Redline, a 'Proudly South African Company' established in 1999, specialises in the field of free space optics (FSO), a technology that it claims is most cost efficient for the transfer of data and telecommunications over the so-called last mile.
FSO uses lasers to transmit data, voice and video between two points within line of sight through free space. The data rate is claimed to be on par with that of optical fibre but unlike copper or fibre that usually requires trenching, an FSO system can be set up in a matter of hours at much lower costs. As it is not an RF wireless solution there are no licensing issues and FSO does not interfere with other transmission equipment - particularly important in high density environments. FSO is also ideal to connect a LAN between various buildings in a complex with operating distances of up to 4 km at transmission speeds of up to 1,5 Gbps, depending on the system chosen. In effect, FSO delivers the simplicity of a wireless solution but with data rates comparable to optical fibre.
The product line offered by Redline was designed and manufactured in South Africa and the local content of its products exceeds 90%. These systems are extremely robust and reliable and have been proven under demanding field conditions. Installation of the FSO system is carried out by fully trained and certified partners and the company boasts a diverse installed base covering some 30 countries worldwide with more than 100 Redline-certified partners. Redline is certified to ISO 9000 and its solutions are based on 30 years experience in the disciplines of military electronic laser engineering design and in the development of other communications and electro-optic products. Depending on the application of the end user, Redline offers a standard ATM series with a range of 1500 m and 100Base-T Fast Ethernet and 10Base-T Ethernet models which can be selected to operate from 300 to 4000 m. All of the transceivers are fibre-based and the user has the choice ranging from 850 nm multimode through to 1310 nm singlemode fibre to provide communication between the transceivers and the equipment shelter or control room. Redline also offers a full range of accessories including power supplies covering a wide range of voltage inputs. The MTBF of the systems at component level is claimed to exceed the normal anticipated deployment life of the product. The operating status in regard to a number of critical parameters can also be monitored remotely.
Advantages of FSO systems are security, as there is no stray radiation and the transceivers must be aligned. In a multibuilding complex it is possible to hop from one to another in various configurations ranging from closed loop to open-ended chain. While the laser radiation will be transmitted through windows there may be a decrease in operating range. Performance may be reduced by rain and fog but Redline provides guidelines so that the user can determine the deployment distance that will deliver the required network performance for areas where such inclement weather is persistent. FSO systems are transparent in terms of the signal format and will work with any protocol including SONET, SDH, ATM, IP, Ethernet etc. Finally, of course, the FSO system is fully recoverable and moveable, unlike wired or optical fibre links, while its flexibility is an invaluable tool to extend existing LANs and WANs rapidly and cost-effectively.
The global vision of Redline is borne out by the fact that some 95% of its sales are outside of South Africa with its products operating in more than 35 countries, including Belgium, the UK, Brazil and India. A recent success for the company is that its system is fitted on the Mobi com mobile office developed for use by peacekeeping and defence forces in Africa as well as police services and local mining and construction companies. The first Mobi com was deployed in the DRC during 2004 and the SANDF ordered another four. The system's high tech communications suite allows full remote control from the SANDF Headquarters in Pretoria. Redline, whose developments were achieved through private funding from the current shareholders, is indubitably the leading FSO player in Africa and one of the leaders in the technology internationally.
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