Challenges to Modernizing Public Safety Communications

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Challenges to Modernizing Public Safety
Communications Provided to IEEE CQR
Conference Jeff Rosenblatt May 2007
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Public Safety Faces Unique Challenges to Meeting
Their Communications Needs

• 50,000 Different Entities- Huge fragmented
  community
• Every Entity Typically Has their Own Network- A
  collection of fiefdoms
• Stringent Operability Requirements for Tactical
  Needs- Risk averse
• Unique Mission Needs- Police, Fire, EMS, Feds, we
  have different roles
• Interoperability- Whos job is this anyway?
• Security and Vulnerability Needs- It has to work
  for me but cant be accessed by you
• Limited specialized Resources- IT and Telecom
  resources often come from staff
• Bridging the Technology Evolutionary Gap- Legacy
  systems heavily embedded, vendor dominated
  development
• Limited and complex funding processes- Fees,
  Bonds, Legislation, Grants

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To Establish CREDIBILITY with the Public Safety
Community a Detailed Understanding of the Issues
Needs to be Developed
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Large Scale Improvements in Public Safety
Communications Requires an Array of Change to
TRANSFORM the Nation
Coordination of Systems of Systems
Grants and Implementation Assistance
Education and Awareness
Nationwide Communications Improvements
Coordination of People and Processes
Technology Demonstration
Policy Formation and Advocacy
Technical Research
Program Efforts Over Time
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Public Safety Communications Needs are Being
Pushed Through National Initiatives
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The SAFECOM Programs Interoperability Continuum
Illustrates Complexity and Describes Progress
Across Five Areas
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Migration to a New Public Safety Communications
Paradigm Crosses the Boundaries of Many
Organizations both Public and Private
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The World is Changing, Public Safety Must Change
as Well

• Land Mobile Radio has Diverse Solutions
• Conventional, Trunked, AES encryption, P25 Phase
  1 and Phase 2
• Spectrum Options Create Opportunities but
  Complicate Interoperability
• VHF Low band, VHF High Band, UHF, 800 MHz, 700
  MHz, 4.9 GHz
• Commercial Services Meeting the Needs?
• Emerging Wireless Data Access becoming common
  place
• Voice Services including PTT is replacing
  non-critical communications
• Migration to IP has Begun
• VoIP Service Providers need to offer 911 service
• Tactical P25 Radios IP based
• Broadband Local Access Slowly being deployed-
  802.xx, 4.9 GHz
• Public Private Partnerships
• Some Public Safety Entities are Outsourcing
  their Networks to 3rd Parties
• The FCC is Looking to Possibly Establish
  Authorizing Licenses to a Public Private
  Partnership

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Major Federal Initiatives to Move Public Safety
Communications Forward

• Office of Emergency Communications (FEMA)
• Recently established office focusing on National
  Emergency Communications and Interoperability
  Issues
• Office of Interoperability and Communications
  (ST)
• Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation of
  new Interoperability Technologies
• Office of Grants and Training (FEMA)
• Centralized Grant Authority for Public Safety
  Communications
• Recently moved from Preparedness to FEMA
• Urban Area Security Initiative Grants (UASI)-
  provides broad support to state and local
  entities for improved readiness including
  communications
• Public Safety Interoperable Communication (PSIC)-
  A new program (with NTIA) that provides 1
  billion in funding for modernizing Public Safety
  Communications and improving interoperability

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Major Federal Initiatives to Move Public Safety
Communications Forward (cont.)

• National Telecommunications and Information
  Administration (Commerce)
• JPO with DOT on E911 grants
• Lead Agency for the PSIC grant program
• Intelligent Transportation Systems/National
  Highway Transportation Safety Administration
  (DOT)
• NG 9-1-1 Initiative
• JPO with NTIA on E911 grants
• National Institute of Justice (DOJ)
• Grant program for Research and Development of Law
  Enforcement Communications