Wireless communication has changed dramatically since the late 1800s when the first wireless communication began via the photophone and radio transmissions. Significant progress has been made over the past decade in improving the breadth and quality of cellular coverage, yet challenges still remain with using such communication in rural areas to support Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) devices.
Phase 1 of this effort outlined an initiative to identify, demonstrate, and evaluate one or more emerging communication technologies that could be used by transportation agencies to communicate with ITS devices in rural areas. Per direction from the ENTERPRISE Board, the project was separated into two phases in order to properly assess issues and potential solutions before coordinating a deployment and evaluation.
Phase 2 completed two distinct efforts:
- Evaluated commercially available products for transferring full motion video over cellular utilizing a temporary test deployment coordinated by the Iowa DOT and North Dakota DOT, to evaluate these products in real-world settings. An Evaluation Report was developed and documents the evaluation conducted.
- Explored potential solutions for checking the operability status of ITS devices from a remote location, by conducting research, survey, and/or interviews to document DOT practices and to investigate products used in the utilities industry. A technical memorandum was developed and distributed to the ENTERPRISE member agencies summarizing the research conducted.