UTE Electricity Utility - Uruguay

The Customer

Prominent Uruguay electricity utility, UTE (Administración Nacional du Usinas Trasmisiones Eléctricas) relies on a TaitNet TN5100 MPT 1327 trunked radio network for effective communications over their operational area.

The Challenge

UTE already had a TaitNet T1540 trunked radio system with three sites, which was serving them well. However, expansion of the system to cover a total of 17 sites meant that a system upgrade to Tait's premier TN5100 MPT 1327 network product was required.

The cost of linking the additional sites was going to be high so UTE asked for a more cost-effective linking solution. UTE had an extensive digital network but there was limited bandwidth to some of the more remote sites.

The Solution

The solution proposed was Voice over IP (VoIP). It allowed the trunked radio system voice and data to use the limited bandwidth available. Careful design and extensive testing at the factory ensured that the network operated as expected using VoIP.

The TaitNet sites include Cisco VoIP routers with E&M interfaces, and a 2-port Ethernet to RS232 serial server. The serial server allows communication between the TaitNet node and the Site Management Module at 9,600 bps.

Voice calls are routed from the sites, over the IP network to the central router. This router interfaces to the TN5100 switch over E1 using the T1561-30 E1/T1 card. The Central Node has two active T1541 controllers - one is confi gured as a standby and is brought into service as needed by reconfi guration of the IP network.

The Outcome

UTE now owns a TaitNet communications system which meets its requirements for cost-effective, reliable and effi cient communications. In addition, the network upgrade to TN5100 improves call set-up times and allows much easier expansion, as UTE's communications needs grow. As well as improved operational communications, the TN5100 TaitNet system provides benefits in the form of more effi cient administration of the system.