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| Alvarion's wireless broadband network has reduced crime and vandalism in the city by 60% |
A city east of Tel Aviv with a population of approximately 38,000 spread across 30 square kilometres, it has seen rapid expansion since 1990 from a small town to a modern and developed city.
The challenge
To increase security in the city.
The solution
Equipment from Alvarion's BreezeNET product lines used to build a network to connect IP-based video surveillance cameras.
The result
Rosh-Haayin has a successful wireless broadband network, which has reduced crime and vandalism in the city by about 60%, as well as a network which connects 27 cameras and 120 sensors, as well as 12 schools and three patrol cars.
The partner
Talcom - one of Israel's leading wireless system integrators. Talcom's professional services include: planning, project management, implementation and maintenance of wireless communication solutions. Talcom's expertise includes solutions for both public and private sectors, and it boasts numerous successful deployments both in Israel and worldwide.
Like many cities across the world, Rosh-Haayin has problems with theft and vandalism. The city is located close to open and hilly terrain that makes the area
The surveillance activity is pre-programmed and automated leading to minimalist system training required |
more vulnerable to both external as well as internal threats. For many years, Rosh-Haayin has suffered from chronic break into schools, kindergartens and shops. In an effort to improve security in the city, local officials examined ways it could protect its citizens and buildings against serious and petty crime and decided to implement a comprehensive security solution heavily reliant upon video surveillance cameras.
An RFP was issued for an integrated solution that included communication infrastructure, surveillance software as well as security personnel. Several groups were formed to bid on the RFP, combining security, surveillance and technology expertise. The initial proposal had not demanded the use of a wireless solution, however, city officials, who were anxious to get the video surveillance up as soon as possible, quickly realised that a wireless network would be both cheaper and faster to deploy than a wired alternative. As a result, the wireless broadband solution from Alvarion, led by its systems integration partner Talcom, was chosen with two other companies providing the software, hardware, cameras, monitors and PCs required.
Comprehensive security solution
Right after winning the bid, Talcom and its partners quickly began deploying the solution, completing the project in only six months. One challenge for Alvarion and Talcom was to overcome the Wi-Fi radio-signals that were already congesting certain areas of the city centre. Using 20 BreezeNET DS.11 and BreezeNET B links operating in the 2.4 GHz spectrum, the network was deployed as a ring-like circle of links, instead of a traditional point to multipoint structure. Talcom and Alvarion's team designed the solution to support constant video at best quality. All cameras have full video motion detection, with 36x optical zoom and support night vision. The cameras can pan, tilt and zoom and are contained in cases which have been treated to withstand the city's hot and humid environment. All cameras are connected to one of the network's wireless links.
All video and data is streamed at rates between 0.5 and 4 Mbps back to Rosh-Haayin's security centre, where they are displayed on monitors and stored for backup. As most of the surveillance activity is pre-programmed and automated, training on using the system is minimal. The security centre is operated by the council contact centre personnel. To save computer resource costs and ease in operating the call centre, all call centre services are incorporated in the new surveillance software, so hot-line calls and security events can be operated under the same platform, with no need to switch between different applications. An additional layer of security is offered by implementing special features such as license plate recognition (LPR) into the security system.
All CCTV cameras have full video motion detection, with 36x optical zoom and support night vision |
In Rosh-Haayin, all vehicles coming in and out of the city are recorded by the surveillance cameras with licence plates automatically checked to try and identify stolen or wanted vehicles. Another example of the use of LPR is to identify vehicles suspiciously parked nearby kindergartens, for long periods of time. In addition, the security of municipal buildings including schools and water pump houses has been improved. Hundreds of motion and touch sensors have been installed on fences and doors. These sensors are connected to the wireless links which send alarms back to the headquarters when a sensor is triggered, and automatically enlarge the surveillance viewing screen.
The network also delivers broadband connectivity to security vehicles. This broadband connection provides the video stream to the officers inside the vehicles enabling them to receive up-to-date reports on developing situations. The position of every vehicle can be constantly tracked and monitored by the security centre, supporting real-time decision making, and offline route trace investigations. In addition, the wireless network enables full control of a specific event to be transferred to a security vehicle.
Looking ahead
Since the system went live in 2005, the network experienced no downtime, and according to Mayor Moshe Sinai, there has been an almost 60% reduction in anti-social behaviour in the city, some of which has been achieved because potential vandals and petty criminals now know that they are being watched by the surveillance cameras. As both city officials and residents have expressed their satisfaction with the success of the surveillance system implementation, the city plans to extend the network in the future, primarily for schools. The system's success, resulting from both Alvarion's reliable and durable equipment and Talcom's experience in deploying wireless solutions, was recognised by the city. A story broadcasted on national TV channel excited and interested many other cities looking to replicate Rosh-Haayin's success.
