Quintron delivers VoIP system to White Sands Missile Range

Quintron's new VoIP main console

Quintron Systems, Inc., a supplier of advanced interoperable voice, physical access control and intrusion detection systems, announced on Jan. 20 that it has completed the initial delivery of a major DICES VoIP system to the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR).

This DICES system will be the first major IP-based user system introduced onto the WSMR Test Support Network (TSN) and will replace several disparate, aging voice systems. This upgrade will put WSMR at the leading edge for U.S. ranges in the DoD-directed migration to net-centric architectures. The selection of DICES VoIP signifies its unique applicability to support this transition for mission-critical voice applications.

An incremental delivery process was planned at the time of the initial contract award, with several major engineering enhancements also incorporated to support the overall WSMR requirements. Key in this regard are two new user stations that will provide direct drop-in replacements for existing stations to simplify the implementation process.

Major software enhancements include distributed central servers with database replication to support independent North and South Range operations at WSMR, while keeping a hot back-up server available for either. A planned DICES VoIP feature, the IP Trunk, was activated for the WSMR project as well. This feature provides for direct sharing of audio circuits between the distributed central servers to facilitate common operations with least bandwidth utilization.

The ability to partition the system database to control user access is another key feature that supports WSMR multiple simultaneous mission operations.

“This contract represents a very significant enhancement of our DICES VoIP product line, incorporating new features directly applicable to usage at range operations across the entire country,” said David Wilhite, Quintron’s president. “The cooperative working environment with the ATAMIR and WSMR Range teams has been instrumental in the quick turnaround delivery incorporating such major enhancements, and we anticipate successful full start-up of this initial increment shortly.”

The task order delivery was completed in early January, following a successful Factory Acceptance Test in November, says a news release issued by Quintron on Jan. 20. This first increment includes two main DICES VoIP central servers with IP Trunks and database replication, four T1 Gateways and 120 total DICES VoIP user stations of three different types. The servers and Gateways, along with a small set of stations, were installed and start-up operations completed by ATAMIR in December. A U.S. Army Information Assurance (IA) review is underway with planned completion in the spring to support active connection to the TSN and initiation of transition operations across the WSMR control rooms.

A second contract purchase is planned in early 2012 for more equipment to continue the implementation process.