Engage Communication’s IP-Tube T1 over IP solution is being utilized to bring critical communications connectivity to the front lines of the oil containment and clean-up effort in Louisiana.

With thousands of people at work protecting the coastline, the mouth of the Mississippi River is experiencing a surge in communications traffic. With limited mobile phone capacity and a lack of fixed telephone infrastructure in the area, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety has deployed a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Site on Wheels (SOW). This mobile communications center provides local connectivity between responders as well as the ability to route calls to the public network via satellite connectivity.

The Engage IP-Tube enables T1 trunks from Motorola’s Astro25 trailer SOW to connect to Orbital Data’s (ODN) On-Demand IP satellite service. By seamlessly converting T1 circuits to IP packets, the IP-Tube ensures efficient and effective transport of real-time T1 traffic over any IP network. This includes satellite based services such as ODN’s trunking solution which enables the SOW’s LMR to accept thousands of radio calls per day from individuals involved in the oil spill cleanup effort.

According to President Obama’s radio broadcast over 20,000 people are at work protecting the coastlines. The federal and local governments are mobilized on every front to contain and clean up the oil spill. The Mississippi delta’s unique eco system with many wonderfully diverse life forms is dependent upon a complex, delicate environment. The lively hood of Louisiana’s shrimpers and oystermen is being severely challenged.

“I had the very good fortune to have lived in New Orleans and don’t want to imagine NOLA without Shrimp Gumbo and Oysters being shucked on Bourbon Street,” said Mark Doyle, Engage President. “Godspeed to all those involved in protecting the Gulf Coast.”

Engage and ODN also work together to protect mission critical connectivity such as that used for Public Safety networks in other states. Through the use of satellite connectivity and automatic protection switching, a primary circuit failure automatically re-routes traffic over a backup satellite connection keeping first responders in touch. One of the first Engage / ODN deployments was in 2005 with the Louisiana State Police in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

About Engage

Engage Communication www.engageinc.com, founded in 1989, has solutions that enable organizations to route, bridge, drop and insert, encrypt, and auto protect Voice/Video/Data Networks and to take advantage of the lower costs and flexibility associated with Packet transport while preserving their investment in Circuit based premises equipment.