MSV: Satellite should be part of interoperability solution

Aug 8, 2008 1:47 PM, By Donny Jackson

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KANSAS CITY—For years, satellite communications has been a valuable tool for mission-critical communications, but its use typically has been limited to backhaul scenarios and instances in which terrestrial networks are unavailable.

For the most part, public safety has avoided using satellite communication on a regular basis for several reasons, most notably because it is perceived to be expensive, does not provide in-building coverage and LMR networks provide the needed coverage in most situations. In addition, the fact that handheld satellite devices are considered large and often unwieldy to operate doesn’t help matters, either.

But the fact that satellite devices are not used regularly by public safety creates difficulties in those instances when they must be used, such as during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when most terrestrial networks where not usable.

One company that hopes to make satellite part of public safety’s day-to-day operations is Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV), which has long provided satellite communications to first responders by offering packages that are particularly attractive to agencies in rural areas that have little hope of being able to build terrestrial networks economically.

During the past year, MSV’s unique satellite push-to-talk service has been enhanced by the establishment of a series of talk groups—some nationwide groups managed by federal agencies and some regional talk groups, typically managed by state or local agencies, said Jim Corry, MSV’s vice president of government solutions. These talk groups are free to MSV customers and provide communications that is not subject to terrestrial problems, unless MSV’s land station in Ottawa is impacted, he said.

During the next several months, MSV plans to announce more regional talk groups—enough to blanket the United States, Corry said. While this would be a milestone for the company, he said the diverse and cooperative nature of these this talk-group rollout has wider implications.

“Take the word ‘satellite’ out of there, take ‘MSV’ out of there, and you can use this same model with LMR,” Corry said. “There are no technical issues to interoperability, just ego and control issues.”