StarHub deploys mesh network at NUS

Singapore

STARHUB and the National University of Singapore (NUS), in collaboration with ComfortDelGro Bus and Veniam, a company that has developed a WiFi-enabled box that can be set up in moving vehicles, on Thursday announced the deployment of Singapore's first mesh network of connected vehicles at NUS' Kent Ridge campus.

Unlike conventional wireless network infrastructure, the mesh platform leverages vehicles as mobile WiFi access points (the Veniam boxes) that connect to one another and to fixed access points in buildings throughout the NUS campus.

This helps to extend overall WiFi network coverage and enables a myriad of Internet of Things (IoT) devices to be connected to the network.

The wireless mesh access points are powered by a combination of Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) connected vehicle technology, 4G and WiFi and provides handovers and continuous connectivity.

With this deployment, NUS staff and students can access seamless WiFi while travelling on all NUS campus shuttle buses.

It also allows commercial partners to leverage the anonymised data generated from this network to analyse and address urban challenges facing Singapore logistics and transportation companies today.

The year-long project at NUS is part of StarHub's Connected Labs initiative, which aims to build an extensive test-lab for developers and researchers to validate their solutions in a real-life environment, through the use of actionable data and analytical insights.

This pilot collaboration is also part of the NUS Living Lab initiative, led by the Interactive and Digital Media Institute (IDMI) at NUS, to transform the university into a major test-bed or large living laboratory for new technologies so that startups, firms or multinational companies can use NUS as a real-world setting to test new services before they are commercialised.

Stephen Lee, head of StarHub i3 (Innovation, Investment, Incubation), told The Business Times that one of the objectives of the trial is to see whether it is commercially feasible to build a nationwide mesh network of connected vehicles. "The findings of this pilot will help form our future plans for the network," he said.

He added: "Technically, it is possible to create WiFi hotspots around the Singapore island, like at bus stops, buildings and moving vehicles such as buses and taxis. One of our objectives is to see whether it is commercially feasible to build a nationwide mesh network of connected vehicles. The findings of this pilot will help form our future plans for the network."

Giving the NUS perspective, Professor Lawrence Wong, Deputy Director of Interactive and Digital Media Institute at NUS, said the trial will allow NUS to conduct research into areas such as wireless mesh vehicular enhancements, commuting and mobility trends, and other technologies that will drive Singapore into becoming a Smart Nation. "It will also allow NUS to use the data for the management of its campus operations and services."

Prof Wong added that since the deployment of the network in June this year, 39 ComfortDelGro buses have been connected along with 15 fixed access points around the NUS campus. He said that there have been more than 78,000 unique WiFi users logging on to the network. This has resulted in more than two million Internet sessions that resulted in 580 gigabytes of Internet traffic and more than 175,800 hours of Internet surfing.

Mr Lee added that the trial will allow StarHub to explore how it can use the data generated from the network to help companies in the logistics and transport sector improve their operations. The data can also be used to analyse commuter behaviour and hopefully allow them to surface any urban concerns and challenges that the relevant authorities could address. According to StarHub, the city of Porto in Portugal is one of the first in the world to have a city-wide mesh network since September 2014. More than 600 vehicles, including the entire bus fleet, taxis and municipal services vehicles like dumpsters are connected to the network.

Since the services started, there have been more than 480,000 unique WiFi users who have contributed to more than 5.2 million internet sessions which have resulted in 2.5 terabytes of Internet traffic per month. The free WiFi service has also become a powerful incentive to get city residents to travel by public transport.