Real-Time Mobile Surveillance and Threat Deterrence with FirstNet® and Custom Surveillance Trailers
Semtech Allows Direct Connection to FirstNetA provider of remote site monitoring, based in Texas, delivers comprehensive, real-time mobile surveillance and proactive threat deterrence solutions. Much like MCA’s capabilities through our security and cellular networking teams, this company offers fully self-contained mobile surveillance trailers outfitted with advanced security technologies to ensure 24/7/365 surveillance coverage for industries including construction, retail, emergency services, and large-scale events.
Their mobile surveillance units, just like ours, feature high-definition (HD) cameras, motion sensors, and AI-driven threat detection analytics, all powered by solar, battery, and generator backups—ideal for remote areas without traditional power sources.
In addition to utilizing FirstNet®, AT&T’s nationwide public safety network for first responders, MCA goes further by offering direct integration with Motorola Solutions' Critical Connect solution, enabling seamless communication with first responders. This enhanced connectivity empowers swift threat notification to law enforcement, ensuring faster response times and reducing incidents like theft and vandalism, all while maintaining reliable, autonomous operation in even the most remote environments.
Challenges | Monitoring Remote Security Systems With Ruggedized Equipment and Fast Response Times
Faced with a unique set of challenges, the company needed a highly rugged, low-power communication system capable of maintaining uninterrupted connectivity in remote areas. With many surveillance trailers positioned hundreds of miles from service centers, real-time monitoring of both security systems and the trailers' health was necessary. Their solution also required full integration with FirstNet to ensure that law enforcement could be notified immediately during an incident.
Traditional security systems often suffer from delayed responses and reactive approaches, typically reviewing video footage long after the damage has been done. In contrast, the organization sought a system that would provide instant, proactive threat detection and response, combined with visual confirmation that would empower law enforcement to act quickly.
One of the most significant challenges was maintaining consistent operations using only battery and solar power. Low power consumption across devices like routers and cameras was critical to ensuring continuous surveillance in remote or off-grid locations.
Solution | Semtech’s AirLink® Routers and Real-Time Connectivity
The organization partnered with Semtech to design and implement a comprehensive, real-time mobile surveillance system to meet these challenges. A key part of this solution was the integration of AirLink® XR60 wireless routers, which provide the necessary FirstNet compatibility while also meeting the low-power and high-reliability requirements crucial to its operation.
The AirLink XR60 provides robust connectivity, even in the harshest environmental conditions, enabling secure, reliable communication in remote locations. Its rugged design allows it to operate in extreme temperatures, making it ideal for deployment in various climates and terrains. The routers support 5G connectivity, allowing the company to deliver crystal-clear HD video feeds to their monitoring center. These feeds are crucial for immediate threat verification and subsequent law enforcement intervention.
The AirLink Management Service (ALMS) also provides centralized, remote monitoring and management for the organization’s surveillance trailers. This capability is critical because many of the trailers are located hundreds of miles from service centers, making on-site repairs or adjustments both costly and time-consuming. With ALMS, the business can continuously monitor the system’s performance, including the solar power system, communication routers, cameras, and AI servers, ensuring that the equipment functions optimally at all times.
The organization initially deployed the AirLink RX55 routers, which met its initial requirements for low-power, reliable communication. As it continued to expand, it transitioned to the more advanced AirLink XR60, which supports 5G capabilities and further improves video quality and communication speeds. This future-proof approach ensures they are ahead of the curve in providing cutting-edge surveillance technology.
Custom Surveillance Trailers
One of the business’s key differentiators is using custom-built surveillance trailers similar to those that MCA’s CNS Team designs and deploys. These trailers are engineered to be self-sustaining and highly versatile, allowing them to be deployed in various environments, from urban construction sites to remote emergency response areas. Each trailer has an extendable 30-foot mast on which four HD surveillance cameras are mounted. These cameras provide a 360-degree view of the monitored area and are paired with AI-powered threat detection software that analyzes movement patterns in real time.
The trailers also feature motion-activated lighting systems that deter intruders and provide additional camera visibility. When a threat is detected, the system sends an immediate alert to the FirstNet-enabled cellular router, transmitting data back to staffed monitoring center in Houston. From there, trained surveillance staff use a talk-down speaker system to warn intruders that law enforcement has been notified, often preventing further escalation.
The organization’s partnership with FirstNet® ensures that their trailers maintain uninterrupted connectivity, even when commercial cellular networks may be down. This is especially important during natural disasters or large-scale events, when communication infrastructures are often overwhelmed.
Benefits | Reliability, Remote Management, Energy Efficiency, And More
By integrating the AirLink XR60 routers and utilizing FirstNet's secure, high-priority communications network, the company has been able to achieve several critical operational goals:
Proactive Threat Detection
The surveillance system provides real-time alerts within seconds of a security breach. This proactive approach allows law enforcement to respond more rapidly and increases the likelihood of preventing theft or vandalism.
Energy Efficiency
The system's low-power consumption makes it highly suited for solar/battery operation, enabling the trailers to function independently of traditional power sources.
Rugged and Reliable
The AirLink routers' rugged design and ability to function in extreme weather conditions ensures 24/7/365 reliability, regardless of where the trailers are deployed.
Remote Management
With ALMS, the company can monitor and maintain its trailers remotely, diagnosing and fixing issues before they become critical, reducing both downtime and maintenance costs.
5G-Ready for Future Expansion
The addition of 5G capabilities ensures that the organization can continue to deliver the highest-quality video feeds even as network demands increase.
Customizable Solutions
Their surveillance trailers are fully customizable to meet the specific needs of different clients, from construction sites to high-profile events, offering tailored security solutions.
By combining cutting-edge surveillance technology, FirstNet® connectivity, and custom-built, solar-powered surveillance trailers, the business has positioned itself as a leader in real-time mobile security and threat deterrence. Their partnership with Semtech has enabled them to meet the challenges of remote, 24/7 monitoring while ensuring a proactive approach to security threats.
Using AirLink routers and centralized management through ALMS ensures that they can continue to deliver high-performance surveillance systems that keep assets and people safe. With the additional benefit of FirstNet’s reliable communication infrastructure, the company is well-equipped to tackle the future of security monitoring, offering scalable, energy-efficient solutions to a wide range of industries.
About MCA and Our CNS Team
MCA is one of the largest and most trusted integrators in the United States, offering world-class voice, data, and security solutions that enhance the quality, safety, and productivity of customers, operations, and lives. More than 65,000 customers trust MCA to provide carefully researched solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace.
Our Cellular Networking Solutions (CNS) team (formerly known as USAT) is made up of certified experts in designing and deploying fixed and mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private enterprises nationwide - complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts.
Our extensive Semtech catalog of world-class routers, antennas, and software designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments allows us to deliver a full suite of reliable technologies capped with a service-first approach.
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