[September 03, 2013]

Makati City, Financial Center of the Philippines, Deploys Firetide Mesh Network to Alleviate Traffic Congestion

Firetide Inc., the technology leader in private wireless broadband networks based on advanced mesh technology, announced the successful deployment of a state-of-the-art wireless surveillance system in Makati City, Philippines. The new traffic management center provides real-time, high-definition video monitoring of crucial major intersections in the Central Business District (CBD), enabling city administrators to quickly detect traffic troublespots and take proactive measures to alert and divert drivers.

Firetide's (News - Alert) advanced mesh network, based on its patented Automesh(TM) technology, emerged as the only technology that could deliver edge-of-network support to more than one hundred high-definition cameras, while at the same time providing reliable wireless backhaul. (Photo: Business Wire)

On a typical weekday in Makati City, more than 600,000 vehicles traverse the downtown area. Traffic congestion in Makati City has reached a critical level in recent years due to the influx of multinational and local companies. Rush-hour traffic can cripple this financial center of the Philippines - distances that pedestrians typically walk in 15 minutes to 20 minutes can sometimes require 30 to 60 minutes in a vehicle at peak rush hour.

To address the mounting traffic congestion, the Makati City CCTV Network Project (CCNP) team specified an advanced traffic surveillance and response system with the following key requirements:

• A high-bandwidth network capable of handling a cluster of five high-definition cameras, four fixed cameras, and one pan-tilt-zoom camera at numerous major intersections
• Relay stations for locations without line of sight
• Interoperation with existing fiber on certain locations, without degrading overall performance
• Rapid deployment with minimal downtime and disruption during implementation

Firetide's advanced mesh network, based on its patented Automesh™ technology, emerged as the only technology that could deliver edge-of-network support to more than one hundred igh-definition cameras, while at the same time providing reliable wireless backhaul.

"The Firetide AutoMesh technology is crucial for rapid identification of traffic problems because it can handle the incredible amount of traffic generated by 115 high-definition cameras and deliver a jitter-free video feed to the Makati City Command Center. The Firetide local team was also instrumental in supporting our engineers for this successful rollout," said Ariel Dela Cruz, president of Facilities Protection Inc., the local Firetide Premier Partner that designed and installed the system. "Since the new system was placed into service, city administrators have been able to respond to accidents immediately and take steps to mitigate congestion by providing live traffic updates to city residents and workers via the Web and social media."

Commenting on the city's advanced wireless network infrastructure, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay Jr. said: "The primary function of the new traffic monitoring system is to alleviate traffic congestion, document traffic law violations, and detect criminal acts. But the advanced wireless network that underpins this system can deliver other important benefits for the city. For example, during the recent typhoon Maring and monsoon rains, we were able to better monitor the flooded areas of the city and make decisions to evacuate residents and save lives."

Firetide provides the high-speed wireless network infrastructure for HD video

Phase 1 of the Makati City project focuses on major streets that include Ayala Avenue, Sen. Gil Puyat (formerly Buendia) Avenue, Makati Avenue and J.P. Rizal Avenue. Two zones were created to cover these four major avenues. Zone 1 (Ayala Zone) covers 10 intersections comprising a total of 47 cameras and 14 Firetide mesh nodes with 11 multi-hops. Zone 2 (Makati Zone) covers 15 intersections and comprises a total of 68 cameras and 22 Firetide mesh nodes with 19 multi-hops. Main intersections were provided with four fixed focus cameras and one pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera. These cameras will ensure continuous, full-video coverage of each intersection. The PTZ cameras can also be used for other purposes such as zooming in on critical areas that require detailed monitoring. A total of 115 HD cameras were deployed, requiring a minimum of 30 Mbps bandwidth for non-MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) links, and 150 Mbps bandwidth for MIMO links for the mesh radios.

Designed for today, upgradeable for tomorrow

The Firetide 7000 series offers a viable alternative or complement to fiber, delivering equivalent reliability and redundancy without the associated costs of installation and maintenance. For Makati City, a key benefit is that the system is inherently future-proof - a useful attribute as city administrators are planning to augment the coverage of the system to include additional areas of the city, with video surveillance of the entire city planned for the future.

"The successful implementation of the Makati City project represents another important milestone for Firetide in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific sector. Firetide continues to lead in providing mission-critical networks where delivery of real-time, high-definition video and real-time PTZ camera controls is critical but technically challenging for wireless networks. We will continue to deliver higher performance next-generation solutions in a cost-effective way to serve major cities worldwide," said Jeremy Koh, vice president of sales, Asia-Pacific for Firetide.

Firetide has applications in government, commercial and industrial settings

Wireless mesh network infrastructure supports video surveillance, mobility, wireless backhaul offload and process automation for applications such as public safety, transportation and smart grid. Unique to Firetide's solution is its patented AutoMesh^™ technology, which enables businesses, governments and industrial customers to view live, high-bandwidth video feeds reliably, securely and with low latency.

About Firetide Inc.

Firetide, headquartered in Silicon Valley, is the technology leader in private wireless broadband networks based on mesh technology. The company has more than 10,000 customers in 40 countries around the world, including Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit, the City of Chicago, the world's longest mesh network at the Thailand Royal Irrigation Department, and a citywide Intelligent Transportation System that covers 185 square miles in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit www.firetide.com or follow Firetide at @firetide.

Firetide and AutoMesh are trademarks of Firetide Inc. All other company and product names are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130903005649/en/

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