Time is vital for stroke patients, in order to minimize long-term medical consequential damages. It is therefore of greatest importance for stroke patients that all therapeutic medical procedures start as early as possible. Preferably in the ambulance while it is already on its way to the hospital. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research sponsored a development project of the so-called ASTER – Acute Stroke Telematics Platform for Ambulances for which Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg in cooperation with Johanniter Unfallhilfe jointly developed an ambulance. All important devices may now be controlled via a single web-based user interface. This enables the transmission of diagnostic information including live video images directly to the medical experts. Emergency patients may be pre-registered at the desired hospital and in addition, an exchange between the location of the hospital and the situation on the streets is enabled via a fleet control system.

Important news is broadcast from big cities; the actual event, however, often takes place in far remote areas. To report from there on an event using digital broadcasting technology can be managed only via expensive satellite technology due to lack of network coverage and bandwidth of individual providers. For that, so-called SNG (Satellite News Gathering) vehicles have to be provided which transmit video and audio signals to the respective broadcast stations via satellite links. With their mobile subcompact hotspot, tividoo, a company from Langenlonsheim, Germany, provides an efficient and economical alternative.

In the broadcasting industry, ISDN connections have been used for years for setting up reliable audio connections. Many broadcasters are hesitating to move replace their well-known and stable solution, mainly out of fear of quality problems when relying on poor broadband connections, as well as whether the connection happens to drop. Low bandwidth and packet loss as associated with mobile connections will have a strongly negative effect on the quality of the audio transmission, and reduce the joy of listening to the radio. To prevent that, Qmusic, one of the leading Dutch commercial radio stations with about 2.5 million people weekly tuning in, deploys a Viprinet WAN bonding solution for all their offsite broadcasting. They use Viprinet technology to bond several 4G mobile phone networks to get a solid audio connection to their studio in Amsterdam. Here’s why and how: