GRIDSMART Case Study:
Fiber vs. CAT5e
Athens, Georgia

Prior to the installation of SMARTMOUNT2025, Athens used traditional CAT5e cable for infrastructure communication. Prince Avenue and Hawthorne Avenue, an odd shaped five-approach intersection, experienced EMI from high voltage power lines located five feet from their detection camera. South Lumpkin Street and South Milledge Avenue, a busy T-intersection with three lanes in all directions, also struggled with EMI. Two LED streetlight luminaires and high-voltage power lines near the GRIDSMART Bell Camera resulted in EMI. The intersection also required a repeater to manage the 400 feet of cable.

GRIDSMART deployed SMARTMOUNT2025, the industry’s first fiber optic solution. As opposed to the traditional copper wire in CAT5e cable, fiber optic cables are made of glass, creating a stronger, faster signal that is impenetrable by EMI. SMARTMOUNT2025 allows for a greater range than traditional Power over Ethernet (PoE) methods, offering more than 2,000 feet of cable without the need for a repeater.

SMARTMOUNT2025 significantly improved camera connectivity at the Prince and Hawthorne intersection, eliminating EMI for flawless communication performance. SMARTMOUNT2025 also eliminated the need for repeaters at the South Lumpkin and South Milledge intersection.