Subject: [NEXTEL-1] State of Alaska, Department of Defense, Motorola Team Up on Statewide Land Mobile Radio System First Shared Federal,State and Local Public-Safety Digital Wireless Communications System in U.S.

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2003 04:35:08 -0400

State of Alaska, Department of Defense, Motorola Team Up on Statewide Land Mobile
Radio System First Shared Federal, State and Local Public-Safety Digital Wireless
Communications System in U.S.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, — September 26, 2003 — The Alaska Land Mobile Radio (ALMR)
Executive Council and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) announced the concept demonstration
phase of a new statewide shared public-safety communications system was recently
completed. This is the first digital trunking system to combine state, federal and
local resources into a single, shared standards-based infrastructure supporting
public-safety first responders and each participating agency’s day-to-day
operations. It is part of Motorola's extensive portfolio of public safety and
security solutions for mission-critical integrated communications, information
management, regional coordination and incident command.

In an Aug. 7, 2003 memorandum on the Alaska system, John B. Muleta, Chief,
Wireless Telecommunication Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, wrote that
the system “represents a unique partnership between the federal, state and local
governments and is likely to be the first statewide, multi-agency,
multi-jurisdiction public safety VHF trunking system in the U.S.”

“While there has been shared frequency use of common channels by federal, state
and local entities for interoperability in the past, we believe that this proposed
system is the first of its kind wherein an entire system is specifically dedicated
to the sharing of VHF federal and non-federal spectrum by federal, state and local
public safety entities statewide,” Muleta wrote.

When fully implemented, the joint effort between the state of Alaska and the U.S.
Department of Defense will provide a single shared statewide trunk radio system
using the latest Project 25 digital technology. It will combine available federal
and state public-safety radio spectrum for use on the shared trunk radio system.

“This is an unprecedented working relationship between federal, state and local
governments to improve interoperability, increase the safety and security of first
responders, and save money through a cost-shared approach to a single shared
system infrastructure statewide,” said Tim Woodall, federal project manager, ALMR.

“The Commission encourages voluntary partnering of FCC-licensed state or local
government entities with Federal entities, finding such partnering in the public
interest of a variety of reasons, including interoperability, public safety
response to safety of life and safety of property crises and spectrum efficiency,”
according to Muleta’s August memorandum.

The concept was tested using a smaller configuration, during a federal, state and
local government Homeland Security Exercise in Valdez, Alaska in March. The system
was put to the test with multi-agency responses, involving federal, state, local
and industry first responders. The Department of Justice provided 300 Motorola XTS
5000™ portable radios for use during the exercise.

“The system performed flawlessly, providing secure, on demand and real time
communications to the responding agencies and superbly supported the land Incident
Command system,” said Woodall.  “Air-ground and maritime interfaces were tested as
well as backwards compatibility to legacy systems and wide area connectivity.

“The greatest benefit was the greatly improved situational awareness provided the
first responders from the moment they were dispatched through the Incident Command
process,” said Woodall. “The on-scene commander and the responding forces were
constantly aware of the situation at hand, and responders were able to talk
securely among themselves.”

The federal, state and local shared communications concept in Alaska has been
developing over the last five years, but the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001
dramatically accelerated the process, Woodall said.

“Interoperable communications is absolutely critical for first responders and
governmental agencies to communicate rapidly and effectively in routine as well as
emergency situations,” Woodall said. “This new system will provide agencies at
every level the ability to do just that across our entire state.”

The next phase of the project, consisting of nine sites in the Northern Zone
including Fairbanks, is expected to be online by the first quarter of 2004.

The new system eventually will replace more than 100 different radio systems
throughout the state that cannot communicate with each other. The state’s
equipment, which is 25 to 30 years old, cannot be upgraded and has become
increasingly more expensive to maintain.

However, communities will not need to immediately convert their existing systems
to the new ALMR technology, because the ALMR system will interface with older
systems. Over time, as equipment needs to be replaced, newer, compatible radios
can be purchased.

In addition to the need to replace aging equipment, federal agencies are faced
with a National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) mandate
that requires all VHF/UHF federal land mobile radios to be replaced or upgraded to
narrowband between 2005 and 2008.

“This combination of needs enabled us to cooperate together on a shared solution,”
Woodall said. “Our cooperative partnership is unique in many ways and enabled us
to overcome barriers in funding, planning, technology and spectrum. We will
realize cost efficiencies from building a shared statewide infrastructure.”

Spectrum was the most difficult challenge, Woodall said. “Limited, and diversely
allocated radio spectrum between federal and non-federal agencies remains one of
the biggest obstacles to interoperability and shared systems today, “ he said.
“Shared use of trunk technology under a single infrastructure by federal, state
and local agencies required this kind of innovative approach. Alaska’s low-density
population and isolated location make a statewide shared system/shared spectrum a
particularly effective solution for its communications requirements.”

Spectrum resources will be licensed cooperatively through the FCC for state and
local users and the federal government’s NTIA. Many entities are working together
to plan, fund and implement the system, including federal agencies, the state of
Alaska, and municipalities and borough governments statewide.

The concept demonstration project included a digital trunked radio system with 64
channels and three integrated dispatch console operator positions: at the state’s
Information Technology Group office, the Ted Stevens Anchorage International
Airport and at the City of Fairbanks Emergency Operations Center. VHF and 800 MHz
subscribers were linked with other existing systems in Alaska for full
interoperability. More than 250 mobile and portable radios were used.

The concept demonstration system complied with the Common Air Interface (CAI)
included in Project 25 digital standards for communications systems. Project 25 is
the functional and technical standard for public safety digital systems adopted in
1995 by a consortium of two-way radio user groups to ensure that public-safety
personnel would be able to communicate directly with each other.

“Nationally, the Project 25 standard has been adopted by the Department of Defense
to promote interoperability between federal, state and local first responders. We
have an excellent partnership with state and local agencies in Alaska, and these
agencies have also adopted the Project 25 standard,” said Woodall.

The Project 25 standard promises to provide user-defined standards supporting
public safety, proven interoperability and multi-source procurement possibilities
for the user. The ALMR Project Team is reaching out to radio manufacturers that
have signed up to build Project 25 radio equipment to bring this multi-source
selection to the field. In August 2003, another manufacturer, in addition to
Motorola, responded and demonstrated its subscriber equipment on the ALMR ASTRO
25™ infrastructure, demonstrating both compliance with Project 25 mandatory
standards, as well as compliance from a separate manufacturer.  "The successful
testing of multiple vendors' P25 subscriber equipment validates our
standards-based approach, promotes competition among our suppliers and provides us
with one of the key tools for meeting our ultimate goal of first responder
interoperability," said Jack Phelps, state project manager, ALMR.

“Motorola is very pleased to be part of this pioneering effort that will
ultimately provide seamless communications across the state of Alaska,” said
Robert Schassler, Motorola Communications and Electronics, Inc. vice president.
“We think other states will be impressed by this example of cooperation between
federal, state and local agencies.”

http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,,3315_2735_23,00.html
--
    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/