…the Technology

What technology is involved?

The geography of the Highlands and Islands requires an innovative approach to the provision of broadband services, using a range of technologies to ensure that all schools and authority sites have equal access to the services and benefits that broadband can bring.  The technologies used are:

Fibre

Fibre optic cables carry communication signals using pulses of light.  These cables are being increasingly used instead of copper cables as they offer more capacity and, therefore, allow for higher speed connections.  The fibre cables are run underground and are most likely to be used in towns rather than to link more remote locations where laying cables would not be cost efficient.  Fibre connections are currently planned for areas such as Alness, Brora, Elgin, Forres, Nairn, Campbeltown, Dingwall, Fort William, Helensburgh, Inverness, Oban, Lerwick and Wick.

Radio/Wireless

Radio technology is being used to connect over half of the Pathfinder North sites as it is the most cost effective way to provide broadband services to remote areas.  This technology is currently used for Wi-Fi,  Satellite and Terrestrial TV services (including digital TV), mobile phones, point to point radio links as well as conventional radio communication systems.  Radio technology will utilise existing hilltop masts across the region as well as small scale wireless installations on authority premises.  Most radio sites will be connected using 5.8Ghz wireless, the exception being sites needing higher bandwidths or in particularly remote locations where the more expensive PDH or SDH radio connections will be used.

BT Tail

For some sites, THUS plc will use existing BT infrastructure where there is no affordable alternative.  BT tail connections are minimised to allow the Highlands and Islands communications infrastructure to grow as much as possible as a consequence of this project.

Is Radio Technology Safe?

All radio equipment and installations supplied by THUS plc comply with the guidelines issued by the ICNIRP, the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection; the NRPB, the National Radiological Protection Board; and the HPA, Health Protection Agency.  Research leading to the production of the ICNIRP guidelines indicates that the equipment being installed by Pathfinder North has no adverse effects to the public at all.  Further information can be found on the following websites:

• Health Protection Agency
• International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation
• Non-Ionising Radion – The Elctro Magnetic Fields (EMF) Directive

Is there a radiation risk from Radio Technology?

Pathfinder radio equipment emits non-ionising radiation, rather thn ionisimg radiation generated by nuclear power stations and x-ray machines which can affect things at an atomic level.  Non-ionising radiation main risk is purely from heating, an effect that is deliberately harnessed in microwaves for example.  Other non-ionising radiation is from cooker rings, TV transmitters, ultraviolet light (from sunlight) and the radios in taxi cabs.  Some examples of relative power output are as follows:

Radio/Microwave Devices	Non Radio Devices
TV Transmitters: 20,000 Watts	Electric Fire: 2,000 Watts
Microwave oven: 800 Watts	Garden floodlight: 500 Watts
Taxi Radio Transmitter: 10 Watts	Sun bed: 400 Watts
Mobile Phone: 2 Watts	Domestic Light Bulb: 100 Watts
Pathfinder equipment: less than 1 watt	Torch: 1 Watt

To be exposed to the maximum radiation, of less than 1 watt, you would need to stand against the radio antenna in the direction it is pointing.  This is because 99% of the energy from a radio dish goes forward in the line of sight, away from the building it is connected to, and the exposure also reduces rapidly as you increase the distance away from the source.  At two metres away, the power is a quarter of what it is at the antenna service, at four metres, a sixteenth, 10 metres, a hundredth of the power and so forth.

Additionally, the power decreases even more rapidly as you move away from the line of sight of the antennae.  The line of sight for each installation will always be designed to avoid going directly through adjacent public areas, such as playgrounds next to a school building or through the building itself.

Where else is this radio equipment in use?

Using radio equipment to deliver broadband connection is well established worldwide.  In the UK, current examples are:

• Outer Hebrides Connected Communities project including schools and council offices
• the CLEO network in the North West of England
• Project Access in Cumbria
• Pathfinder South – Borders and Dumfries and Galloway Councils
• Major cities, such as London, Manchester, Birmingham offering free broadband services to the public

Does this involve putting up lots of new radio towers or masts?

No.  THUS plc will be siting it’s equipment on existing radio towers wherever possible.  Where there is equipment installed on Council premises, this will be located at height and will be designed to avoid going directly through adjacent public areas.

What radio equipment will be put on buildings?

Within Pathfinder North, there will be three types of antenna that will be used to connect sites using radio technology:

TYPE A: 5.8Ghz Sector Antenna

These are usually rectangular or cylindrical in appearace (approx 15cm x 50cm) and will be installed at local radio ‘nodes’ to connect to multiple customer antennas in the surrounding area.  The typical ‘beam’ spread from these antennas is 120 degrees.  There is a dozen of these installations located on customer sites across the Pathfinder network.

TYPE B: 5.8Ghz Customer Antenna

These are small, flat ‘diamond’ shaped antennas (smaller than a satellite dish), approx 30cm across their diagonal which will be used for the majority of Pathfinder radio sites.  These antennas will usually be located high up, on a wall or rooftop.  These antennas will always be pointing back towards the local ‘parent’ sector antenna (Type A above).  The typical spread from these antennas is approximately 20 degrees.

TYPE C: Dish or Parabolic Reflector Antenna

These operate in different frequencies such as 13Ghz, 26Ghz and 38Ghz.  These are round antenna, appearing like a shallow drum and are often confused with satellite dishes (usual diameter of either 30cm or 60cm).  These antennas will be used for PDH or SDH connections where the equipment is greater than can be delivered using 5.8Ghz (there are currently eight sites scheduled to be installed with these antennas).  These antennas have a typical beam width of 1 or 2 degrees.  The dish focuses the tiny amount of energy into a narrower beam to allow for longer distance, higher capacity connections, but the total power in the ‘beam’ is still no more than 1 watt. and, as such, is not sufficient to exceed safety thresholds.

Will my school or local site be connected?

There  will be 800 sites connected to the Pathfinder North network – you can click on the Map section of this website to find out if your local authority site will be connected.