Push-to-talk services over the FirstNet system being built by AT&T already are being leveraged and more use cases are developing as the offering rapidly evolves toward a mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT)-compliant solution during the next few years, according to an AT&T FirstNet official.
SOURCE: Urgent Communiations
DATE: March 28, 2019
AT&T’s existing enhanced push-to-talk (EPTT) product—a carrier-integrated product provided by Kodiak, which is owned by Motorola Solutions—is being used for non-mission-critical voice today and as a complement to LMR-based solutions, according to Steve Devine, lead manager for strategy and policy for AT&T FirstNet. When MCPTT-compliant offerings are fully implemented, the capabilities could prove to be transformative to public safety, he said.
“If you look at the potential for people in the field with some of the solutions that are highlighted in the standard—and I’m not saying that AT&T is going to provide them—but if you read the standard and you see what’s in there, it will take your breath away, if you’re familiar with how push to talk works today,” Devine said yesterday during a session at the Winter Institute conducted at the Disaster City facility on the Texas A&M campus.
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They worked with the Tenn. Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security to request the support from FirstNet, the nationwide communications platform dedicated to public safety, to assist during this critical phase.
SOURCE: therogersvilleview.com
DATE: March 23, 2019
ROGERSVILLE — First responders perform a specialized job, and having reliable communications is critical to completing their missions. So, when Hawkins County officials went to survey the scene of the recent mudslide on Hwy. 70 with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and other public safety officials, they quickly realized the cell phone service in the area wouldn’t meet the needs of first responders working out of the TDOT command post.
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RapidDeploy Provides Cloud-Based Mapping, Analytics to Cal OES
RapidDeploy will work with the state’s 440 emergency communications centers in California to roll out its Radius Tactical Mapping solution. The solution improves location accuracy for 9-1-1 calls from Android and iOS smartphones by embedding device-based location services from RapidSOS.
Radius enhances situational awareness with improved mapping capabilities from Esri. Agencies in California will have access to maps, imagery, demographic data and real-time data feeds such as weather, traffic and other sensors. RapidDeploy’s Edge analytics system will ensure that Cal OES can analyze location accuracy statistics and other aggregated data required to facilitate the transition to next-generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1).
One of the reasons Cal OES chose RapidDeploy was its future-proof cloud architecture that enables quick and easy deployment of the company’s products. RapidDeploy’s Emergency Data Gateway (EDG) internet of things (IoT) devices have been deployed to select agencies and the fastest activation took 10 minutes from starting to automatically mapping the first 9-1-1 call on workstation, company officials said.
The announcement marks the next big milestone in RapidDeploy’s expansion and increased focus on the U.S. market. In the last six months, the company has hired a U.S. team; has opened its new headquarters in Austin, Texas; and raised $12 million in financing from U.S. investors. Would you like to comment on this story? Find our comments system below.
Federal Engineering Promotes Wiggins to Senior Vice President
“Scott’s promotion is a direct result of our continuing growth in both the public-safety mobile radio and public-safety answering point (PSAP) consulting practices,” said Federal Engineering President and CEO Ronald F. Bosco. “As the firm continues to grow, we want to ensure that our clients continue to receive the attention to detail and quality consulting they have come to expect from Federal Engineering.”
Wiggins has been with Federal Engineering for almost a decade and has been an executive team member providing coaching, mentoring and management to the Federal Engineering operations team.
Prior to joining Federal Engineering, Wiggins had more than 15 years of experience in government administration and public-safety communications management and operations planning. He served as the director of the Division of Emergency Communication Networks at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, where he oversaw the governance and deployment of the 320-site ARMER radio system, the statewide interoperability and 9-1-1 program.
Wiggins has also held policy-making roles in the Wisconsin State Assembly, Minnesota House of Representatives, Minnesota Department of Public Safety and twice worked as senior policy advisor for the governor of Minnesota. He has experience in multifaceted wireless communications, enhancing governance, standard operating procedures, voice and data technologies, training, and usage.
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Once again we have an article in another publication claiming to differentiate between “fact” and “fiction” with an individual portraying to be a FirstNet expert and claiming that they understand what the differences are between FirstNet and Verizon’s “me too” public safety offering. In this recent article this “expert” either clearly demonstrated their lack of understanding of FirstNet or they are intentionally trying to support Verizon by providing inaccurate information with the goal of muddying the waters, creating confusion with public safety.
One point that this article was trying to make is that there is nothing special about FirstNet’s Band 14 and that since Verizon has Band 13 they are the same since they are both in the 700 MHz band. They are not. Yes, they share many of the same characteristics because they are in the same band, but there are two very distinct elements that make the D Block unique which Verizon cannot replicate. First, Public Safety owns Band 14 by Congressional action assigning it for public safety use which is managed by the FirstNet Authority on behalf of public safety. Verizon owns Band 13 and it is clearly nothing more than commercial spectrum. What is key here is that there is significant oversight on how the D Block spectrum is used. It is dedicated to public safety and can be used on a secondary basis to help pay for the FirstNet network.
Another element that is missing is “where is Verizon building out Band 13? Is it being deployed with public safety in mind or is it just another part of their spectrum holdings being deployed without concern for public safety needs?”
The second key issue is that Band 14 is authorized for High Power User Equipment known as HPUE. Band 13 is not licensed for this feature. (For more information go to https://urgentcomm.com/2019/03/18/high-power-user-equipment-hpue-can-help-bridge-band-14-coverage-gaps-in-rural-in-building-locations/) Verizon does not have the ability to provide key beneficial features to public safety that come with HPUE because they can’t do it. Both points are significant. The fact that this “expert” disregarded these points indicates he either doesn’t realize their importance or he has decided to omit their significance.
The other point this “expert” tried to make is that Verizon’s “private core” for public safety is the same as the FirstNet core. This is categorically incorrect. It may have similar functions, but they are not the same and the differences are critical to public safety. The FirstNet core is dedicated to public safety and built for public safety. Only primary public safety users and extended primary are allowed on this core. This FirstNet dedicated core is not shared with commercial users. When you have a partitioned core like what Verizon has done, you are sharing that computer power and that physical resource. It is not unlike having someone else use your home Wi-Fi. The more users on the network, the slower it gets. You wouldn’t share your home Wi-Fi with the public. Why would public safety want to share vital care services with the public? That is exactly what Verizon is doing. Also, would you want commercial users polluting your network with their information and jeopardizing your security? You wouldn’t and Verizon clearly states in their FCC filing (Nov 9th, 2012 Verizon response to Docket No. 12092850-2505-01) that public safety shouldn’t do it. Let me quote a specific statement in Verizon’s filing. They say that FirstNet “should not share core network components, i.e., the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Evolved Packet Core (EPC), as doing so would undermine its ability to provide secure, high priority communications for first responders.” I find it disingenuous that Verizon now tries to tell public safety that sharing core is okay when their own public record states otherwise.
This expert is clearly wrong. He may be an expert in certain aspects of technology, but definitely not an expert in FirstNet and public safety communications. Everyone should take note that the same points this “expert” is making are the same talking points Verizon has been using for the last six months. Anyone who has been following this subject for several years can easily see this is nothing more than a Verizon prompted article. And let me make one thing clear. I am not contending to be unbiased. I am very biased in support of public safety and FirstNet. As a former first responder and one of the handful of public safety leaders who fought for the legislation, I am offended by the fact that Verizon is intentionally trying to confuse public safety and the facts around FirstNet.
FirstNet is about public safety and meeting public safety needs. FirstNet is not just about a network. It is about public policy, governance and providing a mechanism for public safety to have a voice in public safety broadband. If Congress had not created FirstNet at our request, public safety would still be getting average service as just another wireless user. If it hadn’t been for AT&T stepping up to take the risk to commit to a 25-year contract, Verizon would be treating public safety as just another commercial user. In fact Verizon is treating public safety as just another user by doing nothing more than sharing commercial services and labeling it as public safety.
Let’s not ever forget Verizon had their chance and they walked away from public safety. The lame argument stated in this article about Verizon not bidding because they didn’t need 700 MHz spectrum is a smoke screen. After months of being criticized for not bidding, they came up with this marketing pitch that they didn’t need the spectrum. Verizon didn’t want to be locked into a 25-year commitment, they didn’t want to build dedicated resources, they didn’t want to take the risk and now they are coming up with fancy dialog to try and hold onto public safety customers. The ONLY reason they offer commercial service labeled as public safety like services today is to keep from losing customers. Let’s also not forget they have abandoned the public safety 911 ESI market and left many PSAPs stranded. How’s that for public safety dedication?
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this company or any company with whom the author may be associated.
Richard Mirgon is a Public Safety consultant focused on FirstNet. He is a Past President of APCO International and has over 35 years of public safety and first responder experience. For more information about the author please go to http://www.next-paradigm.com/about/
Nebraska Selects MCP to Support Statewide NG 9-1-1 System Rollout
The implementation is the next phase of the PSC’s NG 9-1-1 service system plan, adopted by the PSC in 2017 and resulting in Nebraska LB993 signed into law April 4, 2018. The plan provides a comprehensive strategy and holistic approach to transitioning from enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) technology to NG 9-1-1.
The MCP project team will provide technical assistance during the implementation of the plan. MCP also will help Nebraska realize additional benefits as it deploys NG 9-1-1, including the opportunity to regionalize and share costs and resources, as well as the ability to share operations in real time.
MCP and the Nebraska PSC began working together in 2017 when the commission partnered with the firm to develop a statewide NG 9-1-1 plan. The public-safety answering points (PSAPs) supported by the Nebraska PSC serve nearly 2 million residents and process more than 1 million calls annually.
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Learn about current efforts to continue to protect the 4.9 GHz Band for public safety as well as recent filings, key decisions impacting these efforts, and how you can support PSSA’s initiative to protect the 4.9 GHz band for public safety.
