We have a little competition going on between our customers, even if they don’t know it: who can present us with the challenge of the most remote operation for continuously monitoring air quality?
We are used to dealing with people for whom visiting their site is a full day’s driving or even means chartering a plane. So, we get it: air quality monitoring equipment set up on these remote sites needs to work out there – and stay working.
Having had longer to review, test and reject communication technology than other available air quality monitoring systems, we long ago settled on the cellular phone network as the most effective way to achieve reliable data transfer globally in the widest possible range of environments. Whilst we do have one other trick up our sleeve (we’ll come onto that) mobile networks continue to change around us, and we’ve taken advantage of that and invested in this approach over others.
2G is the little star of machine-to-machine communications – we started with that and in many parts of the world it’s very much available, underpinning numerous M2M systems. We’ve already digested withdrawal of 3G provision in most locations, and AQMesh is future-proofed with 5G+, LTE and NB-IoT capability. However, it’s not as simple as that, with band availability varying hugely in different regions. Our global SIM will roam to available networks and bands, but sometimes there’s only one band available in a particular area and it requires a specific local SIM. As well as having the tools to identify this situation, we support users through installation of a local SIM and securing connections.
Even if the network is weak and connection is intermittent, AQMesh is designed to store sensor output on the hardware until a connection is achieved. What this means is that even with an unreliable network signal, the pod will connect when it can and catch-up readings if there is a period where it can’t make a connection. Whilst it’s great to have regular updates and set up near real-time exceedance alerts – which is the norm – it’s reassuring to know that no data will be lost even in areas of marginal network access.
So, having installed an AQMesh pod (very quick process) and ensured connectivity (simply connect power in 99% of cases), how do you keep it running for years? We have developed a range of remote diagnostics tools, allowing us to proactively detect faults and data quality queries, update firmware over the wire and even power cycle if necessary. This is an important tool for the remote support for life we provide as standard with every pod we sell or rent.
A combination of our global SIM and supporting local SIMs has so far achieved communications with our air quality monitors used in mining, oil and gas, construction and various other industries – even on ships – but we are often asked whether we can handle the situation where there really is no cellular network at all. As a result, we offer a PoE to satellite modem option, if you really do need to send air quality data from the furthest corners of the planet. Just get in touch if you think you can present us with our remotest communications challenge yet 😉