A complete analysis on how much data AngelTrack typically uses on crew devices, as well as the factors which affect it
If you are provisioning the mobile devices for the company, you need to know how large a data plan is required. This document provides the answer with hard data.
Likewise, if you access AngelTrack from your personal mobile device, you are surely wondering how much additional data usage AngelTrack will impose on your cellular plan.
The Highest Data Usage: an MICU Call
As far as data usage is concerned, the worst case scenario is an MICU call: heavy PCR use, with many records created and updated.
For this analysis, we examine the webserver log from an actual MICU call run on a production AngelTrack server, to exactly measure the quantity of data used by the attending crew member. In this log we see the Attending perform all of the following:
- Run Call progress button punches
- PCR Patient checked and updated
- PCR Billing checked and updated
- PCR PMHx checked and updated
- PCR Vitals for two full sets
- PCR Assessment for one complete assessment
- PCR IV one record
- PCR Meds one record
- PCR ECG one record with strip image upload
- PCR Injury completed
- PCR Followup completed
- PCR Signatures two standard signatures collected
- PCR Narrative composed from scratch
The raw webserver log, anonymized, can be downloaded here: Webserver log for MICU call. The log is in .CSV format and so can be viewed using Microsoft Excel™ or Google Sheets™.
The data usage is 2,703,719 bytes (2.7MB) uploaded, and 7,004,128 bytes (7.0MB) downloaded, for a grand total of 9,707,847 bytes (9.7MB).
Remember, this was the data usage for the attending on a heavy MICU transport. A typical non-emergent BLS transport will consume less than half that amount. Data usage will be further reduced -- sometimes greatly reduced -- if the crews make use of wifi hotspots at their stops.
The non-attending crew member
The non-attending crew member will be driving and performing the progress-button punches and odometer readings. This consumes no more than a megabyte of data -- a trivial amount.
Data Usage on a Personal Device
If you access AngelTrack from your personal mobile device, you may be wondering how much of your data plan it consumes.
Using the analysis above, we can easily calculate a good estimate of your data usage. Given the following:
- 5 BLS+ calls per shift
- Acting as the Attending half the time
- Four shifts per week
- Eighteen shifts per month
...your typical AngelTrack data usage is calculated as 0.3GB per month. That is assuming you do not make use of any wifi hotspots. If you can hold off on your report completion until you get back to a hotspot, your data usage will be reduced.
However, AngelTrack is not the only task your mobile device performs in the line of duty. You will also be using it to do all of these:
- Navigating with the streetmap feature
- Accessing the company medical protocol
- Reading the Emergency Response Guidebook [ERG]
- Sending faxes with a fax-over-IP app
- Placing and receiving calls using a voice-over-IP app
- Googling random medical questions
- Recreational use for the purpose of de-stressing (essential!)
Not counting the recreational usage, your additional data consumption can easily reach a gigabyte. The streetmap feature in particular is a voracious consumer of data, because it must constantly load mapping and traffic data. Therefore you should anticipate a total work-related data usage of:
0.3GB AngelTrack + 0.5GB streetmaps + 0.2GB utilities = about 1.0GB per month
Remember, that is not counting any recreational usage, which EMTs and Medics often need after a stressful call.
Data Usage on a Company Device
Company devices receive much heavier usage than personal devices, because they will be used up to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. So let us calculate the worst-case scenario.
Assume the mobile device is used continuously for two 8-hour day shifts and then one 8-hour night shift that is less busy. That will be an average of twelve transports each calendar day. Furthermore we will assume the device is always acting as the Attending. Using our data usage analysis above, the device's AngelTrack data usage will be about 2.0GB per month.
Real-world data usage may be significantly higher, as crews inevitably use the device for the other legitimate purposes listed in the preceding section. Therefore our grand total data usage is:
2.0GB AngelTrack + 1.5GB streetmaps + 0.5GB utilities = about 4.0GB per month
Once again, that is not counting any recreational usage, which EMTs and Medics may need after a stressful call.
Wheelchair Drivers
Wheelchair drivers create very little PCR data: just progress button punches, odometer readings, and signatures. Consequently, the data usage for interacting with AngelTrack is less than 1.0MB per transport, compared to 5-10MB for stretcher transports.
However, wheelchair drivers run about twice as many calls per shift as do ambulance crews. Therefore our usage equation becomes:
- 10 wheelchair calls per shift
- Always acting as the Attending
- Four shifts per week
- Eighteen shifts per month
...for a total AngelTrack data usage of about 0.1GB per month. Once again, this assumes no use of any helpful wifi hotspots.
Wheelchair drivers use their streetmap feature, of course. Therefore, a typical wheelchair driver's monthly data usage in the line of duty is:
0.1GB AngelTrack + 0.5GB streetmaps = about 0.7GB per month
...not counting recreational usage while waiting at doctors' offices and dialysis centers.
Data Usage by the Offline PCR
The offline PCR is ultra-lean; it does not send or receive significant quantities of mobile data, even when used all day long.