Life becomes more and more networked
Representatives of the economy, for example manufacturers, politicians and urban planners - everyone has his more or less concrete, long-term view on development concepts, future trends, coupled with political demands and ambiguities. A lot of individual opinions included. Ultimately, however, the speed at which the city becomes smarter depends on the political will and commitment of the decision-makers. Much of this is in the context of decisions that were once made for economic and social goals and, as a logical consequence, makes a lot of sense. One thing is certain: our social life in the community will become more networked, faster, more measurable and of course more predictable. The appetite for collecting and using data is growing unchecked and is likely to increase significantly in the foreseeable future.
Starting signal for smart meter rollout
The smart meter roll-out has been a concrete and currently highly topical example of this for several years. After years of uncertainty, the fog has finally lifted. The BSI announced the start of the roll-out at the Metering Days 2019 in Fulda, and those involved used the time to make detailed preparations for the roll-out deadline. Is that really the case? One would think that since the adoption of the law on the digitalization of the energy turnaround in 2016, it is clear what is in store for energy suppliers, service providers and manufacturers. Enough time, therefore, to prepare in detail
Connecting the last mile with radio
What has often been neglected in all discussions about data security and the approval of gateways is the last mile, the radio link, which is supposed to ensure a reliable and permanent connection to the administration. This requires antennas that can meet the requirements for this task. However, antenna technology is a science in itself. And so there are antennas for every constellation of gateway, data network, installation options and spatial signal availability, both very well suited and completely unsuitable. The challenge is: the installation environment is almost always unknown and it is left to the installer to choose from a variety of antennas and mounting options. His decision on site, installation in or on the power distribution board, on the basement window or with a hole drilled through the brickwork outside the building, as well as the selection of the right antenna is of utmost importance for the long-term success of this installation.
Reduce installation effort
ATBB therefore addressed this challenge many years ago in close cooperation with strategic partners from industry, energy suppliers, network operators and universities, and developed customized solutions for this installation case and a portfolio of antennas designed specifically for this task. Thus, in cooperation with the company Hager, a control cabinet antenna has been developed which can be "clicked" into the housing of the control cabinet very quickly and easily and uses the metal body of the control cabinet as an antenna. In this way, an enormous amount of installation work is saved.
ATBB antenna with high efficiency
The real strength of this antenna, however, is its efficiency, i.e. a measurably higher range than average quality antennas. We assume that there are big differences in efficiency in the antenna market, up to a factor of four in the smart meter sector. A high efficiency is of utmost importance, especially in difficult situations (mostly basements), as this ensures a stable and powerful signal to the next transmission mast. In practice this means: even if the transmission mast is not necessarily very close, the connection is very reliable and stable. In the end, this means significantly lower infrastructure costs and less installation work. In any case, a higher range of the antenna is also a power reserve that is a safe bank for the installer.
Cooperation with leading utilities
It is helpful to know that the ATBB antennas are designed specifically for this purpose and these requirements in our own development department and are manufactured in our own production facility in Weimar under strict adherence to the highest quality standards. Quality and performance are essential for projects of this kind. Therefore, each of the more than 1,500 antennas that leave the factory every day is tested. As the driving force behind the almost indestructible and highly reliable solutions, strong partners and thought leaders in the energy supply industry have been the inspiration and have had a considerable influence on the development and realization of ATBB antennas: the top three leading energy suppliers are strong partners whose practice-oriented tests and process trials have realistically evaluated ATBB antennas under the most difficult conditions. Corresponding procedural instructions for the own operational units have been developed and trained from these tests. Perhaps a good idea to those who could not do this preparatory work to talk to these companies. Because nothing is worse than a construction site that cannot be closed or unexpectedly reopens and has to be tackled again.
Practical tests more important than theoretical figures
Further applications of Smart City networking can be derived from this example: The application and the local conditions determine the need for communication power of the antennas. Theoretical key data collected under laboratory conditions alone are not meaningful and relevant in practice. Significant practical tests are much more informative. Resulting adjustments lead to optimal conditions for a successful networking strategy and its implementation.
Smart networking requires optimally designed antennas
Consequently, when considering the costs, the price of an antenna is the least important of all factors. A safety reserve through higher range offers a significant cost advantage in the infrastructure by avoiding possible reworking, such as subsequent conversion or replacement. A dedicated, optimal antenna design is not a luxury, but important for a stress-free and reliable realization of simple as well as complex networking scenarios. A city is only smarter when the signal arrives!
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