LA-RICS asks FCC for ‘immediate action’ on waiver request for 700 MHz reserve narrowband channels

In seeking a long-term alternative to the T-Band system, LA-RICS officials determined that there were not enough 700 MHz narrowband channels to migrate all voice traffic to a 700 MHz LMR system. Instead, LA-RICS opted for a hybrid model in which mission-critical voice communications would be transmitted over a new P25 network, while non-mission-critical voice traffic would be handled on a new public-safety 700 MHz LTE system that will be integrated with FirstNet.

In separate bids, Motorola Solutions won the contracts to build both the P25 and the LTE systems. Last year, LA-RICS signed a contract with Motorola Solutions to build the P25 network at a cost that could total $149.6 million, if all phases of the plan are deployed. In March, LA-RICS signed a $175 million deal with Motorola Solutions to build the LTE network.

The LTE network will be funded primarily with $154.6 million in federal grants from the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which requires that the LTE system be deployed by Aug. 15, 2015. The 231-site LA-RICS network will be the largest public-safety broadband network in the U.S. until FirstNet begins its deployments in earnest.