Recently we were approached by one of our engineering clients to propose an internet and VOIP solution in the heart of a platinum mine, far away from any connectivity towers and most other things. Without a decent internet connection, the onsite mobile office is just an empty shell with little use to anyone.
The first solution on everyone’s lips is of course satellite connectivity, right? Well, of course that is a very viable solution due to the remoteness of it all, but certainly not the most cost effective. With only one onsite engineer having requirements limited to sending and receiving relatively large files every now and then, scanning, printing and with very limited mobile connectivity on all networks, a decent VOIP solution; all hooked up to their main PBX in Fourways.
After a quick search on our fixed LTE platform, we were able to establish that an outdoor LTE Router bolted to the outside of the container would do the trick. The challenge we had was that the site is almost 4 hours away from Johannesburg with very restricted access due the the safety standard qualifications a visitor or contractor is required by law to carry with them. This came down to shipping all the kit off to the mine with step by step drawings and instructions of how to install the antenna as well as connect up all the hardware. The engineer and an assistant were our ears and eyes on the ground. The entire solution was pre-wired and cable tied and neatly tied to the L-Bracket before shipping off to the mine.
First they installed a Zyxel LTE-A (CAT 12) Outdoor Router on a L-Bracket, all connected by a 20m outdoor ethernet cable. A Mikrotik RB951 with wifi capability fed through to an 8 port POE switch, hooking up the copier and laptop. We installed a Flying Voice wireless IP Phone to complete the VOIP side of the solution. Governing power to the entire solution with the exception of the copier of course, is a simple 2KVA Ups which keeps the equipment functional for a couple of hours when the lights go out.
Our technical and solutions team were always very confident about the success of the deployment. We are happy to report that they were right again. As you know, 2 rights make a bigger right which is always well received by the happy customer. Detailed planning together with a firm understanding of the client’s needs is always the correct approach to ensure a successful solution rollout, even if we have our hands tied behind our backs.
