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

Wireless Networks


Satellite: Use it, or lose it

Satellite: Use it, or lose it

Too often, satellite technology sits on the shelf until a disaster hits. In such circumstances, batteries are dead, service contracts have expired and personnel have forgotten how to deploy and use it.
  • Written by Urgent Communications Administrator
  • 11th March 2010

Without question, satellite technologies are on the radar screen of public-safety agencies across the country, for several reasons. One is that the technology has proved its worth time and time again in the aftermath of major disasters that rendered terrestrial communications systems inoperable. Another is that agencies are waking up to the fact that satellite has purpose for everyday operations.

For example, the city of Chicago is using its satellite-equipped unified command vehicle to redirect 911 center voice and data traffic when necessary. The decision to do this came in the aftermath of a power failure nine years ago that knocked off line the city’s 911 center for three hours. The center is one of the nation’s largest with 109 positions that handle up to 23,000 calls on a peak day.

“A two- to three-hour outage is huge,” said David Beering, managing director of advanced networks for Morgan Franklin Corp., which worked with the city on the satellite deployment.

Another reason that satellite is becoming more popular in the public-safety sector is that satellite service providers are working hard to eliminate cost as a barrier to entry. Several providers have so-called lifeline plans that put agencies on the grid for a nominal fee; then, when major incidents occur, agencies can increase bandwidth on demand, paying only for what they use. Generally, the agency receives priority access in such circumstances.

The technology likely will become even more popular in the future as subscriber units shrink in size, which they are beginning to do thanks to the very large satellites that now are orbiting. The larger the satellite, the smaller the antenna needed to pick up the signal. Hence, handsets already are available that are no bigger than a PDA. This is in sharp contrast to the historical size of satellite handsets, which roughly were the size of construction bricks.

But no matter how an agency uses satellite technology, the key to using it effectively is to use it often, according to panelists — which included Beering — speaking this week at IWCE 2010 in Las Vegas.

Too often, satellite technology sits on the shelf until a disaster hits. In such circumstances, batteries are dead, service contracts have expired and personnel have forgotten how to deploy and use it. That’s a big problem in the first crucial hours of a major incident, said Jim Corry, vice president of government solutions for SkyTerra.

“That’s not a good time to read the owner’s manual,” Corry said.

However, when satellite is used on a regular, if not daily, basis, the results are quite different, Corry said. He offered the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks as a shining example of how to leverage satellite technology.

According to Corry, the department installed satellite equipment in each of its 350 patrol cars, because there are numerous areas that suffer from poor LMR coverage and there is very little use of microwave backhaul in the state.

“They started to use satellite for primary coverage,” Corry said.

So, the department and its personnel were up to speed on the technology, which was crucial in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which took down wireline and cellular communications in the affected area — including the statewide radio system. When that happened, the department deployed its satellite-equipped patrol cars to act as nodes in order to restore communications.

“Mississippi, with the way they have this equipment deployed and the way they use it every day, is probably the best-practiced state in the entire nation on how to use satellite communications,” Corry said, adding “if you’re going to buy this stuff, you have to practice with it.”

Corry, a former Secret Service agent, then shared a personal anecdote to hammer home his point. As a federal agent, he was required to re-qualify on his personal firearm on a monthly basis, and on other firearms once every three months. “It wasn’t because they had a lot of excess ammo,” he said. “They wanted to make sure I knew how to use [my weapon].”

Then, one day, all of the practice paid off. “That training philosophy saved my life during a bank robbery in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1978,” Corry said. “That same concept will save you in a rural area or a disaster area, when you’re dragging up any communications equipment that you have to be able to use.”

  • Read the “Use it or lose it” feature from the April issue to learn more about why satellite communications are most effective when they’re used for more than disaster response.
Tags: content Wireless Networks

Most Recent


  • FCC Chair starts process to restore Title II authority over ISPs
    FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency will begin a proceeding to restore the FCC’s authority under Title II of the Communications Act, reestablishing oversight over broadband companies and enacting nationwide net neutrality rules. In a speech at the National Press Club on Tuesday, Rosenworcel announced her plan to hold a vote on a notice […]
  • Sean McDevitt appointed to FirstNet Authority board
    U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced the appointment of commercial communications veteran Sean McDevitt as the latest board member for the FirstNet Authority, which oversees the development of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network. “It is with great pleasure that I announce the selection of Mr. Sean McDevitt to serve on the FirstNet […]
  • Generative AI's masters are coming for your network
    “Copilot” is suddenly a popular word to humanize “generative” artificial intelligence, the incarnation that has sparked new fears about job losses and murderous robots. It was almost a standard response to questions about genAI’s potential impact on the workforce at this year’s Digital Transformation World (DTW) event in Copenhagen. Microsoft’s code-writing genAI is even called […]
  • UK Home Office targets ESN system buildout finish by 2024 year end, Lot 2 award next year
    United Kingdom (UK) Home Office officials believe most of the cell sites—also known as masts—necessary for the Emergency Service Network (ESN) will be completed by the end of the next year, according to a report filed with a Parliament committee. This ESN coverage projection was noted in the system progress update provided in response to […]

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

  • The battle over connected cars drags on
  • UK officials revamp ESN plans again, target Airwave-to-LTE transition for end of 2026
  • PSCR: Dereck Orr highlights features of June 21-24 virtual event
  • FirstNet buildout on pace for March 2023 completion, AT&T official says

Commentary


Better technology can help solve the public-safety staffing crisis

26th June 2023

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
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


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.