Delivering Community WiFi with Edge Solutions
Public Transportation Solutions
USAT | Visual Use Case
Meet April Tanaka
Mrs. Tanaka is the Assistant Deputy Director of a Regional Transit Authority in Northern California. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership is down, and public buses are underutilized. She’s been tasked with utilizing RTA vehicles in a way that benefits her community at large.
Current Challenge
PROVIDING COMMUNITY WIFI
The COVID-19 pandemic created massive challenges within the public transportation sector, including Regional Transit Authorities and the communities they serve. Now that ridership is temporarily limited to essential travel only, RTA’s are discussing how they can support their communities during this challenging time.
After taking a few cues from the education sector, they decided to act in a similar fashion. They would equip RTA buses with wireless edge solutions to provide “super-hotspots” in areas where many struggle to access the Internet. To make those hotspots a reality, Mrs. Tanaka’s organization needed reliable routers with built-in LTE modems capable of broadcasting WiFi. Additionally, her IT team needed a way to manage this initiative simply and easily.
Recommended Solution
CRADLEPOINT GIGABIT-CLASS EDGE ROUTERS
After reaching out to the expert team at USAT, Mrs. Tanaka was presented with a Cradlepoint solution. USAT would install Wi-Fi enabled 5G Ready IBR1700 routers - with Gigabit-Class LTE - on every bus. With these routers, and signal boosting LTMGW944 antennas from Mobile Mark, her organization can provide Internet access to various “digital deserts” - expanding distance learning, telework, and telehealth opportunities throughout their community.
Update: Upgrade your IBR1700 routers with Cradlepoint’s MC400-5G Modem. 5G connectivity gives you the best in mobile network connectivity.
RTA leadership, fleet, and IT teams can use NetCloud Manager to centrally monitor Wi-Fi and application usage analytics, track cellular signal strength and quality throughout the city, make configuration changes, and control web filtering in compliance with various security guidelines.
The Results
SOLUTIONS FOR TODAY - AND TOMORROW
Her team worked with partners to place LTE-connected RTA vehicles at strategic locations such as schools, libraries, parks, and neighborhoods — providing Wi-Fi service for students performing school work, job-seekers filling out applications, and residents filing unemployment claims and census forms. The agency was also able to provide meal delivery services to seniors and high-risk groups.
Mrs. Tanaka’s ingenuity and partnership with USAT enabled her RTA to deliver a public transit solution during a community crisis that allows for innovation, flexible services, and the ability to capitalize on new technologies for years to come.
With a cost ranging from $1000-$2000 per vehicle, you can refit your public transit with top of the line connectivity.
Contact us today to equip your fleet with WiFi-enabled cellular routers
Contact USAT
If your fire department needs a solution quickly, USAT has equipment in stock and installation teams ready for immediate deployment.
Our install technicians are on standby to rapidly install cellular edge routers into your public buses, railcars, and more across Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and some regions in Texas and Colorado.
USAT has broadband, secure, WiFi hot-spots and high-powered antenna assemblies designed to function under harsh conditions and in remote areas. USAT offers solutions from top-tier equipment providers like Cradlepoint.
For More Information:
- Give Us a Call: (919) 942-4214
- Send Us an Email: info@usatcorp.com
- Request a Quote: Click Here
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*Names of people in this USAT visual use case have been altered, and organization names withheld. This is done to ensure the safety and security of our clients operations. While we are occasionally given permission to use the real names of people and organizations in articles, use cases, and case studies, we often choose not to do so in such public forums as our website and blog, as the security of our clients is of paramount importance to the team at USAT.
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