Sioux Valley Energy is deploying Full Spectrum’s FullMAX Mobile Broadband System for its private wide-area mission critical mobile data needs. The FullMAX system, based on the worldwide Mobile WiMAX standard, is used for a variety of energy related mobile workforce management applications, including real-time work order and outage management, automatic vehicle location (AVL), remote GIS database and e-mail access.
FullMAX is the only 4th generation mobile broadband system designed for operation in all VHF/UHF frequencies. A single FullMAX base station can provide coverage up to 20 miles from a tower site making it one of the only cost-effective private broadband mobile data solutions.
Sioux Valley Energy’s deployment of the FullMAX system will use licensed IVDS frequencies it has already acquired in the lower VHF band. Sioux Valley intends to expand the service to areas beyond its own service territory, including offering private smart grid mobile and fixed wireless connectivity to utilities in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota.
“The smart grid goes beyond adding intelligence to the meter at the home and along transmission and distribution lines. It also means providing our remote workers with the most advanced troubleshooting tools for rapid outage restoration,” said Joel Brick, Telecommunications Director for Sioux Valley Energy. “Our employees need to cover both our residential and business customers as well as the remote grid assets. Commercial wireless services focus almost entirely on population centers and lack the redundancy for mission critical operations.”