Top 5 stories: Week of Aug. 17-21

Here’s a look at the most popular stories on IWCE’s Urgent Communications from last week.

1. “Rockwell Collins announces plans to offer nationwide disaster communications via HF radio” – Rockwell Collins recently announced plans for a nationwide high-frequency radio network, ARINC UrgentLink, which is designed to provide communications between public-safety and critical infrastructure bodies when typical communication infrastructure is inoperable due to natural or man-made disaster.  Rockwell Collins has a pilot HF Radio network running at a large sheriff’s department, currently, and the system will be available to other public-safety agencies by paid-annual subscription within a year, said Dave Chapman, Rockwell Collins product manager.
2. “Nokia Networks announces LTE ‘network in a box’ solution with Harris BeOn capability ” – By the end of the year, Nokia Networks plans the commercial release of an LTE “network in a box” (NIB) configuration that can be deployed during the thick of an incident to provide on-scene coverage as well as offer the capability of applications—namely, the Harris BeOn application that supports P25 voice interoperability—without connectivity to the primary evolved packet core (EPC) for a larger public-safety network. The NIB solution, announced during last week’s Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 2015 show, occupies six racks units and weighs 65-70 pounds. An NIB solution with a “squad-car type configuration” is slated to be the next iteration of the system.
3. “FirstNet names Michael Poth as new CEO, says TJ Kennedy to function in role of president”– FirstNet appointed former police captain and technology expert Michael Poth as CEO, which is a new title within the organization. Longtime Acting Executive Director TJ Kennedy will fulfill the role of FirstNet’s president, according to a FirstNet media release. Poth had served as an executive for Hewlett Packard’s public-sector unit for three years following a 14-year run as director of Northrop Grumman’s enterprise and public-safety divisions. Poth, in a statement, expressed elation to serve as CEO for FirstNet.  “I’m thrilled to be joining this talented and dedicated FirstNet team,” Poth said in a prepared statement. “I will ensure FirstNet continues to execute its mission—building a first-of-a-kind public safety network that will literally save lives. I’m honored to be part of this historic effort, and I look forward to working with TJ and the entire team to accomplish our goals.”  
4.  “FCC Chairman Wheeler says Congress should help fund next-gen 911 rollout, mapping and cybersecurity resources” – FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler described the adoption of next-generation 911 (NG911) as “too slow and too ragged” during an address delivered at the APCO 2015 show. Wheeler applauded APCO and other local and state officials for their efforts to comply with FCC’s standards and transition from legacy 911 to NG911, but, he said there is much more work to be done. Wheeler opined that Congress should develop legislation to amend 20-year-old 911 laws “in a way that reflects the changing realities on the ground.” In addition to legislation, Congress’ laws should put a stop to the practice of states using appropriated 911 funds to address general budget shortfalls, Wheeler said.
5.  “Harris unveils multiband P25 portable radio with WiFi, LTE capability” – Harris recently announced a multiband P25 portable radio offering unprecedented volume and ruggedness, as well as the ability to leverage Wi-Fi and LTE communications. The XL-200P was developed “from the ground up” by Harris after an expansive product-market-research effort, said Mark Tesh, product manager for advanced development with Harris. The device’s core use will be narrowband P25 communications, supporting both Phase 1 and Phase 1 operation in VHF, UHF and 700/800 MHz bands. “A lot of people express concern about how broadband or LTE is going to unfold in their jurisdiction, and they’re not sure who will be providing that—they’re not sure when it might come and what band they might be in,” Tesh said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “We’re trying to give those folks a migration path, so they don’t have to worry about that.”