A Low Cost BACKUP System
Is mobile data (EVDO) already a part of your remote news gathering operation? Here is a discussion of how you can use that resource as a low cost backup system for your IFB system.
IFB for EVDO requires only three components:
- A PC with at least two USB-2 ports
- An EVDO USB “stick” with activated service (caution: both the service and the stick must be REV. A)
- A Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) USB module
Just connect everything together and call into your news room cell home interface. If it works, you have just created a very low cost backup system.
Why should EVDO only be used as a backup system?
- The viability of IFB over EVDO is highly dependent on how heavily loaded the EVDO network is. Operation in the suburbs may be acceptable, but use in an urban business area in mid or late afternoon will likely include a disastrous combination of long latency, drop outs and choppy audio.
- In addition to long latency (up to seconds), expect a loaded EVDO system to have large ssecond to second variations in latency. This highly distracting artifact is engineered out of cell phone service - latency typically only changes when cell sites hand off. EVDO, designed for data, has no such protection.
- IFB via EVDO only remains a bargain if 5 GB (approx. 10 hours of IFB) of data per month is not exceeded. Depending on your carrier, the cost can skyrocket to as much as $1.50 per minute thereafter.
- The rates and terms of service of EVDO are not regulated, and are subject to changes at the discretion of the carrier.
- Like cell phones, EVDO depends on an external infrastructure NOT under the control of your station. EVDO relies on the same cell towers and hardware that cell phones do, and depends on limited emergency power, including the same interconnect into either the internet or the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
- Use of EVDEO when airborn (helicopter use) will undoubtedly face the same fate as use of a cell phone when in the air - nearly immediate shutdown. This is not a matter of FCC or FAA rules, but self preservation on the part of the cellular carriers. The cellular control software swiftly recognizes when too many cell sites are lit up and immediately sends the offending transmitter a signal to shutdown.
At this time EVDO is not subject to Priority Access Service (PAS) preemption by emeregency workers, which makes it a valuable backup to cell phone usage.
If mobile data is already a part of your remote news gathering operation, then why not create this low cost BACKUP system?