What Is Microwave Frequency?

Microwave frequency refers to any frequency value within the electromagnetic spectrum that is suitable for microwave data transmission. Microwave radio frequencies provide for the transport of all of your important microwave data.

Microwave Frequency Used for Telecom Data Transmission

Microwave frequencies are often used by telecommunications service providers to transmit microwave data. Though microwave frequency technology has become less popular due to advancement of cellular, satellite, and fiber transmission technologies, microwave equipment is often deployed as a cost-effective alternative to fiber at very remote sites.

Operators Can Choose Digital or Analog Microwave Frequency Equipment

Many operators find it too expensive to deploy new digital microwave equipment. As a result, they continue to use their analog microwave frequency equipment. This provides them with the most budget-friendly microwave frequency transmission by eliminating the need to purchase new equipment. By using the transmission devices they are already comfortable with, operators can maximize their data transmission efficiency. Other network operators choose to budget the expense of new equipment into their budget to utilize the more reliable digital microwave frequency. This format allows them increased data transmission, often making up for equipment expenses by increasing data output.

Regardless of what microwave frequency is used for your important data transmission, a network alarm monitoring system can give you the network visibility you need. With alarm monitoring, you can verify that all of your microwave frequency equipment is online and functioning properly. This functionality will help you reduce network downtime due to outages, enhancing your reputation with your customer base by establishing yourself as a leader in service reliability, as well as satisfying your boss and saving you expensive windshield time.

Why You Should Monitor Your Microwave Frequency Equipment

Most microwave frequency equipment is located in remote areas like mountaintops, therefore they're not easy to access. Distance, region, and extreme weather conditions are some of the main contributing factors that make it reasonably undesirable, expensive, and risky to physically check up on these sites. Below are some key issues that may arise in the absence of a network alarm monitoring system:

• Power Outage:

  The FCC requires proper antenna lighting be maintained through tower light regulations. A power outage occurring at a remote site can compromise this situation by causing your lights to go dark, therefore exposing you to liability and fines. A reactive effort to determine whether your site is still running or suffering from a power outage can result in sizable FCC fines, damaging liability, or loss of life. Adhering to these regulations can save your investments, revenue, and reputation from diminishing.

• Fuel Level Detection:

  Some microwave frequency equipment are powered by diesel and/or propane generators. The most common way to determine whether these generators need refueling are through routine checks, which includes traveling to the site. Constant deployment of this outdated method costs time and money. Implementing sensors to detect fuel levels and then notifying you would be the more reasonable approach. This way, you'll know exactly how much fuel is left and how much more is needed without having to "guesstimate" whether or not you should check on your remote site.

• Hazards:

  Some microwave frequency equipment are located in stand-alone remote sites with severe weather conditions like deserts and heavily-snowed regions, where temperatures can reach above 65 °C or below -40 °C. Other sites are located in regions where they are more susceptible to natural disasters like forest fires, flooding, or humid conditions. These conditions make it undesirable and dangerous to routinely check on these sites. They should be checked on remotely to avoid having to waste time, resources, and endangering the lives of employees.

• Copper Theft:

  A majority of technological equipment hardware contains copper and implements it to provide electricity to either power the system and/or transmit data. This also includes microwave frequency equipment. And with the value of copper nearing $3-per-pound, copper theft has become a rising crime again. An unmonitored site makes it more susceptible to copper theft. Deploying a door and motion sensor connected to a camera at the site can solve this problem. The sensors can trigger the camera to start recording whenever the door or motion sensors detect movement, thus recording the crime and alerting you to notify the police. This can prevent the crime from happening or reduce the amount of damage done to your remote sites. It's better to know where, when, how, and potentially who committed the crime, than to find out days or weeks later on your routine checks. The worst case scenario would be receiving a phone call from an angry customer regarding the status of their TV, Internet, or phone service that may drive them to switch to another provider, therefore diminishing your reputation and source of income.

• Other Network Threats:

  Although natural disasters can cause severe damage, so can those caused by humans through criminal intent or neglect. Forest fires set by arsonists or sparked by negligent people can also threaten areas containing microwave frequency equipment. You can't prevent many of these hazards, but a good monitoring system will help you react in the best way possible. You should know where and which sites are being threatened immediately without having to find out later through the media or when the damage has already been done. Restoring service to these areas in hours instead of days can, and does, literally save lives (ex. 911 service or public safety radio).

All of the issues mentioned above can be resolved by deploying a network alarm monitoring system with the appropriate RTUs (remote telemetry units) and sensors. Implementing a proactive network alarm monitoring system must become a vital component of a business, especially when it concerns the safety of lives. This way, you can save time, money, and lives theoretically. It is better to have a peace of mind knowing that your sites are constantly being monitored. Plus, these products will pay for themselves and save you time and money when they comply with the law, prevent unnecessary check ups based on "guesstimates," or prevent and reduce the amount of damage caused by copper theft. Otherwise, you're stuck wondering and regretting the decision to hold off deploying a network alarm monitoring system altogether, at the very last minute, or when the damage has already been done.

Network Alarm Monitoring Secures Your Important Microwave Frequency Equipment

Microwave frequency equipment must be monitored to ensure high-quality customer service. No matter what equipment you choose, you need visibility of all of these important devices. A network alarm monitoring system will give you assurance that your microwave frequency transmissions are sending smoothly.

These alarm systems will send you automatic notifications of transmission errors via pager or email. This will ensure that you are the first to know of any problems at any microwave frequency. You need to know that your mission-critical communications equipment is offline so that you can quickly remedy the problem, and protect your service reliability. Don't let your reputation suffer due to a preventable network outage. Deploy a network alarm monitoring system and maximize your network uptime!

Related Products:

NetGuardian 832A G5

Related Topics:

Microwave Radio

Microwave RF