When an officer is in their vehicle, one of the most important things for them is to be able to stay updated and connected at all times. Unfortunately, for many departments, the in-vehicle experience is plagued with ever-changing signal strength, which can range from annoying to downright dangerous.
Poor signal in your vehicle is most likely due to the current network setup you have in place. In many cases, this setup is simply a mounted laptop computer, which is used to manage all the mobile workforce communications via a built-in (or plug-in) data card.
While this method does have some benefits (security, little user intervention needed, no dedicated hardware) it isn’t ideal for the modern police department, one that has officers equipped with multiple devices at all times. After all, laptops aren’t really designed to be routers, and using them as such can cause some major headaches - here’s why:
The Issues
- Laptops, in mobile environments, offer unreliable connectivity and signal strength
- Even with installed radios, laptops don’t offer the high performance levels of cellular networks
- External data cards and antennas can be easily damaged (even broken)
- Today’s officers have many wireless devices (tablets, radios, body cams, etc.) and laptops aren’t equipped to manage all of them at once
- Laptops are easily stolen, and present themselves as a target for thieves
When it comes down to it, critical communications can’t afford to be disrupted or delayed due to a technology issue, such as poor signal strength. Officers need to be able to remain in constant contact with dispatch, as well as other officers in the field.
The Solution
One of the best remedies to this issue is the use of mobile gateways. Mobile gateways connect to the cellular data network by using multiple high-gain mounted antennas. This allows them to deliver the speed and sensitivity of MIMO technology (MIMO is short for Multiple-In Multiple-Out). Basically, they offer a secure WiFi connection over hundreds of feet, allowing all of your team’s devices to remain connected (instead of the in-and-out connection you get with a laptop).
Mobile gateways are deployed as an in-vehicle solution, and they create a substantial Vehicle Area Network (VAN) which essentially turns the surrounding area into a mobile office where all devices can securely connect. These systems offer many benefits, including:
- Devices have network access with or without the computer
- Devices can share a single data plan, reducing recurring costs
- IT teams can monitor the mobile workforce remotely
- Every device receives a secure connection
- Simple integration with existing applications
If you’d like to learn more about setting up in-vehicle solutions for your department, contact Chicago Communications today or leave a comment below.
