Drop by NPSTC's Booth (#1990) and Attend NPSTC's Panel Presentation, Wednesday, March 13, 2013
January 29, 2013
Conference: March 11–15, 2013 Exhibits: March 13–14, 2013 Las Vegas Convention Center Halls C1–3
Join NPSTC's leadership to learn who we are, what activities we are currently working on to improve public safety telecommunications, and how you can share YOUR input on the critical issues facing the public safety telecommunications community today.
Learn the latest on Launch Requirements for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) presented to the FirstNet's Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) by NPSTC's Broadband Working Group. Come discover what NPSTC's T-Band Working Group has learned about handling this complicated issue. What's going on with 4.9 GHz? Learn about NPSTC's proposal to the Federal Communications Commission to support development of a national plan. NPSTC has volunteered to develop such a plan in collaboration with established frequency advisory committees and Regional Planning Committees (RPCs).
IWCE connects the working world to mobile voice, video, and data solutions. Over 7,500 technology buyers gather together at IWCE to see over 330 of the top manufacturers showcasing the latest in communications technology. Learn from influential industry leaders presenting on next-generation networks, spectrum utilization, regulatory issues, infrastructure, and interoperability.
FirstNet Names Members of Public Safety Advisory Committee
February 20, 2013
(courtesy NTIA) – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) today announced the structure and membership of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), which will be comprised of 40 representatives of public safety organizations ... [more]
DHS publishes summary of National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP).
On February 6, 2013, NTIA opened the Federal Funding Opportunity for the SLIGP. Below are links to the Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement, Press Release, Frequently Asked Questions, the Federal Funding Opportunity Notice, the Grant Document, and the Grant Funding Narrative.
Multiband Radio Pilot Report and Procurement Guide Released
February 12, 2013
(courtesy MissionCritical Communications, RadioResource Media Group) – The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) released the Multi-Band Radio (MBR) Pilot Report and the MBR Procurement Guide.
The documents mark the successful culmination of S&T’s MBR project, designed to provide technology to first responders that allows them to communicate with multiple agencies and jurisdictions while operating on different radio bands... [read more]
(courtesy Paul Kirby, TR Daily) – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International today released a position statement on the development of public safety applications that stresses the group can help develop an apps ecosystem for first responders.
(courtesy Andy Seybold, Vice-Chairman, APCO Broadband Committee) – The "Emerging Technology Forum: Public Safety Broadband, What, When, and Why" presentation by Andy Seybold from the 2013 APCO International Emerging Technology Forum examines the following information: What is LTE?, How Broadband and LMR are very different, Broadband and LMR terminology, Basics of LTE, Will LTE be Mission Critical?, and LTE: Voice. For more information regarding the forum and to view other presentations, please visit APCO International's Emerging Technology Forum web page.
Work Begins on Standardized Radio Programming for Interoperability
January 15, 2013
(courtesy Michelle Zilis, MissionCritical Communications, RadioResource Media Group) – The Radio Programming Compatibility Requirements (Radio PCR) working group is establishing the first steps toward creating a standard way to export and exchange basic programming information between various two-way radio programming software packages ...[more]
Welcome 2013: NPSTC Final 2012 Filings, Radio PCR Meets January 10, T-Band Update, and More
January 08, 2013
NPSTC filed its final Comments for 2012, in December, on a limited waiver of 25 KHz manufacturing restrictions and on the timeline for reconfiguring the 800 MHz band along the U.S.-Mexico border.
NPSTC Develops Launch Requirements for Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
December 11, 2012
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 has made the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) possible. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the governance and identifies the funding necessary to build a public safety broadband network. The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), assigned to deploy and operate the NPSBN, will need a statement of public safety’s technical and administrative requirements in the immediate‐, medium‐, and long‐terms. On December 11, 2012, NPSTC presented the Launch Statement of Requirements (SoR) to the First Net Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), who in turn has presented it to the FirstNet Board to assist them as they begin to develop the long‐awaited NPSBN.
The 15 public safety organizations that comprise NPSTC, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, American Radio Relay League, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Association of Public‐Safety Communications Officials‐International, Forestry Conservation Communications Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Emergency Managers, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Municipal Signal Association, National Association of State Chief Information Officers, National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials, National Association of State Foresters, National Association of State Technology Directors, National Emergency Number Association, and the National Sheriff's Association formally voted to endorse the Public Safety Broadband High‐Level Launch Requirements, Statement of Requirements for FirstNet Consideration.
NPSTC's Broadband Working Group prepared this document to describe the high‐level public safety requirements required for launch of the network. The Launch SoR has been developed by public safety practitioners from all disciplines, experts in public safety communications, commercial wireless providers, members of academia, information technologists, equipment manufacturers, and many others who have dedicated numerous hours because they know they are contributing to one of the most important technology initiatives of their careers.
These volunteers came together through the NPSTC Broadband Working Group (BBWG), working with the Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program. PSCR is jointly supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)/Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) with additional funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS's), Office of Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC), and the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC).
Super Storm Sandy and Connectivity
November 27, 2012
(courtesy Andrew M. Seybold, PS Advocate) – During Super Storm Sandy, the FCC reported that at one point 25% of all cell sites in the affected area were out of service. After the storm, Deputy Chief Chuck Dowd of the NYPD Communications section told me that neither the NYPD nor the FDNY had any outages during the storm save for one site where the generator ran out of fuel, and that was corrected within a few hours. Meanwhile, wired phone and cable services were disrupted and the Internet was unavailable in many areas. These failures not only affected cell phones and wireless communications, they also involved land-based communications ... [more]
Most Public Safety Agencies Say Leaving T-Band Will Hurt Interoperability
September 07, 2012
(courtesy Comm Daily, by Howard Buskirk) Forcing public safety agencies to move off the T-band will have an impact on communications interoperability, according to early results of a poll released Thursday at the quarterly meeting of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council. Public safety got the 700 MHz D-block in the February spectrum law, but in return had to give up the T-band, heavily used in 11 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. In August, NPSTC sent out a questionnaire (http://xrl.us/bnkk2a) to gather information as the group prepares a report.
The AFST Working Group received many comments on the need for additional narrowband spectrum to support public safety operations, including the need for additional interoperability spectrum assignments. There is a need for additional VHF narrowband spectrum to support existing and future public safety communications needs. Many rural agencies compete with statewide public safety agencies for access to VHF spectrum, which is highly desirable spectrum due to its ability to cover very wide areas at lower costs. The currently allocated Public Safety spectrum is insufficient to meet current voice and data needs, will not permit deployment of needed advanced data and video systems, does not provide adequate interoperability channels, and will not meet future needs under projected population growth and demographic changes.
What States, Locals Need to Know to Prepare for Rollout of Nationwide PS Broadband Network
July 16, 2012
Congress passed groundbreaking legislation for a new Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) on February 17, 2012. The Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act of 2012 was signed by President Obama on February 22. The legislation (Public Law 112-96) allocates the D Block spectrum to public safety, provides $7 billion federal funding for the network, and establishes a nationwide governance structure, the First Responder Network Authority(FirstNet). The FirstNet Board is scheduled to be appointed by August 20, 2012.
Video Graphically Highlights Need for Broadband to Manage Public Safety Events
June 13, 2012
Managing complex emergencies demands new approaches to collaboration and decision support. Precision Information Environments will improve the way people interact with each other and with information throughout the emergency management lifecycle, from planning to response, recovery and mitigation. See how Precision Information Environments might be used in one scenario. Working with stakeholders from across the emergency management community, and with sponsorship from the Command, Control and Interoperability Division Basic/Futures Research program within the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are developing future work environments for emergency management.
Conference: March 11–15, 2013
