Mesh Vs Cellular Part 3 – Performance
Cut the Cords….to your fire alarm monitoring.
We began this series a few weeks ago to compare alternative solutions for upgrading your alarm monitoring systems from traditional phone lines to wireless technologies. Most people are familiar with cellular as a wireless alternative and may assume that this is the logical next step when upgrading your alarm monitoring system.
There is another alternative—mesh technology which fewer people know much about. Over the past several weeks we have been comparing the two technologies focusing on different features to consider when upgrading your alarm system. You can reference past articles here:
Part 1—Reliability
Part 2—Reliability (Continued)
In this month’s article, we compare on the topic of Performance.
Performance of Cellular Systems
The Cellular device “dials” in to establish a connection so that it can transmit data on the network. When it comes to speed, Cellular dial times average 45 seconds to establish the connection to the network, which is relatively slow for emergency communications. Once the connection is established, the data is prioritized and packaged on the network. In addition, since they use public networks in which public safety communications must share the available bandwidth with other types of traffic (voice, data, video, etc.) cellular often suffers from network congestion problems during times of heavy usage (e.g. during a natural disaster). This could adversely impact response times when fast replies are needed most.
Performance of Mesh Systems
In contrast, wireless mesh networks are always on, so there is no dialing required to establish a connection. Network traversal times are on the order of 1 to 3 seconds. Each device is actively communicating with other devices on the network, eliminating the need to connect before sending a signal. In addition, wireless mesh networks are dedicated solely for the purpose of transmitting alarm data. There is no competition for signal strength from competing data sources like those impacting cellular platforms.
Keep in mind that a fire can double in size every 30 seconds if left unattended. When seconds count, choose MeshWrx solutions for maximum performance.
