In a previous blog, we shared details regarding “Private LTE – What Is It and Why Do I Need It?” If you’re not yet familiar with Private LTE, we suggest taking a moment to review the information provided then prior to moving on to this second part of the dialog where we will go over developing a work plan and cost estimate ahead of the contracting process.
At Knightscope, we are all in when it comes to deploying Private LTE. Private LTE gives our Autonomous Security Robots (“ASRs”) the best possible connectivity with the lowest latency, while furnishing our clients with an incredible user experience. Deploying a Private LTE solution is also very cost-effective and usually requires only a day or two for our team to set up and install the solution. We have deployed dozens of these networks so far and have the process down to a science. In fact, we even built a Private LTE estimating tool that allows us to quickly provide you with a rough deployment cost for a site-specific solution. We only need a few minutes of your time to answer some basic questions about the area being covered when you’re considering adding ASRs to your safety program.
Our estimating tool looks at three different common scenarios where we would deploy a Private LTE network for connectivity to our ASRs. The first scenario is a parking garage deployment, where we just need to understand the approximate size of the parking floor. As long as the garage is above ground and open on three out of four of its sides, we can cover approximately 50,000 square feet with a single Private LTE access point (“AP”). If the garage is underground, we will estimate around 25,000 sq. ft. of coverage per access point.
The next scenario is for ASRs patrolling outside of a building – like on a corporate campus, at a shopping center or around a federal building. The operational area could be a parking lot or the pedestrian walkways throughout a property. For this option we just need to know how many sides to the building the ASRs are going to patrol. For example, a big box retailer that is having an ASR patrol three sides of the building would need three of our access points to allow for connectivity. So how far away from the building is Private LTE effective? Typically speaking, the type of outdoor access point we use for these projects will let you connect to the ASR from about 1,000 feet away. We do have more powerful access points that will allow you to connect to about 2 miles away with line-of-sight, but the scenarios where we would need this hardware are less common, are not included in our estimating tool and would require us to gather more information to properly estimate the cost.
The final option would be to provide coverage inside a building like a casino, warehouse or hospital. For deployments where the ASR is patrolling a large, open area like a casino or warehouse, we just need to know the square footage of the area that the ASR will patrol. In tighter, more confined spaces like a hospital, we will need to have a clear understanding of how many halls and areas the ASR will patrol.
In each of these deployment scenarios our Private LTE access points will be connected to your existing corporate network so that the data from our ASR can be streamed to our browser-based user interface, the Knightscope Security Operations Center (“KSOC”). And don’t worry, we use very little data in this process, you won’t even notice us on your network. The APs are Cloud-managed and highly secure, and we will work with your networking team to ensure that we meet all of your security needs/protocols in these scenarios. If for some reason we cannot use your existing network, or there is not one available, we can deploy our own network gear, including a Starlink satellite system, to get data to the Knightscope Cloud.
Starlink allows Knightscope to provide a completely standalone connectivity solution even if the site has insufficient public cellular connectivity. We install Starlink hardware on a rooftop and run it to a Private LTE Access Point where it is then transmitted via the LTE cellular bandwidth at communication speeds that are well above our minimum threshold requirements. Knightscope owns and maintains the hardware with a very affordable, monthly data plan fee of $250.
Allow Knightscope’s experts to provide a free consultation on the benefits of leveraging the latest in wireless technology and to learn more about how Private LTE will provide the best possible connectivity solution to accompany our ASR services.
