“The use of PMN, whether from an office, in a vehicle, or as a Rapid Deployment Unit, will usually require some form of backhaul of network traffic to a network operations centre or head office infrastructure,” explained Chris Moore, Sales Director for Private Mobile Networks Ltd. “As far as PMN is concerned, as long as IP is supported, then the type of backhaul becomes almost irrelevant. Being able to connect over Mobile, through the mobile interfaces at our UK data centres extends the options available to our customers,” adds Moore.
Network or bandwidth considerations will, typically, determine the services and functionality that will be delivered over backhaul, but the actual delivery of signalling will be exactly the same as over a standard wired Ethernet network.
The PMN Ethernet connectivity allows it to be connected through external communication devices such as satellite, microwave or wireless in remote locations, or a fixed IP Backhaul such as IP Broadband or a VPN where available. PMN delivers Private GSM. To extend the Private GSM network into a multi-site network or give it connectivity to the outside world requires an interconnect that provides a secure service.
Satellite is a global method of backhauling IP traffic and is the preferred method for many PMN deployments due to its flexibility, ease of setup and relative cost. Terminals can range from large scale fixed installations to notebook sized BGAN terminals with varying levels of frequencies and bandwidth available. The military, for instance, have dedicated frequency bands and satellites to route their secure traffic.
Private Mobile eXchange (PMX) is a mobile network switching subsystem, implemented in software, with all the components for switching mobile calls, switching short message service calls, storing and transmitting SMS and providing Packet Data (GPRS and EDGE) in software, complete with translation and routing tables to act as a replacement PBX and/or MSC. PMX is a GSM product – 2G and 2.5G (with packet data optional). The GSM voice calls and SMS are compatible with both 3G and 2G phones and terminals.
PMN solutions are deployed in the UK under the TeleWare low power GSM spectrum licence. Overseas, local low or high power spectrum licences are required.