Wireless is being proposed as the easiest and lowest cost way to install additional infrastructure between a field device and the control system when the home run cable is ‘full.’ Unfortunately, this is not true since as the title implies another alternative exists and that alternative can be used in any area classification. The solution is Fieldbus.

The cover story in “The Economist” (392: #8650) focuses on how new communications technologies are beneficially transforming developing countries. One interesting statistic in the is that the study claims for every 10 mobile phones introduced per 100 people boosts growth in GDP per person by 0.8 percentage points.

The following figure came courtesy of Larry O’Brien at Automation Research Corporation and demonstrates how an investment in automation and control systems during the capital phase of a project can have a disproportionate impact (at least 5 times greater) on the profitability of a facility during its operating life.