Broadbeam Corporation, is enabling real-time ambulance dispatch for London Ambulance Service. Serving an area of approximately 620 square miles, London Ambulance relies on Seamless Network Switching, a key component of Broadbeam’s ExpressQ Wireless Platform, to switch simultaneously between multiple wireless wide area (WWAN) and wireless local area (WLAN) network connections. When a London Ambulance vehicle leaves the 802.11b WLAN environment, its connection can seamlessly switch to the GPRS (general packet radio service) and GSM (global system for mobile communication) networks as they become available. User defined rules have been set to designate which order the networks should be tried until a connection is established. By switching from the WWAN to the WLAN and with the capability to switch from GPRS (packet data) to GSM (circuit switched) networks based on availability, London Ambulance is able to minimize costs while maximizing coverage.Deputy Director of Technology, London Ambulance. “With radio communications, it could take a minute or more to give full details to the crew, which can be accomplished in three to four seconds now.” In the event of an emergency, ambulances are notified by the sound of a bell in the cab while detailed instructions appear simultaneously on their in-vehicle touch screen device. Following the initial notification, vehicles receive detailed driving directions via an in-vehicle navigation unit, which is attached to the touch screen PC (personal computer). Meanwhile, the control room is also receiving GPS (global positioning system) navigation data back from the vehicle every 15 seconds. A map is also displayed on the PC, which enables the crew to see where the vehicle is in relation to the location of their destination. Each London Ambulance vehicle is equipped with two GPRS devices to ensure optimum network coverage. Overall, four networks can be used plus the 802.11b WLAN. For London Ambulance when a vehicle is out of coverage, data is automatically routed over another network for seamless communication at all times.
