VoIP OrderWire for Communication Outside Cell Coverage

Do you need a cost-effective way to communicate from one remote site to another? Cell phones are great, but do you have cell coverage at every site? Even if you do, will you drop calls when you walk inside of a dense, noisy equipment shelter? Your techs need to be able to rely on a communication method that will work perfectly all the time.

An alternative to cell phones could, even today, be POTS. Sadly, for sites on mountain tops, the phone company may charge you a large amount of money just to wire each site for POTS. Once the site is wired, they will charge you monthly service fees that can add up quickly.

You need a voice system that can connect the sites across your network through existing LAN, without service fees or requiring new lines to be installed. VoIP or Voice over IP technology is a great way to accomplish this. Using a VoIP system, you can send voice communications through your sites existing LAN connection.

While there are many systems like this on the market, it is essential to find one that is durable and has all the features you need. Additionally, you want something that is easy for your techs to operate. Of course, it must be reliable for those sites that are hard to connect.

Look for a VoIP system that can call station-to-station, but also has hoot 'n' holler, or "all-call" functionalities. These are standard functions on many traditional (serial) order wire systems that your techs may be familiar with from earlier in their careers.

One issue with VoIP technology is the tendency for multi-point voice communications to increase the load on your network. Broadcasting traffic slows the network by increasing network strain through transfer of extra packets. This impacts everything else on your network. Do you plan to frequently host multi-site "conference calls" using VoIP? If so, look for a system that uses a dedicated hardware server for conference calls. This changes broadcast traffic to a much more efficient central-server model, reducing network load.

You should also consider purchasing a system that has the capability to make outside phone calls. This is surprisingly handy tool. If something breaks, your techs may need a way to notify outside agencies (ex. FAA if a tower light fails), even from a mountain top.

The VoIP Order Wire system from DPS Telecom is a cost-effective way for technicians to communicate between remote sites. The system consists of 3 main components:

• VoIP Order Wire.
• VoIP Order Wire with Off-Net.
• VoIP Bridge Server.

VoIP Order Wire.

The VoIP Order Wire station delivers reliable voice communication at all your LAN sites and is easy to use. Using VoIP (Voice over IP) technology over LAN, you call another order wire station, a specific group of stations, or use the "all call" option to page someone at any site when you're not sure where they are.

Plus, the VoIP Order Wire station features the monitoring capabilities you expect from a NetGuardian. In just one RU, you can have voice capabilities as well as an RTU with 16 discrete alarm inputs, 4 analog inputs, and 2 control relays. Each VoIP Order Wire unit is user friendly and installs easily; just simply plug it into your LAN hub.

VoIP Order Wire with Off-Net.

While being able to call site-to-site through LAN is extremely handy, there are going to be those instances where you need to call the central office. With the VoIP Order Wire with Off-net, you can call out to any existing number. The VoIP Order Wire with Off-Net can connect any of your VoIP Order Wire stations with any line through POTS. You'll get a dial tone and the freedom to dial any phone number you want.

VoIP Bridge Server.

Sometimes, however, you need to host a "conference call" across multiple VoIP stations. You need a simple device that will support this "conference call" functionality without needing to broadcast packets across your network.

This small device will bridge up to 5 VoIP Order Wire stations (newer firmware can support up to 10 stations) into a single conference call. Voice data from individual stations is sent only to other stations connected to the bridge, rather than being broadcast across the network. VoIP users simply follow the voice prompt at their station to dial into the VoIP Bridge Server and join any other connected users on a conference call. Whenever a user enters or leaves the call, an automated announcement will sound to alert other connected members.

Don't trust your communication between sites to unreliable cell phones or expensive landlines. Call DPS Telecom today (1-800-693-0351) to learn more about the VoIP Order Wire system. When you call in, please let us know the following things:

1. How many sites require VoIP Order Wire stations?
2. Do you need Off-Net?
3. How many of your sites also need RTUs for other monitoring purposes?