An American electric cooperative operates around 50 substations with networks powered by EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized) modems. Their provider has announced that they will soon be phasing out their EVDO network. This necessitated the electric cooperative to migrate to a new WAN connection.
Challenge
Due to their network provider shutting down their EVDO network, the electric cooperative is pushed to switch to LTE, the next connection of their choice. However, purchasing new modems for their substations came with a list of requirements.
Firstly, the electric cooperative wanted the device to have a port available for wired Ethernet connections. This is in addition to their need for 3G/4G LTE capabilities. They also requested for the device to support external antennas and to be powered via 24 volts DC.
Additionally, since it will be deployed to substations, they needed the modems to come in rugged housing and operate despite low or high temperatures. And with around 50 devices to be installed, they expressed interest in a cloud management system.
Solution
The electric cooperative turned to one of Peplink’s American partners for the perfect device, the MAX BR1 Mini. This router offers a combination of up to three connectivity options: LTE, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, and comes packaged with GPS, Wi-Fi, and LTE antennas.
Furthermore, the deployment of the MAX BR1 Mini to substations covers any hardware concern as it comes in a small and sturdy form factor with operating temperatures of -40° – 149°F. Our partner also introduced Peplink’s cloud-based endpoint management system, InControl 2.
Result
Thanks to our partner’s suggestion and deployment, the electric cooperative is able to smoothly migrate to LTE without worrying about connectivity issues. In addition, each MAX BR1 Mini in substations are remotely managed and monitored through InControl 2. Its user-friendly interface also allows the electric cooperative to easily extract the data they need.
Deployment
- Deployed to substations and monitored through InControl 2
- Combines up to three connectivity options: Cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet
- Rugged exterior able to operate in extreme temperatures