AMG releases all-new AMG750 Series industrial grade cellular router

AMG SYSTEMS, the manufacturer of specialist Ethernet transmission solutions for the security and critical infrastructure markets, has just issued its AMG750 Series industrial grade 4G/LTE router.

Providing remote cellular connectivity, the AMG750 Series 4G/LTE industrial router features advanced dual SIM fail-over and WAN load balancing. The fail-over function itself provides an emergency redundant path, meaning that if the primary WAN connection is lost, the router can automatically switch to a 4G/LTE wireless connection, thereby “guaranteeing” maximum network reliability for the host organisation.

The AMG750 Series’ automatic connectivity switching is essential wherever network uptime is critical for security and/or safety operations, such as within the remote deployment of life safety systems for oil and gas sector applications, or alternatively within the transportation sector. Here, a 4G back-up path is required in addition to a DSL connection.

The router’s load balancing feature achieves a ‘uniform’ traffic balance in order to make the best use of available bandwidth or to distribute traffic according to a set of rules defining which WAN feed should be employed for a given data or connection type. According to AMG Systems, this functionality affords “a superior quality of service” and particularly so within mission-critical systems.

Wireless connection

In addition to a USB port for device-logging functions, the AMG750 Series router features a dual band 2.4/5 GHz wireless connection specifically for local Wi-Fi access and supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

Offering installers and end users alike peace of mind in addition to “the highest level” of system reliability, the AMG750 Series features dual power supply inputs along with a wide input range from 24 V DC through to 56 V DC.

In addition, fully-integrated voltage boosting technology ensures that reliable IEEE 802.3at 30 W PoE+ can be supplied to all four Ethernet ports, even when being powered by 24 V DC sources. Extending system flexibility, the industrial router can cater for legacy equipment via its RS232/485 serial data channel and may be either wall or DIN rail mounted.

“Ideal for rapid deployment, the AMG750 Series allows connectivity in scenarios where a wired connection isn’t possible,” explained Tom Exley, technical director at AMG Systems. “The Gigabit Ethernet WAN port and cellular WAN can be combined for load balancing or fail-over applications and is particularly suited to the demands of security, transportation and energy applications. The fully-integrated four-port Gigabit PoE+ Ethernet switch offers a ‘single box’-style approach for remote transmission solutions.”

*Further information is available online at www.amgsystems.com

AMG Systems continues expansion drive with appointment of two regional sales managers

Transmission solutions specialist AMG Systems has announced the appointment of Steve Dunning and Rob Kidd as regional sales managers.

Dunning’s new role will see him supporting the North of England and Scotland. His previous security industry experience includes systems integration, manufacturing and, latterly, sales roles at Pro-Vision and EET Europe.

Focused on the adoption and configuration of IP CCTV systems, Kidd’s career has developed by dint of working for companies such as Axis Communications, Anixter and Comnet. Based in London, Kidd’s new role encompasses supporting AMG Systems customers in the South of England and Ireland.

“Working closely with installers, system integrators, end users, specifiers and consultants, my focus will be to develop sales and increase the awareness of AMG Systems as a UK manufacturer of environmentally robust Ethernet, wireless and fibre optic transmission solutions,” said Dunning.

Kidd commented: “In short, I will be looking to establish AMG Systems as the UK’s ‘Go To’ manufacturer for industrial transmission equipment, helping to make advanced network configuration simpler for everyone.”

Commenting on the two new regional sales manager appointments, Steve Clarke (AMG Systems’ managing director) explained to Security Matters: “We’re welcoming Steve and Rob to our highly experienced team. AMG Systems is building a solid platform to implement its expanding portfolio of high-performance transmission products. The appointment of the two new regional sales managers will support our drive to deliver first-class customer support across all of the regions in which we operate.”

AMG Systems issues cost-effective range of AMG210M mini SFP media converters

As part of a planned development drive to expand its range of dedicated Ethernet transmission solutions, AMG Systems (the developer of commercial Ethernet transmission solutions for the security and critical infrastructure markets) has just released the AMG210M Series of ultra-mini SFP media converters.

Designed for commercial applications (0°C-50°C), the new range of media converters includes options for 100 Mb, Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet transmission, all of which incorporate intelligent configuration features at a very competitive price point.

Built into an ultra-compact (90x60x20mm) housing, AMG210M Series units are available in four variants including a 100 Mb media converter, a multi-rate converter (100/1000 Mb), a dual port multi-rate converter (100/1000 Mb) and a 10 GB SFP+ converter.

Easy and quick to install, each mini media converter features user-selectable DIP switches to allow the configuration of intelligent features such as Link Fault Pass-Through, where the loss of either the RJ45 or SFP will cause the corresponding port to link down, enabling a fault to be detected by other connected devices.

Other configurable features include port isolation, jumbo frames, automatic laser shutdown and SFP speed selection.

Supporting network continuity

Supporting network continuity, the mini media converters’ automatic re-set function detects if a fibre connection is lost and automatically performs a power cycle to try and re-establish the link, thereby reducing system downtime and engineering call-outs.

For ease of installation, all of the AMG210M Series media converters are supplied with an in-line, wall-mountable power supply and can be deployed standalone or wall-mounted using the mounting kit that’s included. To fit the vast scope of applications, multi-mode or single-mode SFPs can either be included in the wide choice of units or ordered separately from AMG’s extensive range of SFP modules.

For additional installation flexibility, the optional AMG210C high-density chassis with dual redundant PSUs allows up to 12 AMG210M Series media converters to be rack-mounted into 1U of space making it ideal for applications where rack density is a key requirement for the end user.

“We’ve designed the new media converters to support the transmission of video and data systems in commercial environments, such as airport terminals, university campuses, large retail premises, Shopping Centres and distribution warehouses,” said Tom Exley, technical director at AMG Systems. “A cost-effective and compact commercial grade product, the new mini media converters offer installers a true fit-and-forget, maintenance-free solution.”

360 Vision Technology appoints Sara Fisher as business development director

360 Vision Technology, the UK CCTV company, has announced the appointment of Sara Fisher to the role of business development director.

Formerly sales and marketing director at AMG Systems with full responsibility for driving sales and marketing activities, Fisher’s new role will be geared to supporting end users, system integrators and security consultants in the ITS, local authority and oil and gas sectors within the UK and across international regions.

Sara Fisher

“Having worked with Mark Rees and the team for a number of years, I’m extremely excited to be taking on this new position,” enthused Fisher. “I’ve admired 360 Vision Technology’s innovative and high-performance camera and lighting technologies for some time now and cannot wait to start promoting another great British brand. Primarily, my aim will be to increase 360 Vision Technology’s global presence across a number of key market sectors.”

Rees stated: “Supporting the company’s continued growth plan, we welcome Sara as an excellent addition to the 360 Vison Technology team. Having worked with Sara in a technology partnership with her previous company, it was clear that her experience and tenacity was aligned with our own company’s ethos and aspirations. Sara’s role is set to lead us into new sectors, as well as strengthen those in which we’re already making inroads. I’m thrilled to have someone of Sara’s calibre and experience joining the team.”

AMG expands sales and technical support with appointment of Amanda Cowell

AMG Systems, the developer of wireless and hybrid communication transmission solutions, has expanded its depth of customer support by appointing Amanda Cowell as sales and technical support engineer.

Supporting AMG’s sales and technical support manager Ian Creary, Cowell’s new role will be to provide pre- and post-sales technical support. Previously a network engineer with responsibilities ranging from on-site installations to maintenance, Cowell has worked on projects in the UK as well as in Europe and the US.

“I’m really excited to be starting with AMG and I’m looking forward to taking on the challenges that are to come,” said Cowell. “My objective is to bring some fresh ideas and provide technical support for the entire AMG family.”

Creary added: “We’re delighted to welcome Amanda to the technical team at AMG Systems. Her networking qualifications, certification and experience, combined with the CCTV experience gained in her previous role, will prove invaluable in providing pre- and post-sales technical support for our internal sales team and valued customer base.”

AMG continues expansion drive with opening of new northern office

AMG – the ISO 9001:2015-approved UK manufacturer and global provider of fibre, analogue, IP/Ethernet, wireless and hybrid communication transmission solutions – has announced the opening of a new northern office.

Expediting company growth on the back of new leadership, AMG has started its growth plan, providing a presence and local support for its customers in the north. Capitalising on significant new external investment, the new Leeds office will offer technical, sales and training support as well as customer demonstration facilities.

As part of the company’s expansion drive, AMG will also offer new sales and technical career opportunities.

“Demonstrating our commitment to providing a broader depth of customer support, I’m delighted to announce the opening of the new AMG northern office,” explained managing director Steve Clarke. “This latest move forms the first stage of AMG’s exciting expansion strategy whereby we’ll be looking to recruit expertise to broaden the depth of our customer sales and technical support. Our aim is to build a solid platform with which to bring the technical and performance benefits of AMG’s products to more customers.”

Skywave lll high-performance wireless radio developed by AMG

AMG – the ISO 9001:2015-approved UK manufacturer and global provider of environmentally robust fibre, analogue, IP/Ethernet, wireless and hybrid communication transmission solutions – has issued a new 3F outdoor wireless radio transmitter.

Extremely compact and lightweight, the AMG8870F-06 Skywave 3F outdoor wireless radio has been designed to deliver the highest performance and stability available in the 5 GHz 802.11ac class.

Providing the ideal solution for capacity demanding point-to-point or point-to-multipoint network applications, the AMG8870F-06 Skywave 3F wireless radio’s feature-rich operating system is optimised for high-performance communication. Supporting up to  450 Mbps compressed video throughput (depending on the configurable channel size used), it employs a powerful hardware platform incorporating a QCA 9563 CPU (750 MHz), a QCA 9882 radio, 64 Mbs of RAM and a 16 Mb flash memory.

  “The AMG AMG8870F-06 Skywave complements the existing AMG range of technologies to provide a broad portfolio of high-performance transmission solutions suitable for any application,” explained Sara Fisher, sales and marketing director at AMG. “With the options of integrated high-gain 16 and 90 degree, dual polarisation MIMO 2×2 technology, directional antennae (with up to 6 km range) and models accepting a choice of external antennae for greater range, the new wireless range is the ideal choice to support any size of system project.”

*To find out more about the AMG8870F-06 Skywave 3F outdoor wireless radio and the company’s full range of transmission solutions call 01767 600 777, e-mail: sales@amgsystems.com or visit www.amgsytems.com

AMG Systems to discuss integrated technologies at Global MSC’s Security 2017 event

Network transmission solutions specialist AMG Systems will discuss the latest developments in environmentally robust fibre, analogue, IP/Ethernet, wireless and hybrid communication systems when the company exhibits at the Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition 2017 in Bristol.

The two-day event is hosted by consultancy Global MSC Security, with this year’s theme being that of ‘Integrating Technologies’. The conference and exhibition is designed to bring together experts from across the security industry, sharing their knowledge with delegates from local authorities, hospitals, universities and both private and blue chip companies. This year’s event looks into the ways that security is changing, integrating with other disciplines and adapting at a rapid pace to meet the demands of what end users now require from their security solutions.

Speakers and topics include:

*Daffydd Llywelyn (Dyfed Pewees Police and Crime Commissioner): Public Space Surveillance initiative

*Professor William Webster (director, Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy): Body-Worn Video Research

*Tony Porter (Surveillance Camera Commissioner): National Surveillance Camera Strategy for England and Wales

*Detective Inspector Edward Heath (Avon and Somerset Police): Cyber Crime

*Bernadette Bashford-Payne (estate Control Centre manager, Canary Wharf): ‘Inside a Large Control Room’

*Jim Burgess (associate director, Perform Green): ‘Integrating CCTV in Bristol’s Smart City’

*Mick Neville (ex-Metropolitan Police Service: SeeQuestor Review

Discussion of key security challenges

At the Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition, AMG Systems is exhibiting on Stand 25. The company’s business development director Sara Fisher said that the organisation is looking forward to meeting delegates and discussing the key security challenges that they face in their day-to-day operations.

Sara Fisher of AMG Systems

“Our specialist transmission knowledge can provide enormous benefits for integrated projects, saving on infrastructure expenditure, time for install or upgrade and reducing complexity,” said Fisher. “I’m keen to talk to any delegates who’d like to learn more about the way that legacy systems can be transitioned relatively simply to IP and Ethernet, with all the advantages that brings, and to those who’d like to discuss any other aspect of security and data network provision.”

AMG Systems manufactures intelligent, industrial grade, robust edge-of-network transmission solutions which have been used extensively in CCTV and security systems, as well as in sectors as diverse as the oil and gas, Critical National Infrastructure, defence and transport industries.

AMG Systems is the only UK-based IP and Ethernet transmission product manufacturer and solution provider. The company’s degree of in-house control mean that its products are less vulnerable to cyber security attacks than those from other companies, which rely on third party hardware and software.

The Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition 2017 takes place on Monday 13 and November 14 at the Bristol Hotel on Prince Street in Bristol. For more information and to book a delegate place visit www.globalmsc.net/seminars-2/

AMG Systems launches new website and brand identity

AMG Systems – the UK manufacturer of intelligent, industrial grade, reliable edge-of-network transmission solutions – has launched a new website and refreshed its brand identity to better reflect its position as a market leader in the provision of specialist Ethernet and IP systems and products.

The new brand identity and website updates offer a visual representation of AMG’s capabilities as the only UK-based manufacturer of Ethernet switch technologies. The changes also incorporate a new tagline, ‘Transmission with Innovation’, which encapsulates AMG’s flexible and adaptable approach: developing innovative and custom-built solutions to overcome some of the most common transmission challenges in the most difficult environments.

AMG Systems’ business development director Sara Fisher said: “We wanted to ensure that our new look reflected AMG’s unique approach and position in the specialist networking transmission sector. As a UK manufacturer of sophisticated IP and Ethernet switch solutions, we have complete control of our firmware thanks to our in-house technology design team. This means we’re far less vulnerable to cyber security issues than those manufacturers who source their firmware or products externally.”

Fisher went on to comment|: “We also have a long history of designing bespoke transmission solutions, integrating signals such as CCTV, standards-based or bespoke audio and any type of serial data on to the same Ethernet transmission network with systems to cater for almost any situation. Our new look and website are designed to convey that unique expertise and experience.”

*Access the company’s new website at: www.amgsystems.com

AMG Systems awarded major development grant as part of High Performance Technologies R&D Investment Programme

AMG Systems – a leading provider of transmission technology – is one of the first companies to be awarded a grant as part of the High Performance Technologies (HPT) R&D Investment Programme under a joint LEP initiative led by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and South East Midlands Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) to support businesses in the sector. The overall aim is to build a core Ethernet technology base within the UK.

The British manufacturer of sophisticated CCTV transmission solutions and megapixel cameras has been awarded a six-figure sum for enhanced R&D as it continues its growth path into new industry sectors.

As stated, the grant has been awarded under the LEP programme which aims to lever no less than £12 million in private sector investment and create 500 jobs and apprenticeships by March 2018.

Outside of AMG Systems, businesses that have received grant approval to date (to the combined total of £1.9 million) are GE Precision Engineering, Ecospeed Marine and Cosworth.

Dr Alan Hayes – founder and managing director of AMG Systems – commented: “I’m incredibly proud that we’ve been given this grant. AMG’s technology has always been very leading edge. We harbour unique expertise and knowledge within the company and the grant is incredibly significant for us as a business.”

Dr Alan Hayes: founder and managing director of AMG Systems

Hayes continued: “AMG has spent the past few years self-funding a sizeable R&D programme. In 2013, this resulted in us bringing to market a series of multi-service Ethernet switches affectionately known as the ‘AMG Wonderbox’. Working with a defined development strategy, we’ve made the company a Centre of Excellence in the UK for all types of transmission technologies and, in particular, Ethernet. This is very significant in view of the fact that the UK generally lacks technical expertise in the area of designing Ethernet hardware from the ground up. Most of the expertise is located in the Far East.”

According to Hayes, it’s important for the UK to have this expertise on home shores. “We often work on very sensitive security projects,” added Hayes, “where the customers understand and appreciate that the network products don’t contain untoward software which could be a threat. That’s vital.”

The LEP initiative has been made possible thanks to £4 million worth of funding from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

The HPT R&D Investment Programme supports businesses based in Northamptonshire and the adjoining South East Midlands area with grants of up to £1 million to undertake innovative large-scale R&D activity.