pLTE
A private LTE network for the enterprise: data, video and telemetry, push-to-talk voice in the pit and underground.
Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia
Wireless networks
Design, installation and maintenance of radio and wireless data networks for underground mines, open pits and industrial sites.
- pLTE
- TETRA
- DMR
- PMR
- WiMAX
- Wi-Fi
Technologies
TETRA
Digital trunked radio for dispatch and emergency services: group and individual calls, priorities, encryption.
DAMM, Motorola, Hytera
DMR
Digital radio: repeaters, linking sites over IP, short messages and location data.
Motorola
PMR
Analog radio: maintenance of existing networks and a phased transition to digital standards.
TAIT, Motorola
WiMAX
Broadband radio access between sites and facilities: maintenance and upgrade of existing networks.
Siemens, RedLine
Wi-Fi
Access points in workings, on the surface and in buildings: data, phones, tablets, sensors.
Cisco, Siemens, Moxa
Scope of work
Design
Site survey, coverage and capacity calculation, choice of equipment and installation points, frequency plan, specification, detailed design documentation.
Radio surveys and coverage measurements
Signal and interference measurements along workings and sites; finding dead zones and interference sources.
Installation
Installation of base stations, repeaters, antennas and access points, cabling, commissioning and configuration.
Audit
Review of an existing network: coverage, load, failures, compliance with the design and safety requirements.
Optimization
Tuning of the frequency plan, power levels and handovers; planning additional stations based on measurements.
Maintenance
Scheduled inspections, equipment repair and replacement, spare parts.
Design considerations
Propagation in workings
Bends, cross-sections and junctions of workings, signal attenuation; base stations or leaky feeder as calculated.
Capacity
Number of subscribers, simultaneous calls and data volume — with headroom for mine development.
Equipment ratings
Dust, moisture, vibration and temperature swings — equipment rated for underground workings and open sites.
Explosion protection
Where explosion safety is required, explosion-proof equipment.
Redundancy
Backup power and communication links, ring topologies: failure of one node does not cut off neighbouring sections.
Compatibility
Working with existing site networks: gateways between standards, links to telephony and dispatch consoles.
Sites
Underground minesWorkings, shafts, shaft stations, chambers
Open pitsPit walls, faces, mining equipment, transfer points
Plants and industrial sitesWorkshops, warehouses, grounds, office buildings
examples of work
- underground mine · 21 km of workings · PMR · 2 base stations
- open pit · 210 km² · pLTE · 20 base stations
- processing plant · Wi-Fi · 120 access points
- open pit · 130 km² · TETRA · 2 base stations · WiMAX · 7 base stations
How the work is done
- step 1RequestSite, task, existing communication systems
- step 2SurveySite visit, measurements, input data
- step 3Design and estimateSolution, specification, timeline
- step 4Installation and commissioningInstallation, configuration, coverage measurements
- step 5Handover and maintenanceAs-built documentation, maintenance contract