Millions of New Yorkers Now Benefiting From Actelis Networks' Ethernet-based Intelligent Transportation System
ORLANDO, October 17, 2011 - Actelis Networks® (Booth 1760), the leading global supplier of Ethernet over copper solutions that is accelerating everything for municipalities and government agencies, today announced at the 18th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) that the Nassau County Department of Public Works (NCDPW) has deployed the company’s highly sophisticated Ethernet-based ITS solution. Benefiting more than 1.3 million Nassau County residents as well as millions of other New Yorkers and visitors who traverse the county’s 500 lane miles, the agency’s newly deployed ITS solution has enabled NCDPW to more economically and efficiently manage its new IP-based traffic controllers and video surveillance cameras over both fiber and copper networks.
Now approaching four decades since first turned up, Nassau County’s legacy analog computer system could no longer meet the performance required from the network. Today, communications from the county’s Traffic Management Center (TMC) to each traffic controller and video camera run over hybrid fiber for long haul and then out to each hub, which is connected via copper pairs to Actelis’ Ethernet Access Devices (EADs). The agency made the move to deploy Actelis’ environmentally hardened ML680 and ML624 (EADs) because the access gear could serve the dual purpose of leveraging both fiber and copper-based networks running through Nassau County. Additionally, NCDPW selected Actelis’ environmentally hardened ITS solution to combat lightning strikes and other storm-related events common to the area which continually brought down the legacy analog equipment deployed in the early 1970s, according to Jeff Lindgren, traffic engineer at NCDPW.
“We looked at multiple vendors,” commented Lindgren, “and what set Actelis apart were its products’ resiliency, efficiency and, most importantly, communication protocols. Other solutions use a simple DSL protocol, which limited the bandwidth and reliability. Actelis’ copper-bonding capabilities leverage multiple copper pairs to deliver more bandwidth. We also realized that if one copper pair went down, the additional copper pairs provided the reliability required to ensure service continuity. By selecting Actelis, we successfully met the stringent goals required to upgrade and future-proof our transportation network.”
New IP-based traffic controllers are not the only new equipment added to Nassau County’s revitalized transportation network. New video surveillance cameras, Variable Message Signs (VMS), and other road weather solutions have also been included. All of these elements require connectivity to the network.
“It’s all about Ethernet technology,” added Lindgren. “Implementation of an Ethernet-based ITS solution allows us to plug existing controllers or new video surveillance cameras right into systems. With Actelis’ MetaASSIST™ network management solution, we can easily troubleshoot, provision and manage all of the Actelis equipment while in the field or centrally from the TMC.”
“All across America, we are seeing the revitalization of highways, roadways and communications infrastructures,” said Joe Manuele, executive vice president of worldwide sales and customer support at Actelis. “From New York to California, Actelis is playing a key role in helping municipalities like Nassau County successfully leverage their existing assets to deliver all the bandwidth, coverage area and reliability necessary for a next-generation IP-based transportation network.”