Kamis, 22 Desember 2011
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Supports NAWBO and Local Business
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| From left: EMR Associate Courtney Hochstetler, VP Jenny Adkins, Gov. Mitch Daniels, President Sandra Black, and Office Manager Kim Milfort |
This event has grown from about 30 attendees at its inception five years ago, to more than 900 attendees, including an exhibit and networking hall before the event itself.
Among the attendees was Governor Mitch Daniels, champion of the state's Buy Indiana program, which promotes in-state business ventures. He took some time out of his busy schedule to not only attend the event, but also to stop and meet local business owners. EMR is one of the Buy Indiana success stories, working to secure contracts in Indiana, the Midwest, and the Public Safety community at large.
Governor Daniels responds to gratitude for the program by stating that local business owners affected by the policy earn the contracts themselves, and the program is simply a way to open the door and provide opportunity. "I didn't do anything," he insisted, "you've earned it."
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) holds events, provides invaluable support and encouragement, and allows opportunity for connections among business owners in the community.
Rabu, 21 Desember 2011
Senate Passes Tax Compromise, Crunchtime for D-block
According to Urgent Communications, it is still possible for the House to shoot the bill down and pursue further negotiation for a full year tax bill, in which case D-block might be re-introduced into the bill again. Although some Public Safety officials were troubled by the governance and giveback language of the previous bill passed by the House, it was the closest the first responder community has come to achieving reallocation of the 10 MHz of D-block spectrum.
Hope and enthusiasm are slowly being replaced by frustration and a new sense of urgency surrounding D-block reallocation. Since this year's tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the push to fulfill this recommendation of the 9/11 Commission has been gaining momentum.
There is still a chance the House will reject the compromise and try to push for a full year agreement that could include D-block language, but many believe this is a long shot.
Selasa, 13 Desember 2011
Public Safety Mobilizes in Support of D-Block
The Public Safety Alliance (PSA) issued the same call to action, urging Public Safety advocates and personnel to reach out to their friends, family, and colleagues as well.
A payroll-tax bill, H.R. 3630 was introduced last Friday on the House floor including language that would reallocate the 700 MHz D-Block. The bill also included $5-$6.5 billion in funding for the deployment of the first nationwide dedicated Public Safety LTE network.
This same bill unfortunately also calls for Public Safety to give back its 700 MHz narrowbnand spectrum to the FCC within coming years, and has a questionable governance model according to many Public Safety spokespeople. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) wrote a letter to House Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee leadership in support of the governance model in S. 911, sponsored by Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas). The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee last week with a 17-6 vote.
According to a Dec. 8th PSA press release, this legislation marks the completion of one of the last unmet recommendations of the 9/11 Commission from more than 10 years ago. It is possible that D-block legislation could become a standalone bill in the House, but most expect the language to be inserted into an appropriations or payroll tax bill.
Although the outcome is uncertain, now is the time for the Public Safety community to make a push on their legislators to support them by fulfilling this recommendation, ten years in the making.
Rabu, 07 Desember 2011
House Communications Subcommittee Approves D-Block Bill
Public Safety Alliance spokesman Chris Moore released a statement praising Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and the committee for their work to inspire bi-partisan support for the bill and striking a balance "between the needs of commercial wireless, public safety, broadcast and other interests, and in very difficult economic times."
In December of 2009, when the public safety community met in New York City to strategize efforts to pass this comprehensive legislation, many had doubts of its possibility. Despite the challenges of achieving this lofty goal, lawmakers, Public Safety advocates, the FCC, and the Obama administration have been moving towards it, slow and steady.
Since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Public Safety community has been struggling to improve interoperability and secure better operational capabilities for first responders. Access to a contiguous 20 MHz of spectrum is a leap forward for these efforts to come to fruition. Negotiations will continue among committee members, staff, and stakeholders as the JOBS bill is marked-up in the full committee this week.
Moore is chief of police for the San Jose, CA Police Department. He went on to comment, "On behalf of more than 2 million first responders nationwide, the Public Safety Alliance greatly appreciates and applauds their tireless efforts, countless hours of study, analysis, negotiation and results."
Senin, 28 November 2011
Educate Yourself: A Look at Upcoming Webinars
1. TIA's Enabling Compliance: The FCC's new disability access rules will be held for members this Tuesday, November 29, 2011. On October 7, 2011 at 3:00 pm, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released two sets of final rules that will further implement the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (21st CVAA).
2. IWCE will be hosting a virtual tradeshow in partnership with Urgent Communications, complete with four free webinars on December 6, 2011:
Will Broadband Voice Replace Narrowband Voice? 11:15 am-12:15 pm (EST)
Comparing Digital Technologies: P25, TETRA, DMR, LTE, NXDN 1:30 pm-2:30 pm
IP in an LMR World 2:45 pm-3:45 pm
Implementing Broadband Communications 4:00 pm-5:00 pm
Register for this free event online with IWCE.
3. Register at Urgent Communications for Delivering Coordinated Emergency and Incident Response to Achieve Smarter City Operations (free) will be held at 2:00 pm on December 7th, 2011.
4. The Federal Communications Commission is in the process of updating its Part 90 rules for Private Land Mobile Radio Services, which will impact many Public Safety and utilities communications systems. The Utilities Telecom Council is hosting an educational webinar on December 7, 2011 to help communications officials become familiar with the new rules in the pipeline. The cost of this event is $145 for members, $295 for non-members. For more information, visit http://www.utc.org/utc/webinar-get-know-regarding-fcc-s-part-90-updates.
Kamis, 10 November 2011
APCO Women's Leadership Conference Announced
April 18-19, 2012, women from across the country will gather to learn about and discuss leadership topics, including office communication, work-life balance, and career development.
For more info, visit http://wipsc.apcointl.org/.
Selasa, 01 November 2011
Motorola to Release LTE Gear in November
The full commercial launch will make available the vendor giant's first version of fully integrated Public Safety LTE. They expect the first version to be fully commercially released by November 11th of this year, with everything fully integrated. Motorola is the first vendor to announce the release of commercial LTE on Band 14.
"We're proud to be there first," said Rick Keith, director of product management, according to Urgent Communications.
Partnerships with Ericsson and Verizon have been vital to Motorola's end-to-end solution. The company established a roaming arrangement with Verizon, and will use Ericsson LTE base-station equipment.
60% of Officers Use Consumer Broadband
This information was provided by Pam Montanari, radio and data-systems manager for Pinellas County, during the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference in Chicago. Those who doubt the need of the proposed 700 MHz LTE network for Public Safety often criticize the plan by questioning whether officers will actually use wireless broadband technology regularly.
Of the 60%, 84% say they use these devices daily, 20% say they use these devices in critical situations. Regulations often prohibit the use of personal devices while on duty, but it seems the operations benefit outweighs the risk of reprimand for most first responders.
"Some of the most compelling uses of broadband cited by officers were 3D views of floor plans, GIS information, and a host of web applications that can accelerate the identification process and provide valuable evidence, according to the survey," writes Donny Jackson.
A trial is running this week in Pinellas County of these applications on Alcatel-Lucent's hosted LTE core. Montanari notes that the trial does not indicate that the county has chosen its LTE vendor yet, but clearly it is one more agency that is gearing up for utilizing next generation technologies.
Read more at Urgent Communications.
Senin, 31 Oktober 2011
From the FCC
Adopted: 10/28/2011 by ORDER. (DA No. 11-1808). PSHSB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1808A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1808A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1808A1.txt
REDUCTIONS TO RURAL HEALTH CARE AND SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACT. FCC approves cost reductions for USAC operational support services contract. Action by: Deputy Managing Director by LETTER. (DA No. 11-1801). OMD http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1801A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1801A1.txt
2. Released: 10/26/2011. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON REQUESTS FOR WAIVER OF THE JANUARY 1, 2013 VHF-UHF NARROWBANDING DEADLINE FILED BY ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI, ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MISSOURI, JEFFERSON COUNTY 9-1-1 DISPATCH BOARD AND. (DA No. 11-1784). (Dkt No 99-87 ) THE EAST-WEST GATEWAY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
Comments Due: 11/10/2011. Reply Comments Due: 11/17/2011. PSHSB .
Contact: Roberto Mussenden at (202) 418-1428, email:
Roberto.Mussenden@fcc.gov, TTY: (202) 418-7233 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1784A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1784A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1784A1.txt
3. Released: 10/20/2011. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES REGION 14 (INDIANA) PUBLIC SAFETY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMITTEES TO HOLD 700 MHZ AND 800 MHZ NPSPAC MEETINGS. (DA No. 11-1746). (Dkt No. 90-178 ). PSHSB
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1746A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1746A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1746A1.txt
4. Released: 10/12/2011. PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU ANNOUNCES COMMENT AND REPLY COMMENT DATES FOR THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING IN THE NEXT GENERATION 911 PROCEEDING. (DA No. 11-1703). (Dkt No 11-153 10-255 ). Comments Due: 12/12/2011. Reply Comments Due: 01/10/2012. PSHSB . Contact: Patrick Donovan at (202) 418-2413 http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1703A1.doc
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1703A1.pdf
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1703A1.txt
Jumat, 14 Oktober 2011
FCC Names First ERIC Director
The center was established to provide technical guidelines for the proposed 700 MHz broadband network for first responders. Pavlak, a 30 year telecommunications veteran, is head of Network CFI, an engineering management contractor for public safety broadeband projects in the D.C. area. His position officially starts November 7th.
Read more at MissionCritical Communications.
FEMA to Test EAS Nationwide
The two agencies, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been implementing a plan to improve the EAS, including testing the readiness and effectiveness of the system on a regular basis to identify necessary improvements.
The test does not have pass or fail criteria, and it will not specifically test Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) compliant equipment.
The forum website, A National Dialogue on the Emergency Alert System, provides valid information and a venue for discussion and sharing among first responders and public safety professionals regarding the national EAS.
FCC Enforces Signal Jamming Prohibition
There are 20 known onloine retailers who market products that give users the ability to violate federal law and FCC rules by "jamming" the signals of wireless communications. Each one was warned in the document by the FCC, which hopes to send a strong message that such violations will not be tolerated. Jamming devices pose risk to public safety and may have very dangerous consequences for consumers and first responders, according to Michele Ellison, chief of the enforcement bureau at the FCC.
Penalties for violating the order include fines of $16,000 to $112,500 for each device or each day a device is marketed, according to a press release. Additional penalties may include equipment seizure or imprisonment.
Retailers do not technically fall under the jurisdiction of the FCC, therefore the federal government requires the Commission to first issue a warning before assessing any penalties. Other efforts to prevent jamming have occured in the past, but this recent citation is the boldest attempt to enforce the rules. Consumers and retailers were given advisory back in February that enforcement efforts were increasing, and that retailers who sell the equipment would be held responsible as well as the consumers who operate the jammers.
Read more at Urgent Communications.
Kamis, 06 Oktober 2011
LightSquared Threatens Legal Action
In a briefing on Monday, Carlisle also told reporters that any interference caused by the LightSquared network is due to the GPS devices picking up frequencies outside of their designated band. Even when operating on the lower 10 MHz of spectrum furthest away from GPS frequencies, the 40,000 sites that would make up their nationwide network would render most high-precision devices useless without some type of filter.
Last month, LightSquared announced that it will market Javad GNSS filters for positioning applications by November 2011, followed by filters for precision timing devices by March 2012. There's no doubt that the company will profit considerably from this new technology, and many are asking whether or not this profit will come from taxpayers' pockets or if LightSquared will be footing most the bill to prevent interference from their network, similar to Sprint Nextel's rebanding debacle.
Economics of the Wholesale Network
According to Total Tele, LightSquared needs $3.5 billion to remain cash positive over the next two years, an amouint which CEO is confident they will be able to raise. LightSquared claims to have $150 million earmarked for fixing the interference issue, but some wonder if that will be sufficient. The company's network will allow wireless carriers to purchase signal wholesale for $6/G (giving them at least a 50% revenue margin on their charges to customers). The company's recently signed deal with Sprint Nextel saves them $13 billion on buildout from the ground up.
With LightSquared's filter solution Public Safety and Homeland Security communications departments would be compromised in the name of private interest, either just logistically or as some fear, logistically and financially.
The question FCC officials must ask themselves is simple: will the benefit of a nationwide broadband network (allowing companies like AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon to increase their profit margin) outweigh the cost of retrofitting each high-precision Public Safety GPS receiver? And once they have the answer, will they stand up for what they determine to be in the public's best interest?
APCO Appoints Derek Poarch to Executive Director
Poarch has more than 30 years of Public Safety experience, and served as a leader in law enforcement and in telecommunications regulations.
Rabu, 05 Oktober 2011
AGL Conference: Well worth the day.

We were truly impressed with the succinctness and organization of the one-day conference, as well as the content quality of each presentation. The sessions set this conference apart in that they are not just a review of wireless industry basics or common current knowledge. Truly innovative and insightful ideas were shared. AGL did a phenomenal job putting it together, and we're sure they will have even greater success with next year's conferences.
For those of you who missed out this year, here is a recap of the day's panel discussions:
Opportunities for the Wireless Infrastructure Community
A roundtable discussion on the wireless infrastructure community's needs and how mobilization of an association can improve the industry as a whole. Speakers included presidents from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin Wireless Associations.
Opportunities for Future Site Growth
A panel discussion covering increasing demand for high-speed data and technologies like Super Wi-Fi on TV whitespace, picocells, and distributed antenna system (DAS) networks and how they affect tower owners and operators.
Collaborative Approaches in the 4G World of Siting
Panelists shared creative ways to address public concern about towers, and gain local support for infrastructure by using political campaign-style strategies, clear cut data, and quality of life due to wireless coverage.
Wireless Ordinances: Friend or Foe?
Municipalities adopting wireless ordinances can have a broad impact on macrocell and DAS siting. Getting to know these ordinances and working in conjunction with them instead of against them can benefit tower owners and operators.
The Art of Negotiation: Leasing Tower Space in the 4G World
Next-generation technologies and innovative business practices are affecting tower leasing rates. This discussion examined the current market and trends of the future.
The Changing Face of Tower Regulation
FCC rule changes regarding environmental assessment, tower climbing safety, tower lighting and marking, the Shot Clock, right of way rules, pole attachment, and Congress's collocation by right of legislation. This discussion also covered FCC draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment of the ASR Program.
View details and slideshows from the presentations here, courtesy of AGL.
From the FCC
Kamis, 29 September 2011
Pay No Attention to the Billionaire(s) Behind the Curtain!
The solution? A high-precision GPS device which is said to be invulnerable to the interference created by their nationwide LTE network, designed and sold by the company itself. The military personnel and first responders should be thrilled to spend tax dollars purchasing this new, albeit beneficial, solution - directly from the creators of the problem.
This is just the most recent proposal from LightSquared, a finale to the attempted side-stepping, then spectrum shifts, then the claim of a 10-cent filter that can be installed to eliminate interference.
Phillip Falcone, the billionaire backer of LightSquared, claims that 10-cent filter installed into each affected device would resolve the interference issue, but despite GPS advocates' requests to obtain the device for testing, it has never appeared. Certainly General William Shelton, head of Air Force Space Command, would like to see this simple solution at work. He gave a testimony before the House Armed Services Committee last week, outlining the results of the interference testing.
Shelton claims that he was pressured to give a testimony more favorable to LightSquared, but instead of bowing to the pressure, he expounded the details of adverse effects LightSquared's proposed network has on GPS devices, and it's not pretty.
LightSquared blames the GPS industry for the problem, claiming the manufacturers should have heeded the 2008 Department of Defense recommendation on filtering technology for new GPS devices. Developing filtering standards may be a good idea with or without LightSquared's network in the picture, however at this time there are no filtering standards in place to abide by, only recommendations. Whether or not abiding by these standards will solve the interference problem remains to be seen.
Falcone is now attracting the attention of House Republicans concerned about impropriety of White House interactions for LightSquared to obtain Federal loans. The mogul's $30,400 donation (as well as his wife's and his C.E.O. at LightSquared's matching donations) to the Democratic campaign organizations certainly appear to be unethical, or atleast bad timing, as they were made on the same day as a meeting with White House staffers in 2009.
LightSquared is also catching the attention of Republican Senators wondering how this most recently proposed solution will be funded. In his open letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) expresses his concerns regarding how the FCC is handling LightSquared: "My concern regarding LightSquared’s application to create a terrestrial 4G network is that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears not to have taken sufficient steps to safeguard the American taxpayer and appears to have let LightSquared off the hook regarding the multi-billion cost to retrofit GPS receivers to block out LightSquared’s terrestrial network."
Sen. Grassley also goes on to question who will be footing the bill for the retrofitting GPS receivers, the answer to which impacts tax payers, the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as other military and Public Safety/Homeland Security agencies.
It should be noted that the House Representative, Ralph Hall (R-Tex.) calling these donations into question receives donations to his own campaign of tens of thousands of dollars from AT&T.
Politics don't belong in public safety, but unfortunately issues such as this one could have a significant effect on operations of our military and first responders. Personally, we don't care who wins the fight as long as it's in the best interest of the public. LightSquared expects to have 25 of their new devices available within the next two weeks, and the investigation into the company's dealings with the White House is well under way.
Read the most recent report on the interference study, straight from the source.
From the FCC
Daily Digest Highlights
1. AMENDMENT OF PART 90 OF THE COMMISSION'S RULES TO PERMIT TERRESTRIAL
Rabu, 28 September 2011
Motorola Solutions Investigated for Bribery Accusations
According to Forbes.com sources say the investigating agencies are searching for evidence that of violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, meant to prevent American companies from offering bribes to officials of foreign governments.
The company opened up its own investigation in 2009 of possible bribery mispractices, sparked by a suspicious transaction in Turkey. U.S. officials began their investigation shortly after, now focusing on the business dealings in Europe.
Motorola Solutions has not been subpoenaed and is voluntarily providing information. Part of the investigation is focused on an bribery allegations involving an Austrian lobbyist and count, in relation to BAE Systems. Authorities are looking into whether the lobbyist was involved with paying a bribe to win a contract on behalf of Motorola in 2004.
The penalty for violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is a hefty fine, and with recent questions about Motorola dominating the Public Safety communications industry, the company's reputation will be further damaged by another question of its ethics.
Senin, 26 September 2011
Multimedia Access for 9-1-1 Call Centers
Senin, 19 September 2011
New Obama Job Bill Includes D-Block
According a report released by the Telecommunications Industry Association, the nationwide LTE network buildout would create more than 100,000 new jobs. With House Republicans focused on balancing the budget, reducing deficit, and creating jobs, it is important that this bill is beneficial to the economy as well as Public Safety.
The Obama administration voiced support for D-block reallocation and funding previously, although S.911 (the D-block Senate bill). Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) has been an outspoken advocate for auctioning the D-block to commercial operators will reportedly introduce his legislative proposal within weeks. Although Walden's proposal would prevent D-block allocation to Public Safety, many believe the introduction of such a debate will inspire a more productive debate.
Read more at Urgent Communications.
More Wholesale Agreements for LightSquared
According to Frank Boulben, LightSquared's chief marketing officer, the company is currently the only carrier offering 4G LTE on a wholesale basis, making them attractive to customers across the country hoping to compete with AT&T and Verizon 4G.
LightSquared is reportedly in contract negotiations with 22 other entities and initial talks with 30 others. The company's nationwide broadband network is scheduled to launch during the second half of 2012. Where 4G is not available during deployment, customers will be able to use Sprint's 3G network, enabling nationwide coverage even if deployment is not yet complete.
LightSquared has signed agreements with wireless carriers that lack a 4G migration path but are still hoping to compete with Verizon and AT&T and with some wireline communication providers. Internet service providers and some retailers such as Best Buy have expressed interest. The previously offered satellite push-to-talk services for Public Safety will continue from LightSquared, and the company plans to enhance this capability with push-to-talk offered via applications over LTE. The goal is to offer all of these capabilities on a single device powered by Qualcomm chipsets and possibly other vendors. The cost of ownership for first responders carrying two handsets would be decrased with one unified device offering regular cell service, data, and satellite service.
Andrew Seybold on Public Safety Broadband: Real-World Testing Results
Originally posted 9/18/11 on andrewseybold.com.
This past spring we were contracted by San Francisco Bay Area UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) to conduct real-world testing of the first Public Safety broadband network in the Bay Area. This network, known as the Cornerstone project, is the precursor to the East Bay Regional LTE network currently being deployed.
Kamis, 08 September 2011
Andrew Seybold: Mission-Crticial Voice and LTE: Be Careful!
This was posted on andrewseybold.com on August 26, 2011:
Do not ignore continued investment in existing mission-critical analog and P25 voice systems because you believe voice over LTE broadband that is mission-critical is just around the corner. Many elected officials in federal, state, and local agencies seem to believe this so continued investment in existing channelized voice systems is not needed. While a lot of progress is being made in the world of broadband voice, it will be sometime in the future (undefined) before all of the pieces and parts of mission-critical voice as defined by NPSTC (soon be to published) are included in LTE. Even then there may be limitations that will hinder the Public Safety community or require some changes to how voice systems are used today.
My view is that our channelized voice systems will be around and needed for at least the next 5-10 years, therefore, continued investment in these systems not only makes sense, it should be a requirement. Progress is being made as you will see below, but even with the definition of mission-critical voice in place I know of no work being done to determine the specific requirements regarding the number of dispatch, coordination, or simplex, talk-around, or peer-to-peer voice channels or circuits that will be required. It is possible that there will be mission-critical voice capabilities on LTE and other broadband networks but that these broadband technologies may not be able to provide the number of voice channels that are used today for major incidents such as wildland fires, etc. It is also possible that broadband voice will not be able to support the number of dispatch areas or zones in use today in major metropolitan areas. It is also possible that the combination of voice and data services will give Public Safety the ability to make changes in the operations to streamline the dispatch and tactical aspects of incidents as well as to operate as it does now.
Where We Are Today; Where We Are Going
As the 700-MHz waiver recipients begin building out their portion of the nationwide 700-MHz broadband network, and as the various committees of the various Public Safety organizations meet and discuss issues, one that keeps coming up is the use of the broadband network for mission-critical voice. I have been saying for a long time now that mission-critical voice (as defined by a recent NPSTC document) is still a long way from becoming real over the LTE broadband network.
However, some progress has been made in recent months. One of the most important elements of Public Safety-grade mission-critical voice has to do with off-network or tactical communications, sometimes referred to by the IT world as peer-to-peer communications. Simply stated, this means the ability for two or more field devices (mobile or handheld) to communicate with each other without having to use a cell site or radio tower system. Many who have discussed this include it as a must-have for times when field units are out of coverage of a network. However, in most cases this type of off-network communications is also a requirement of field units even when they are within network coverage.
Call it what you will—tactical, simplex, talk-around, peer-to-peer—it is the ability for units in the field to be able to communicate directly with each other without any infrastructure required. Today’s Public Safety voice devices all include this feature as standard, but cell phones do not support this mode of operation. I have been skeptical that commercial network operators or others within the LTE broadband community would get behind this mode of communications, but recently, simplex mode communications was introduced at the 3GPP standards body and has been endorsed by some commercial network operators including AT&T, as well as by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In other words, now at least the beginnings of this function are being incorporated into the 3GPP standard for LTE and other broadband wireless technologies. BUT, and this is a big but, it may take years for this to work its way through the 3GPP and be voted on by the membership.
Several federal agencies have funded development work on mission-critical voice over LTE and broadband in general, and several of the bills to reallocate the 700-MHz D Block to Public Safety include additional funding for this type of research and development. However, to date there is no real specification that outlines the number of voice circuits that are or will be needed going forward. If we look back at past major incidents and add up the number of voice circuits that were used at a given incident, is this really the number of voice circuits that will be needed when combined with broadband data services?
For example, if we look at one of the major wildland fires in Southern California over the past few years it is possible to determine how many incident and non-incident voice channels were in use during the incident, but does that translate to how many voice circuits will be needed when we add broadband capabilities into the mix?
The Incident Command System (ICS) clearly defines the roll-out of both the ICS management system as well as the Communications Structure. During a major incident today, the communications leader or someone appointed by him usually completes an ICS form 205, which is the Incident Radio Communications plan that lists the incident name and then radio channel utilization. In most cases, this form is filled out by hand, usually at the staging area where vehicles arriving at the incident report to receive their assignments.
The number of voice radio channels used depends on the size of an incident. During the Tea Fire in Santa Barbara that started on November 13, 2008, burned 1,940 acres, destroyed 210 residences (130 in Santa Barbara, 80 in the county), and caused 30 firefighter injuries, the total number of radio channels in use at the height of the fire was 18 command-and-control channels and 72 tactical or simplex channels used for the fire and by police and other first responders directly involved with the firefighting efforts. Normal operations used an additional 4 dispatch channels and 6 tactical or simplex channels.
The good news is that in California almost all of the fire units that responded from federal, state, and local agencies had multi-channel VHF radios so there was a good amount of interoperable communications available. However, this did not include police, sheriff, highway patrol, and other agencies that were also involved in the firefighting. Coordination between these agencies and the fire command was handled via the dispatch centers and/or the emergency operations center. As you can see, there were a large number of radio channels in use and of these, some of the channels were federal, some state, and others local channels. One of the questions that need to be answered as we add broadband services (data and video) to these types of incidents is how much of the traffic on these channels would be reduced and could a future incident get by with fewer voice channels. Another question is that since this fire covered a large area, could some of the voice channels, in the future, be reused in different sectors? These are questions that can only be answered by those who plan for these types of major incidents and it is their input that will be critical to the development of the requirements for mission-critical voice over broadband systems.
One of the reasons so many voice channels are required during major incidents has to do with the fact that each group assigned to the incident has its own specific task to complete. Since each of these groups must have instant and complete communications capabilities, each group is generally assigned its own voice channel with the commander of each group monitoring both the local working channel and the channel on which they then talk to the next higher ranking officer at the incident. This system has worked well for many years and has provided a highly reliable way of ensuring that anyone who needed help could get on a radio and ask for it, and that someone else, either local to them or within radio range, could hear the call and respond accordingly. Without this type of reliable communications there might have been more injuries or even deaths as a result of someone calling for help and that call being unanswered.
In an ideal world it would be wonderful if every first responder had all of the capabilities needed to do their job and protect themselves and the public in a single device. Such a device would give them all of the voice, video, and data capabilities they need, when they need it. But we don’t have this type of device today. First responders cannot take the time to dial a phone number, and many times they do not have two hands available to change the status of the wireless device or make a menu selection. They need to know that simply by pushing an emergency button or calling for help their location and their need for assistance has been heard and that help is really on the way.
Technology is advancing rapidly and the first responder community, for the first time ever, is embracing a commercial and readily available technology for broadband (LTE). Hopefully, Congress will give the first responders the spectrum they need to build out a nationwide broadband network that will provide fully interoperable communications from border to border and coast to coast. Broadband will provide video for those responding to an incident, which is like giving sight to the blind. It will enable a swat team commander to see, on a mobile device, exactly what his snipers are seeing through their high-powered rifle scopes, all of which translates to better protection for both the citizens they serve and for themselves.
In the future, there is no doubt in my mind the Public Safety community will be able to have a single device that will permit voice, data, and video, but when will that future be? There are, at the moment, about 100 different answers to that question. The general consensus from those working with the technology is that some level of mission-critical voice can and will be available over LTE broadband networks. The remaining questions are how many of the mission-critical voice requirements can actually be met with LTE broadband or future broadband technologies, and how long will it take to be able to prove to the Public Safety community that LTE broadband can provide both voice and data services?
The bottom line is that today’s mission-critical channelized voice systems, and the new systems being deployed, developed, and planned, need to continue to be funded to ensure that when the time comes, the capabilities of LTE broadband can be weighed against the needs of the Public Safety community. If there is a perfect fit, the transition from channelized to broadband mission-critical voice should begin. Perhaps some of the channelized spectrum could be returned to the FCC for reallocation to others but this process should not, today, be viewed as something that will happen overnight but rather that it could take years to accomplish.
Is voice coming to LTE broadband? Yes, it’s the when that is in question. Is mission-critical voice coming to LTE broadband? I hope so, but in the meantime, not maintaining or building new mission-critical Public Safety voice systems should not be an option considered by any local, state or federal agency!
Andrew M. Seybold
Jumat, 02 September 2011
From the FCC
August 31 and September 1, 2011
Daily Digest Highlights
1. ESTEVAN J. GUTIERREZ. Notified Esteven J. Gutierrez of an AapparentLiability for Forfeiture in the amount of $25,000 for operating on a frequency licensed to the Las Vegas, New Mexico, Police Department without authorization,and other matters. Action by: District Director, San Diego District Office, Western Region, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 08/30/2011 by NAL. (DA No. 11-1475). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1475A1.doc
2. COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC. Granted the Petition. Action by:Senior Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Media Bureau. Adopted: 08/31/2011 by MO&O. (DA No. 11-1478). MB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1478A1.doc
3. Released: 08/31/2011. FCC EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR MEMBERSHIP NOMINATIONS FOR OPEN INTERNET ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY THIRTY DAYS. (DA No. 11-1485).(Dkt No 09-191 07-52 ) Extended deadline for submitting nominations for the Open Internet Advisory Committee from Sept. 1, 2011 to Oct. 1, 2011.GEN . Contact: Deborah Broderson at (202) 418-0652, email:Deborah.Broderson@fcc.gov
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1485A1.doc
4. Released: 08/31/2011. FCC ANNOUNCES SEPTEMBER PUBLIC SAFETY SHOWCASE IN THE FCC TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE CENTER. PSHSB . Contact: Ronald Cunningham at (202) 513-4515 or email: TEC@fcc.gov. News Media Contact: Lauren Kravetz at (202) 418-7944, email: Lauren.Kravetz@fcc.gov
5. PANASONIC AVIONICS CORPORATION. Granted blanket authority toPanasonic Avionics Corporation for domestic operation of up to 50 technically identical transmit/receive aircraft earth stations in the Aeronautical Mobile Satellite Service. Action by: Chiefs, International Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology. Adopted: 08/31/2011 by O&A. (DA No. 11-1480). IB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1480A1.doc
6. VALUTEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Adopted a Consent Decree in this proceeding. Action by: Chief, Telecommunications Consumers Division, Enforcement Bureau. Adopted: 08/30/2011 by Order/Consent Decree. (DA No. 11-1469). EB http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1469A1.doc







