Smart Satellite services for video surveillance
By Q-KON
Satellite Engineering Enterprise.
Reliable connection for video surveillance uplink applications is non-negotiable. The challenge is to provide a high degree of uptime in the face of main power outages and LTE network congestion, or lack of fibre access.
Network architects have long been aware of the ‘available anywhere’ benefits of satellite, but until recently, the prevailing view has been one of scepticism driven by satellite’s perceived higher costs and latency issues.
Newly developed Smart Satellite Services such as Twoobii clearly demonstrate the capacity and reliability required from alternative means of delivering connectivity.
What has changed?
A great deal has changed since the previous generation of satellite services, it is simply no longer the case that satellite services are expensive and slow. Nor do they have a latency problem. Today’s high power GEO satellite services such as the Intelsat Flex satellites that power the Twoobii service enable high-power offerings that have transformed cost-performance metrics.
As a result, data rates of 20Mbps at cost points lower than LTE are now easily achievable. In addition, the Twoobii Smart Satellite service incorporates advanced features such as layer-2 and seamless integration with customer networks. These enhance its ability to provide trusted video surveillance applications.
The Twoobbi service has been successfully deployed in multiple scenarios that demonstrate both the flexibility and effectiveness required for video connectivity.
For CCTV applications, typical deployments involve four cameras @720 (pixels) at 15fps (frames per second) and require a 2Mbps uplink with a usage of 1GB/hr.
For comparison, a single camera with a resolution of 1080p at 20fps requires an uplink speed of 2.7Mbps and is equally feasible on the Twoobii satellite link. Video image transmission can either be constant (with a 100% duty cycle) or event-driven (only active when triggered by a detected intrusion).
Outdoor events, which are streamed live online require a stable and completely reliable uplink from the remote location to the online streaming servers. For the recent Mighty Men event, the video uplink streaming operated at 720p using an uplink data rate of +-/1Mbps. Event streaming was conducted through the 3-day event via a Twoobbi mobile trailer deployment.
Twoobii enables the real-time video uplink and downlink streaming services required for online game and farming stock auctions. For the ALFA Parys auction, 10Mbps Twoobii services were provided to ensure a successful live online auction event.
The Twoobii service can be permanently implemented at the auction venue or delivered using a mobile trailer. Commercial models that support on-demand, per-event or ad hoc requirements make the Twoobii service very attractive from both a technical and cost standpoint.
While these scenarios and network configurations represent successful deployments, it should be noted that these were niche specialist solutions requiring specific factory setup, configuration and testing.
To ensure successful end-to-end operation, the video and satellite teams must collaborate closely to ensure the optimum set-up of the features and capabilities of the Twoobii Smart Satellite Service and the parameters of the video system.
If the video streaming fails, there is often a rush to blame latency, whereas the more likely cause is a failure to complete the specialist deployment process.
The latest advances offered by Smart Satellite Services such as Twoobii provide compelling reasons for network architects to consider satellite services as a solution for video connectivity requirements.
Multiple applications and success stories have demonstrated the successful integration of Smart Satellite Services in video application scenarios.
The high rates of availability and trusted characteristics of these satellite services perfectly meet the business-critical requirements of video solutions. Add to this the swift deployment advantages, available anywhere, connectivity and attractive cost points, and it is easy to build an unarguable case for video-over-satellite that can no longer be ignored by network and solutions architects.
Twoobii is a high throughput satellite connectivity service, powered by the latest Intelsat platforms and managed by a leading satellite engineering enterprise, Q-KON. Twoobii was established in 2018 and remains at the forefront of African satellite connectivity solutions.
