https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • 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
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • 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
  • 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
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • 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

Urgent Matters


Commentary

Announcements show LTE vision approaching reality

Announcements show LTE vision approaching reality

In less than a year, LTE has transformed from vaporware to something very real that public-safety officials can see and touch, making the long-discussed vision much easier to grasp and significantly more compelling.
  • Written by Donny Jackson
  • 25th October 2011

In the spring of 2006, Morgan O'Brien unveiled an ambitious plan to put mobile broadband technology in the hands of first responders throughout the U.S. It was a difficult concept to grasp at the time, and many in communications ridiculed the notion.

This skepticism was understandable. Public safety was committed to wideband and was still uncomfortable with IP technologies. Also it seemed unlikely that the necessary spectrum would be reallocated from commercial use. And many questioned whether first-responder agencies would be willing to agree on anything, much less a unproven 4G technology called LTE that was still on the drawing board.

Five-and-half years have passed, and the changes in the public-safety communications landscape are remarkable. Public-safety organizations have united behind the idea of a nationwide broadband network in unprecedented fashion, embracing IP-based broadband over wideband and displaying such solidarity that the entire political discussion over spectrum has been overhauled completely. In addition, first responders agreed that the proposed network should leverage the commercial economies of scale promised by LTE.

The latter decision is one that appears to be bearing fruit already, as LTE-related announcements seemingly are being made on a regular basis.

This week at the IACP conference, Motorola Solutions announced that its public-safety LTE portfolio will be commercially available next month. Meanwhile, longtime competitor Harris RF unveiled its new alliance with commercial wireless giant AT&T Mobility (see video below) in what seems to be a growing trend of traditional public-safety vendors teaming with commercial LTE partners.

Meanwhile, Pinellas County, Fla. — long recognized for its close working relationship with Motorola Solutions in the LMR arena and with wideband data — announced that it will be conducting an LTE demonstration on public-safety spectrum using Alcatel-Lucent networking gear.

In less than a year, LTE has transformed from vaporware to something very real that public-safety officials can see and touch, making the long-discussed vision much easier to grasp and significantly more compelling. The next year promises even more technological breakthroughs on the LTE front, as AT&T plans to join first mover Verizon Wireless with commercial network deployments and multiple vendor claim they will be introducing handheld devices that will operate in the public-safety spectrum band.

Of course, this technological momentum could be put into overdrive if Congress were to reallocate the 700 MHz D Block spectrum to public safety and fund the buildout of the network. Such action which would create a multibillion-dollar marketplace overnight and send a clear message to all players — from hardware manufacturers to software-application developers — to include the oft-ignored public-safety market into their future business plans.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

Tags: Alcatel-Lucent Harris Motorola Solutions Public Safety Commentary Long Term Evolution (LTE) Urgent Matters Commentary

Most Recent


  • UK Home Office plans to seek MCPTT option to Motorola Solutions for ESN, CMA says
    UK Home Office officials plan to procure a mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT) service from a vendor other than Motorola Solutions for the Emergency Services Network (ESN), but it has asked the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) to impose new interworking requirements on Motorola Solutions. Public-safety agencies in the UK primarily rely on TETRA radio service from Airwave […]
  • Dubai to use satellite IoT terminals for utility industry
    Dubai’s Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is collaborating with Infra X, the IT and telecommunications arm of Digital DEWA, and its British technical partner Wyld to establish IoT satellite terminals to help streamline operations and maintenance efforts. The project comes under DEWA’s Space-D programme and will connect DEWA’s water and electricity assets to nano-satellites to […]
  • Artificial intelligence used to detect guns at schools
    At around midday on Tuesday, May 24 an 18-year-old shooter walked into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and shot and killed 21 people including 19 children. It is the second worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. There have been 30 mass shootings at K-12 schools so far in 2022. “I am sick and […]
  • Restrictions on Chinese imports hurting equipment vendors working in India
    Vendors have requested a relaxation on imports from China so that domestic telecom operators can roll out upgraded networks faster. With 5G deployment around the corner, telecom equipment vendors are finding themselves in a catch-22 situation. Since the Indo-Sino clash on the Galwan border in 2020, cross-border trade with China has been severely restricted. Multinational […]

Related Content

  • Private wireless networks in the US start going public
  • IoT connectivity spending climbs as COVID-19 cases decline
  • UK officials revamp ESN plans again, target Airwave-to-LTE transition for end of 2026

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

UK Home Office plans to seek MCPTT option to Motorola Solutions for ESN, CMA says dlvr.it/SRBWsD

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

Dubai to use satellite IoT terminals for utility industry dlvr.it/SRB0Jn

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

VMware, airline targeted as ransomware chaos reigns dlvr.it/SR9gBZ

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

Artificial intelligence used to detect guns at schools dlvr.it/SR8wBY

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

Restrictions on Chinese imports hurting equipment vendors working in India dlvr.it/SR8sj7

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

Infrastructure improvements in cities often feature clean energy or connected technologies dlvr.it/SR8n7G

27th May 2022
UrgentComm

Panasonic Connect launches Toughbook 40 rugged laptop dlvr.it/SR5vl2

26th May 2022
UrgentComm

Newscan: ‘Predator’ spyware let government hackers break into Chrome and Android, Google says dlvr.it/SR2lBG

25th May 2022

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
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 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.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X