to other innovative technology you may have already heard of such as the Mobile Exchange on Wheels (MEOW), which is a portable ADSL 2+ enabled exchange that can provide temporary landline and broadband services in areas impacted by a natural disaster, and the traditional CoW (Cell on Wheels) which provides mobile phone coverage.
Well, now we have developed the Satellite Cell on Wheels (SatCOW) which uses satellite transmission to connect to Telstra’s terrestrial network and provide Next G™ network coverage to the surrounding area for even quicker deployment in even the most remote areas.
The ‘SatCOW’ is our latest prototype and has been turning heads around the country for the past couple of months. Its role in facilitating the rapid provision or recovery of mobile network service has attracted the interest of government and emergency services organisations during exclusive demonstrations of the equipment.
The transportation of the SatCOW is a compact affair as can be seen in the accompanying slideshow designed for purpose, it is packed in cases and can be transported using a standard vehicle such as a four wheel drive. It is also suitable to send to a site via freight or light aircraft.
It takes under two hours for two field technicians on site to assemble and commission. This means rapid network recovery to ensure that we can meet the needs of our customers.
Like the MEOW, the SatCOW will be well suited to use in situations where natural disasters have occurred, or where existing towers have been damaged or even for permanent installation in remote areas especially where terrestrial based backhaul is not available.
Looks like a great stopgap solution. Nice work.
How high is the latency on voice and data ?
We use a Geostationary satellite for the transmission so this adds approximately 240mSec into the voice and data paths.
As wireless systems already deal with delays they make use of sophisticated echo cancellation techniques so we see little impact on voice.
The extra delay can impact conventional data transmission peak speeds however we can still see typical user speeds between 1-2 Mbps.
Looks like a great solution for remote communities/mine sites etc, would be great if Telstra actually made it easy to contact people about these products intstead of getting the usual Telstra circle chase.
Hi Jarrod, I’ve sent your message on the person looking after the SATCOW. You Let me know how you go. Brendan.
Brenden, thanks for the reply – though I still have not heard anything. The disappointing thing is Telstra have some great innovations yet the customer service side of your organization does nothing to lift Telstra’s image. I hope one day someone within the organization can market such a brilliant product, until then more landlines and sat phones I guess.
What is the cost for this equipment?
That looks like excellent packaging for a quick response system to base station problems.
The important point here is that this is the sort of thing that Telstra can do and does do, while the smaller players do not or cannot.
Well done. I hope there is more publicity for this.
I’d also appreciate if you could forward my details onto the relevant SatCOW staff/area, as after I’ve been involved with the flood recovery efforts in Qld, I’d like to find out more about these devices and the possibility of something like this in our arsenal of disaster management equipment.
I would greatly appreciate any further information about the delivery of these services.
Could someone from the COW team get in touch with me? I’d like to discuss co-ordination of services at large events.
Thanks
Hi JR, I’ve asked for someone to contact you.
Hi Brendan,
can you also put me in touch with someone from the COW team? I’d also like to discuss availability of services for events.
regards,
Josh
Will do Josh.
Hi Brendan,
could you have someone contact me about the deployment of a SatCOW system for mining, we have a requirement that needs to be filled rapidly.
Regards
Matt
Will do Matt.
Hi Brendan
Could you ask someone to contact me about SATCOW for a major event here in QLD in remote bushland.
Ade
Sure thing Ade. I’ve passed yoru detail on.
Hi mike
Another event organiser query. Like to plan to boost capacity if we can. Can you have someone contact me please.
Thanks
Danny
Hi,
Can you please get someone from the team to contact me asap regarding a SATCOW device for a current event.
Thanks
Deane
Hi
Can you please have someone from the team to contact me asap regarding a SATCOW
We have a major event coming up in August and require Telstra Coverage for our Traders EFTPOS Machines and Visitors to the event.
It is our 25th anniversary and are expecting in excess of 10000 people to pass through.
Hello Denise, I’ve passed this on for you and asked the team to get in touch.
Hi Brendan,
I would like to receive more info as I have a possible requirement for the MEOW & SATCOW systems. Could you please ask the relevant parties to get in touch.
Thanking you kindly.
Kealan Coleman
Production Manager
AV1
Sure thing Kealan, I’ve just passed your details on to them.
Hi Brendan,
our requirement is for mining construction services for a new mine approximately 80Klm from the Gumlu township.
I will have approximately 250 – 300 constructions workers during development.
Telstra have told us it will be approximately $2Mill to erect a cell tower onsite,
Optus have come back and said no worries, free of charge.
A satcow or meow service would be ideal until permenant infrastructure is installed.
Regards Wayne
Hi Wayne, I’ve passed this on and asked that they call you. Brendan
Hi Brendan,
Could you pass my details on to the CoW team as I have an annual event that has always suffered network congestion.
Cheers Paul
Hi Paul. Have done so for you. Brendan