WiMAX isn’t dead – it’s just for business

gallery

The trial saw the council use WiMAX instead of 3G for backhaul. The WiMAX cameras offered the same frames per minute as the fixed cameras, several times more than the 3G mobile ones, but at a third of the operating cost.

“The benefit the council sees is they can substitute their fixed cameras with WiMAX for a larger pool of portable cameras,” Aldridge said. “It’s potentially quite exciting.”

The council also used WiMAX networks to trial video for building inspectors, currently a “cumbersome paper-based process,” according to Aldridge.

At present, Maidstone inspects 1,800 buildings a year, sending two employees – a senior inspector and a junior one. By sending just one worker with a camera relaying data back to the office, the council can cut staff and travel time.

A similar trial was also run by the community safety department, which tested WiMAX’s suitability for accessing data on the go – so staff don’t have to leave and return with files – and taking footage as evidence.

Email to a friend

Print this page