WYDOT Forgoes Fiber and Takes Giant Leap Forward With
Actelis Networks’ ITS Solution Over Copper for Wyoming’s State Capital
FREMONT, Calif., July 20, 2011 - Actelis Networks®, the leading global supplier of Ethernet over copper solutions that is accelerating everything for municipalities and government agencies, today announced that WYDOT (Wyoming Department of Transportation) has deployed the company’s Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) networking solution as part of a wide-scale revitalization of the state capital’s transportation network, which serves nearly 60,000 Cheyenne residents. Actelis’ML690 aggregation switches, ML622 and ML680 EADs were deployed across the city’s copper network to provide real-time troubleshooting and monitoring capabilities.
Actelis worked in tandem with WYDOT and the City of Cheyenne on upgrading the transportation network from a legacy system to a new centralized Ethernet-based ITS network that provides greater reliability as well as lowering the ongoing complexity of maintaining the network. In addition to upgrading the city-wide transportation network, WYDOT is using Actelis’ ITS solution to backhaul data from wireless vehicle detection systems. Pucks located on the ground transmit vehicle presence data wirelessly back to a receiver and then this data is transported by Actelis’ ITS solution back to the Traffic Operations Center (TOC), where it is used to synchronize traffic lights and ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
Leveraging the existing copper infrastructure, WYDOT’s traffic engineers can reliably communicate with any traffic controller, at any intersection, from any location. The previous system was slow, connected by 1,200 baud modems, radio systems and multiple protocols, and could communicate with only one traffic controller at a time. With Actelis’ high-speed, Ethernet-based ITS solution, personnel can instantaneously retrieve data about any intersection centrally from the TOC or remotely at any of the city’s traffic controllers by simply plugging a laptop into the Actelis equipment.
“We took a giant step forward with Actelis’ ITS solution,” said Jerry Downs, State Electrical Engineer for Operations at WYDOT. “The number one goal was the ability to easily communicate with all of our traffic controllers, which enables us to improve the efficiency of how we move and monitor traffic throughout the city. We achieved this goal only with Actelis.
“We looked at fiber as an alternative solution, but with the results we observed with Actelis, a fiber-optic network could not be justified. With Actelis’ ITS solution, I am getting the speeds and reliability I need, so why would I want to spend that kind of money on fiber? It just didn’t make sense.”
Built into Actelis’ products are diagnostics and troubleshooting capabilities that quickly find degenerating copper pairs. During WYDOT’s deployment, Actelis’ aggregation systems and EADs performed multiple evaluations, such as signal strength, attenuation and Equivalent Working Length (EWL).
“Actelis provided WYDOT with the industry’s most trusted and reliable ITS over copper solution that not only overcomes any rate, reach and reliability challenges, but also provides the necessary tools that make the continued management of the solution easier,” said Joe Manuele, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Customer Service at Actelis.