Law and Order

JUL 2012

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lic-safety LMR devices. The NPSTC's "Assessment of Future Spectrum and Tech- nology" report finds that separate narrowband and broad- band spectrum allocations should continue until broadband technologies meet the needs of all public safety for voice and data capabilities. According to the report, seven elements are required for a network to fully support public safety mission- critical voice communications: direct or talk around; push-to- talk; full-duplex voice systems, group talk, talker identification, emergency alerting, and high-quality audio. In addition, mission-critical communication systems rely on "hardened" infrastructure (i.e., towers, etc.) to provide reliable communications during natural and man-made disasters. This requires redundancy, back-up power, and fortification against environmental stressors such as extreme temperatures and high winds. Agency compliance with the P25 suite of standards has re- sulted in more effective and reliable inter- and intra-agency communications, but many LMR devices manufactured for public safety are incompatible with devices from rival manu- facturers, ultimately undermining interoperability. Like the GAO, the NPSTC noted the important role the federal govern- ment plays in providing funding for emergency communica- tion systems. They also identified the need for additional VHF narrow- band spectrum to support existing and future public-safety communications needs. The report stated that "additional VHF frequencies might be found if the FCC conducted a spec- trum audit of this band to identify active users of the spectrum and to determine what VHF frequencies might be made avail- able to public safety." While input from the public safety community greatly con- tributed to the above findings, feedback from companies specializing in communications technology is crucial for the development of a successful long-range plan for interoperabil- ity. We asked representatives from nine leading communications companies their thoughts on the findings of the two reports, and what steps they would take to ensure the implementation of a nationwide broadband network that could effectively handle voice communications be- tween agencies and jurisdictions. 1. 1. EF Johnson Technologies www.efjohnson.com The acquisition of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. by Francisco Partners in 2010 provided the company with the resources necessary to pursue its vision of developing and manufacturing the highest quality mission-critical communications solutions for public safety, government agencies, and the military. From Portable/Mobile Two- Way Radio systems to their patented ATLAS™ P25 technology, EF Johnson products and ser- vices are used by agencies worldwide, deliver- ing reliable, cost-effective solutions for enhanced interoperability. A recently released EF Johnson Executive Summary re- capped the GAO's findings about the challenges that both government agencies and industry vendors would face in launching a nationwide public safety network. Although cur- rent LTE systems cannot provide the mission-critical voice communications needed for such a network, the lure of LTE technology lies in its higher data speeds that allow devices to transmit video and data applications for quicker incident re- sponse. EF Johnson shares the views of the GAO report that a broadband system can be an effective complement to an LMR network, but that it cannot replace the need for LMR in the foreseeable future. The company issued the following quote: "EF Johnson strongly believes in using LTE's broadband ca- pacity and capabilities to complement and enhance the LMR networks' mission critical capabilities. We continue to evolve our P25 solution portfolio to maximize interoperability with LTE devices and applications through future P25-LTE interfaces and gateways." 2. Harris Corporation www.harris.com Since its founding in the 1890s, Harris Corporation has focused on providing innovative, reliable technology solutions for a broad spectrum of markets, including government, public safety, defense, healthcare and en- terprise. Today, Harris has 17,000 employees serving customers in over 150 countries, and combines leading technology with in-depth knowledge of mission-critical communications requirements to deliver superior in- teroperable solutions to first responders. With a com- munication environment that brings together public safety broadband, cellular carrier, and LMR commu- nications on a single infrastructure platform, Harris is one of a number of companies leading the way in the deployment of LTE for public safety. Tori Dillon, Director of Communications and Marketing for Harris Public Safety and Profes- sional Communications (PSPC), finds the GAO report correct in concluding that the full appli- cation of LTE solutions for mission critical voice are years away from reality. "There won't be a 'flip of the switch' moment when all the older technology disappears and the LTE comes on- line all at once. We're looking at years of coex- istence in which interoperability will be the key. Public safety must look for ways to get the most out of existing – and very reliable – LMR systems while using the immense data transfer capabili- ties that broadband offers in the immediate fu- ture," Dillon said. Dillon goes on to say the P25 standards-based world is the future, in which interoperability and increased functionality will improve the situa- tional awareness of public safety personnel. "The challenge for both public safety officials and com- munications providers is in the graceful migration from the present state to fully functional LTE." www.lawandordermag.com 35

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