https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • IWCE 2023 Pre-event Guide
    • IWCE 2022 Winter Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

content


The pursuit of interoperability

The pursuit of interoperability

Safety of life and property can only be assured when public safety agencies can easily communicate with one another. All too often, the different systems
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 1st April 2002

Safety of life and property can only be assured when public safety agencies can easily communicate with one another. All too often, the different systems they use preclude them from communicating at all. Agencies must have high-quality, interoperable communications at their disposal to ensure effective and timely coordination of disaster responses. Recent high-profile incidents, coupled with the events of Sept. 11, have drawn into sharp focus the need for voice radio interoperability both for routine day-to-day use and during emergencies.

What is interoperability?

A good definition of interoperability can be found on the Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law Enforcement program Web page (www.agileprogram.org): “Interoperability is the ability of two or more parties (e.g., public safety agencies) to exchange information, when and where it is needed, even when disparate communication/information systems are involved. Information may be exchanged among fixed facilities, mobile platforms and portable (personal) devices.”

Providing interoperability

To be most effective, interoperability needs to be available for daily operations and for emergency use. Additional considerations include suitability for disaster sites as well as fixed-station use, ease and speed of deployment, central control capability, network capacity of the system and cost. Communications interoperability can be obtained with:

Consoles — Communications consoles in many LMR systems can interconnect different agencies’ radio channels. This can provide day-to-day interoperability, but console operators can become quickly overloaded during emergencies. Additionally, only those agencies whose channels are accessible through the console can be interconnected, precluding important agencies whose participation is crucial during emergencies, particularly agencies that are brought in to deal with specific situations.

Mutual aid channels — Many city and county LMR systems have a mutual aid channel available that is useful for daily interoperability. Disadvantages for emergency use include difficulty of usage coordination and the fact that field radios may not contain the mutual-aid channel. Only those agencies with access to the mutual-aid channel can be interconnected, which can leave out important agencies whose participation is needed during emergencies.

Collocated communications devices — Interoperability may be handled at the scene of a disaster by an officer operating a number of different radios while relaying messages between radio channels. Although inexpensive and quick to deploy at a disaster, the operator’s inability to deal with simultaneous conversations is a major system limitation.

Cellular and landline phones — Telephone service can be a convenient means of providing day-to-day interoperability. However, during disasters, cellular service may be unavailable because of circuit overload; landline circuits can be similarly affected. Landline phones can’t reach officers in the field, and telephones don’t provide a dispatch-type operating environment.

Trunked radio systems — Trunked radio systems provide excellent daily and disaster communications interoperability among talk groups in the system. Agencies “foreign” to the trunked radio system can interoperate through the trunked system with the aid of a cross-connect gateway.

Cross-connect gateway — A cross-connect gateway operates by transparently interconnecting radio audio paths so that agencies can patch into each other’s radio channels in real time. This modular, off-the-shelf unit is designed to implement flexible interoperability systems and includes the capability not only to interconnect radio transceivers, but also landline and cellphones. A transportable version housed in a rugged case is available for use at disaster sites. The entire system can be easily controlled from a central point using a computer running controller software. Using this software, rapid set-up and tear down of cross communications paths can be made as needs arise, with quick set up of individual talk nets involving multiple agencies.

Cost-effective interoperability

Trunked radio and cross-connect gateways are two methods that have the flexibility to provide seamless interconnectivity with few disadvantages. Of these two, the cross-connect gateway is the quickest and cheapest to deploy. This is because it works with existing radio infrastructure, allowing agencies to use radios, repeaters and frequency allocations that are already in place. A cross-connect gateway can interconnect 24 radio channels and can be installed and up-and-running in hours at a cost less than $25,000 for a single site.

Using the gateway and a network extension unit (a VoIP device), a multisite statewide inter-operability network can be deployed site-by-site as funding becomes available. This type of system is currently being deployed in Maryland.

Implementation of a trunked radio system in most cases requires the complete replacement of an agency’s radio infrastructure with deployment times measured in months to years and costs in the millions of dollars. Also, the trunked system still may not include all the agencies that must respond to an emergency, particularly those brought in to deal with specific situations, such as a hazardous spill or a terrorist situation.

A cross-connect gateway is a low-cost option to provide inter-operability even when plans include the eventual installation of a trunked radio system. The gateway also works well within existing trunking systems, where it can provide compatibility with legacy radio systems and help fill in coverage holes.


Pflasterer is president of JPS Communications, Raleigh, NC.

Tags: content

Most Recent


  • The pursuit of interoperability
    Newscan: Securing the Internet of Things is quite a challenge
    Also: EWA requests dismissal of 900 MHz applications; TIA names tech and policy priorities for 2014; IJIS Institute names Shumate Award winner; App makes bus waits more tolerable; a Blackberry comeback may be in the offing.
  • The pursuit of interoperability
    Newscan: FCC certifies Carlson Wireless's white-space radio
    Also: Congress looks to revamp telecom law; Obama to place some restraints on surveillance; IEEE to study spectrum-occupancy sensing for white-spaces broadband; Major Swedish transport operator opts for Sepura TETRA radios; RFMD to partner on $70 million next-generation power grid project; NENA opens registratiuon for "911 Goes to Washington."
  • The pursuit of interoperability
    Newscan: A look at the critical job of 911 dispatchers
    Also: NYC launches website for tracking 911 response times; Oregon implements 911 on pre-paid cell phones; LightSquared wants to keep spectrum assets; Harris receives multiple government orders; FCC extends rebanding financial reconciliation deadline; Zetron gear at core of communications system upgrade; Ritron debuts wireless access control system; EWA seeks policy review of VHF vehicular repeater system deployments.
  • The pursuit of interoperability
    Newscan: Average peak data rates of 144 MB/s average realized in tests with CAT 4 LTE device
    Also: Verizon, T-Mobile to swap unused spectrum to improve coverage; Internet giants oppose surveillance--but only when the government does it; FCC Chairman says incentive auction will be delayed until middle of 2015; FCC chair announces staff appointments; Alcatel-Lucent names Tim Krause as chief marketing officer; New Jersey county deploys TriTech CAD system; Toronto airport deploys 26-position Zetron console system;

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • RugGear: Contributing to the future of mission-critical broadband communication review and market vision
  • Photo gallery: 2014 Communications Marketing Conference (CMC) in Tucson
  • The pursuit of interoperability
    Top 5 Stories - Week of Sept. 22
  • The pursuit of interoperability
    RCA plans to expand this year's Technical Symposium

Commentary


Updated: How ‘sidelink’ peer-to-peer communications can enhance public-safety operations

  • 1
27th February 2023

NG911 needed to secure our communities and nation

24th February 2023

How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Siyata to showcase new PTT device with body camera during IWCE 2023 dlvr.it/SlL0mS

23rd March 2023
UrgentComm

Airbus U.S.: Rebecca Purcell, Bob Baumann discuss MCX, Agnet offerings dlvr.it/SlJNqW

22nd March 2023
UrgentComm

Microsoft Outlook vulnerability could be 2023’s ‘It’ bug dlvr.it/SlC3Hh

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Getting to know the how–and why–of the telecom cloud dlvr.it/SlBbD1

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Zipline delivery drone docks, charges by itself dlvr.it/SlBNWy

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

State and local leaders can alleviate the burden on public-safety personnel by tackling three workforce trends dlvr.it/SlBH89

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

6G is shaping up to disappoint, and the industry can blame itself dlvr.it/Sl918J

20th March 2023
UrgentComm

Change is coming to the network detection and response (NDR) market dlvr.it/Sl4cts

18th March 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.