Analog E&M Radios Are Now over IP Networks

In the US telecommunications industry, one of the traditionally used types of line signaling is E&M. With the advancement of technology, E & M over IP is now available to make signal transmission more robust, reliable, and secure. 

What Is E&M Signaling

E&M signaling is when a direct-current signal is sent along two separate leads, namely the E lead and M lead. These letters can stand for ear and mouth, recEive and transMit, or earth and magnet. 

Any radio communications systems provider would know that E&M signaling is embedded in the traditional communication system. The E&M interface, in fact, is the most common form of analog trunking. For each connection in the communications system, it defines two different sides: the trunk circuit side and a signaling unit side. The E component is the signal wire linking the former side to the latter while the M component is the signal wire from the signaling unit side to the trunk circuit one. It's also the component responsible for generating tone when using E & M radios to perform voice-based communications. 

Originally, this was developed to facilitate signaling between PABXs (or Private Automatic Branch Exchanges) located in various geographical sites over an analog private circuit. Then it was extended to be used even on digital carrier systems. 

What Is E & M Over IP

Before digitization took over, people conduct voice communication over an elaborate network of telephone wires and transmission towers. 

With Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the sound waves of the voice are transformed into digital packets that can be sent over the Internet. Radio over IP applies the same principle in two way radio dispatch system. RoIP gateways merge analog and Internet, providing a new and powerful way to transmit radio signals. 

While many organizations are building VoIP and RoIP communication systems, it's vital to keep original communication networks. This is when E&M over IP technology comes in. 

Alongside VoIP and RoIP, this communications technology is known for its interoperability. It can be used to facilitate communication among various types of radio devices, both analog and digital. 

E&M over IP interfaces have a PCM CODEC, the component that digitizes analog voice bands. This digitization is necessary for the signals to be transported over the Internet. 

This technology has several applications, but today, it's commonly used to convert voice-grace circuit interfaces with Push-to-Talk devices, allowing radio base stations involved in public safety and emergency response to communicate better. Apart from enhanced reliability, it boasts high-resolution analog-to-digital conversion that helps maintain the original quality of the audio signal. 

When you integrate this kind of digitization into E&M signaling-driven communication devices, you can also benefit from its scalability. Depending on what your organization's current needs are, you can cost-effectively add or remove devices — minus the hassle of expensively modifying your infrastructure. 

Today, there are products available designed to integrate analog radios into Internet-powered communication systems seamlessly. The key lies in finding a provider that offers the very technology, service, and gadgets you need at competitive rates.