Comparison Table
MineTrax is complementary to most types of backbone networks deployed in underground mines and the following comparison table highlights the unique value proposition.
 | Wi-Fi mesh network | Fiber with Wi-Fi access points | Ethernet over leaky feeder coax with RFID tag readers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Years | Hours | - | - |
| Designed for: | Vehicle tracking, telemetry & dispatch Personnel tracking, texting & collision avoidance Ground stability monitoring Air quality monitoring Ventilation on demand Post-accident survivability | High-speed data (nomadic) | High-speed data (nomadic) | Voice (mobile) High-speed data (fixed) Tracking |
| No wires for power |  |  | | |
| Immune to power failures or power cable damage | | | | |
| Backward compatible: Ability to inter-network with existing leaky feeder networks, including existing amplifiers | | | | |
| Future proof: Ability to inter-network with post-accident two-way Through-The-Earth or Medium Frequency backhaul links | | | | |
| Sensors are also battery-powered repeaters, effectively increasing the number of nodes in the mesh network and therefore its resiliency | | | | |
| If an area of the mine is isolated after a cave in, communications can be re-established by dropping a network probe down a bore hole | | | | |
| No technical knowledge or skills are required to maintain or extend the network | | | | |
| Ability to cost-effectively extend the wireless network into difficult to reach working areas | | | | |
| Ability to distance the last network node from the working face where blasting occurs | | | | |
| RF frequency band and spread spectrum of mobile data modem or tag | 902-928 MHz FHSS (excellent around corners) | 2,400 - 2,485 MHz DSSS (bad around corners) | 2,400 - 2,485 MHz DSSS (bad around corners) | 150 MHz Single Frequency (limited around corners) 433 MHz Single Frequency (good around corners) |
| Typical RF link budget of mobile data modem or tag (+16dBm is the maximum allowed for no minimum distance from explosives) | TX power: +14dBm RX sensitivity: -105dBm | TX power: +17dBm RX sensitivity: -94dBm | TX power: +17dBm RX sensitivity: -94dBm | TX power: +30/10dBm RX sensitivity: -NA/92dBm |
| Typical RF range of mobile data modem or tag | < 600m (open space), < 150m (confined area) | < 150m (open space), < 60m (confined area) | < 150m (open space), < 60m (confined area) | < 100m (1 way RFID tag), < 30m (2 way VHF modem) |
| No wires for backhaul communications | | | | |
| Self-organizing and self-healing | | | | |
| Ability to add, move or completely relocate network nodes dynamically | | | | |
| Ability to inter-network with underground Ethernet and fiber networks | | | | |
| Underground hardware (ruggedized, weatherproof, 24h+ battery backup) | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Cables + connectors for power | - | $$ | $ | $$$ |
| Cables + connectors for backbone communication | - | - | $$$ | $ |
| Labor for installation and maintenance | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Downtime or unavailability | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Total cost of ownership per area: | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
