https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
Banking Technology
  • NEWSLETTER
  • 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
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Careers
    • 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
    • Advertisers
    • 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
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Careers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • 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
  • 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

In-Building


Article

Panel debates the challenges of providing indoor coverage to public safety

Panel debates the challenges of providing indoor coverage to public safety

At least one major U.S. wireless carrier is deploying neutral-host DAS to deliver high-bandwidth indoor coverage inside of buildings that can be shared with other carriers, but financial and operational factors prevent the same indoor solutions from being leveraged by public-safety personnel in the same locations.
  • Written by jillnolin
  • 19th November 2014

DALLAS—At least one major U.S. wireless carrier is deploying neutral-host distributed antenna systems (DAS) to deliver high-bandwidth indoor coverage inside of buildings that can be shared with other carriers, but financial and operational factors prevent the same indoor solutions from being leveraged by public-safety personnel in the same locations.

AT&T is deploying neutral-host DAS solutions, which are largely “future proof” because they are flexible enough to support multiple technologies and capacity as circumstances change, Jim Parker, senior manager for AT&T’s antenna solutions group, said during a panel discussion on antenna-deployment challenges at the Antenna Evolution Focus Day prior to the LTE North America conference. But using these shared indoor DAS assets to support public-safety LMR and LTE communications can be complicated, so the carrier typically does not do it, he said.

“The public-safety requirements tend to be more stringent than the commercial DAS requirements,” Parker said during the session. “Therefore, when we deploy a public-safety DAS, it’s a separate layer. It’s a separate DAS basically, because it requires more battery backup and the enclosures all have to be NEMA-rated, so that they are waterproof to prevent water intrusion.

“If we applied that standard for the commercial DAS, then our costs would go through the roof. Because, when you’re building out commercial DAS, the requirements are very, very different.”

Panel moderator Ken Rehbehn, a principal analyst for 451 Research and a volunteer firefighter in the Washington, D.C., area, said he believes that public-safety personnel would like to have the opportunity to leverage even commercial-grade DAS assets inside of a building instead of struggling to communicate during emergency responses.

“That’s actually pretty upsetting. I’m really surprised,” Rehbehn said after Parker spoke. “We’re waiting to deploy public-safety-coverage systems because we want to have a higher quality system. And, since we’re going to have the highest quality possible for the indoor system for public safety, we’re not going to deploy it at all—screw it.

“That is unbelievable, because there are so many buildings that are uncovered. We don’t need the perfect solution; we just need enough of the solution to get the job done … We just don’t have enough public-safety indoor coverage today. It should be relatively straightforward to have a repeater-based adjunct to an indoor system to provide that basic public-safety coverage.”

Parker said there are “a lot of really good reasons” for the more stringent indoor-coverage requirements for public safety, noting that carrier DAS systems do not include battery backup that is as robust as first responders need, because “we assume that the building will be vacant [of commercial customers]” soon after a fire or other emergency occurs that requires general evacuation.

In addition, an audience member who said he was with Verizon noted another problem for a carrier that shares an indoor DAS solution to support public safety.

“Do you really want emergency personnel going in, depending on that network and have it fail?” the audience member asked. “What’s the PR going to look like: ‘Six firefighter killed as AT&T or Verizon’s network failed?’”

But Rehbehn said the problem with the scenario is that public-safety personnel entering such buildings “are getting honks on their trunked system” indicating that no indoor coverage is available. As a result, first responders in these situations have to resort to daisy-chained communications to personnel at key locations, which is inefficient and can be difficult.

“It’s a horrible situation, and even a good-enough commercial system would be grand—absolutely fabulous,” Rehbehn said. “We have backup battery, because we will roll a repeater system on a battalion chief’s car to the scene when things start going along. But to have the building covered comprehensively by a mid-grade commercial solution would be awesome.

“We do have backups, even if that system fails, but they are very clumsy to use.”

Another challenge noted by panelist Keith Radousky, CTO of Quintel, is that many public-safety LMR systems operate on UHF and VHF bands that are not supported by typical carrier DAS solutions today.

Tags: DAS In-Building Article

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

  • ADRF: Greg Najjar highlights key characteristics of FiRe in-building solution
  • Radvisory 5G: Keith Radousky highlights public-safety in-building solution at Illinois high school
  • Bird Technologies: Tom Kuklo talks about in-building solutions for LTE, LMR
  • Morcom International: President Manuel Ojeda discusses in-building wireless opportunities for dealers

Commentary


Help wanted: Working together to harness the power of data for 911

18th January 2019

Change is coming: Location-technology predictions for 2019

19th December 2018

Why every PSAP needs to be vigilant about cybersecurity

2nd November 2018
view all

Events


SATELLITE 2019

6th May 2017 - 9th May 2019

UC Ezines


APCO 2018 Wrap Up

  • 1
16th November 2018
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: Don't miss #IWCE2019 Session: Connected First Responder – New Tech for Law Enforcement, Fire Personnel, EMS | Speakers includ…

20th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: At #IWCE2019, you won't run out of opportunities to meet face-to-face with our Premier Partners! View floor plan - https://t.…

20th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @MerrittBaer: iwceexpo.com/iwce19/Public/… See you in a few weeks for @IWCEexpo keynote in Las Vegas. March 6, 2019. #cloudcomputing #infos…

19th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: Do you think it's too late to register for #IWCE2019? Think again! There's still time to make it out to Las Vegas for the p…

19th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: General Session Highlight: "Looking at the Big Picture: How to Realize Synergies from Upcoming Public and Private Broadband I…

18th February 2019
UrgentComm

Safer Buildings Coalition bring Mandalay Bay Shooting Hero Twin Brothers to @IWCEexpo. sbc.memberclicks.net/sbc-program-at…

15th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: There's still time left to register! Develop the knowledge required for entry-level positions within the field of #SmartBuild…

15th February 2019
UrgentComm

RT @IWCEexpo: 📣REMINDER 📣 For the latest information on #IWCE2019 download the Attendee Brochure! The new brochure contains Schedule At-A-G…

15th February 2019

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.

Urgent Comms

© Urgent Comms 2019. Informa USA, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Cookies Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service

Related Links

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

Follow us

Websites are now required by law to gain your consent before applying cookies. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Parts of the website may not work as expected without them. By closing or ignoring this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
X