IDEN SCADA is a viable SCADA solution for 2 reasons:
- Wide variety of supported functions on the same network
- Wide area coverage
FUNCTIONS SUPPORTED BY IDEN NETWORK
The following functions are available on the IDEN network:
- Dial-up Voice Service
- PTT Radio
- SMS email
- Net Alerts
- Wireless Web
- Packet and Circuit Switched Data
IDEN SCADA takes advantage of these features by exploiting the IP services such as SMS email, Packet Data or Wireless web. If Packet Data is used, this enables IP hosts to access their remote equipment via TCP/IP. In a typical application using IDEN SCADA, a SCADA host would be polling remote sites through the IDEN network via TCP/IP using the Packet Data service.
If remote RTU or PLC equipment generates alarms, they can take advantage of SMS email service which can reach email-enabled cell phones, normal PC’s or any other IP-enabled SCADA equipment on the public or private Internet. Remote IP-enabled SCADA equipment may also possess a web server which would enable browsing the web server on the remote equipment to check status.
For the mobile field operator, IDEN SCADA enables convenient access to the remote field equipment. The mobile field operator possessing a fully enabled Cell phone would not only be able to use the Voice and PTT radio services for normal voice communications, but also be automatically notified by email if an alarm occurs. If the remote equipment has a web server, the wireless web feature would enable browsing the web server on the remote equipment to check status.
WIDE COVERAGE
IDEN is available from cellular providers such as Nextel Communications, Nextel Partners Inc., Southern LINC (U.S.A) or Telus Mobility (Canada) with extensive coverage across the U.S. and Canada. If remote assets are within coverage, this avoids the necessity of expensive radio towers. IDEN SCADA leverages the existing and ever-expanding coverage of the Cellular Provider….the Cellular Provider takes care of the infrastructure costs…you don’t.
IP-ENABLED SCADA TECHNOLOGY
Bentek Systems UNICON IP is an example of a technology designed for IDEN SCADA or IDEN Cellular Telemetry. It is designed to leverage the many features of the IDEN network to enable flexible wide area SCADA or Cellular Telemetry over the IDEN network.