Stratex Networks, Inc. has announced the completion of a new microwave backhaul network for the Montana Mobile Data Terminal system.
This multimillion-dollar project, engineered and implemented by Dunne Communications, is funded by a grant from the Federal Department of Transportation under the Highway Safety Act, allowing the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) and five Montana counties and cities to develop a statewide communications system for state and local law enforcement agencies. The resulting system will link offices and the field officers, through the mobile computer terminals installed in each vehicle, with secure field communications, accurate dispatch and instant access to nationwide databases.
"This network is an important advancement for law enforcement throughout the state and by extension for homeland security," says Charles Larsen, communications supervisor of the MHP and technical coordinator for the project. "The microwave links provided invaluable communications coverage over vast distances, where leased line costs would have been prohibitive, and in some cases were not available."
The backhaul system consists of Stratex Networks' DXR 700 microwave radio equipment, operating in the 6 and 11 GHz common carrier bands. The DXR 700 is a high-performance microwave radio system, designed for wireless transmission over long distances or difficult terrain. DXR 700 is now installed and operating in more than 45 countries providing reliable backhaul communications for mobile, fixed and utility networks.
The system delivers 4x DS1 (4x1.5 Mbps) capacity to MHP 20 sites across the most densely populated portion of Montana. Stratex also supplied its ProVision Network Management System to provide remote monitoring and control capabilities to ensure maximum uptime and reliability of the backhaul network. Phase 2 of the backhaul project is planned during this year, which will expand the network to new sites and increase network capacity to deliver high-speed DS3 (45Mbps) connectivity that will cover the entire state of Montana, an area of nearly 145,000 square miles.
Stratex Networks is based in San Jose, CA. For more information visit
www.stratexnet.com.
