The Newsletter of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

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1 The Newsletter of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 FCC Creates Public-Private Partnership To Build National Public Safety Broadband Network On August 10, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its decision restructuring the 700 MHz band and addressed public safety and commercial use of this spectrum. In its decision, it revised the 700 MHz band structure and service rules and established a Public Safety Licensee to promote a nationwide interoperable broadband network for public safety. The 700 MHz band spectrum, which runs from MHz, currently is occupied by television broadcasters and will be made available for wireless services, including public safety and commercial services, as a result of the digital television (DTV) transition. The Digital Television and Public Safety Act of 2005 (DTV Act) set a firm deadline of February 17, 2009, for the completion of the DTV transition. The decision establishes a framework for a 700 MHz Public Safety/ Private Partnership between the licensee for one of the commercial spectrum blocks, the D Block, that will be auctioned and the Public Safety Broadband Licensee. As part of the Partnership, the commercial licensee will build out a nationwide, interoperable broadband network for the use of public safety. The Commission seeks to facilitate a network, promoting effective communications among first responders. Under the Partnership, the Public Safety Broadband Licensee will have priority access to the commercial spectrum in times of emergency and the commercial licensee will have preemptible, secondary access to the public safety broadband spectrum. The Commission designated a 10-megahertz block of commercial spectrum (comprised of paired 5-megahertz blocks), for the Upper 700 MHz Band D Block, that will be part of the 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership. With regard to the 700 MHz Public Safety Band, it designated the public safety wideband spectrum for broadband use consistent with a nationwide interoperability standard, consolidated the existing narrowband allocations in the upper half of the 700 MHz Public Safety Band, and located broadband communications in the lower part. It adjusted the locations of the 700 MHz Guard Band blocks to permit a 1-megahertz shift of the 700 MHz Public Safety Band to address public safety narrowband operations in border areas of the country. The Commission s decision, FCC , is available on the Commission s website, continued on page 4 In This Issue Next Steps for Pinellas County 4.9 GHz Project page 3 NPSTC Celebrates Ten Years of Collaboration page 5 Regulatory Update page MHz Broadband: Will Commercial Systems Offer Reliability?....page 7 Now Is the Time for Action on Interoperability: ERC Releases Nationwide Plan page 9 New Legislation Expands PSIC Grants page 12 FCC Encourages Agencies Deploying 700 MHz Systems To File Waivers ASAP page 14 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials American Radio Relay League American Red Cross Association of Fish and 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 Telecommunications Directors

2 NPSTC Executive Director What a time in history for public safety communications! Congress is providing funding for equipment and training as never before and the FCC has adopted an Order for a nationwide 700 Marilyn Ward MHz network paid for by a commercial partner, but managed by public safety. Technology continues to expand at a mind-boggling rate and we are all here for the ride. In the mid 1990s, we were asked by the FCC to predict public safety spectrum requirements in 2010, but who could have imagined where we would be today? When the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC) process started in 1994, I had never used or the Internet today it consumes many a waking moment in my day. I can t escape it! Satellite technology ensures that I will never be able to hide anywhere. We went on an Alaskan cruise in July, and, for a small fee of course, you can use an uplink to stay in touch with the world. We will never get any rest again! The community is very busy working to develop their statewide communications plans and aiming their timeline at the ever-changing Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grants. The NPSTC Statewide Planning Committee Working Group, chaired by Don Root, San Diego Sheriff s Department, has developed a National Interoperability Information exchange (NIIX) for the agencies within each state to share their data and assist with writing the statewide plans. This is a secure site that can be accessed by application on the site. We will contact the interoperability coordinator in each state for approval for each member. The states are divided into communities that are controlled by each state. The NPSTC Support Office is providing coordination and training for the site, which can be accessed through or The policies for access are on the site. To date, we have 47 states using it to post their plans and information, and well over 500 local users. This was built for you! We would like to extend a fond goodbye to three NPSTC supporters who are leaving their positions to either retire or move on to new opportunities. Tony Frater, Colonel Victoria Velez, and Rick Murphy, we wish you well in your next adventure; we have enjoyed working with you! Please attend a NPSTC meeting, if you can, to share your voice. We are moving our meeting sites to various regions around the country to give as many people as possible an opportunity to join our discussions. The next meeting will be held on September in Crystal City, Virginia, then we head to Atlanta, Georgia, on November In 2008, NPSTC will be meeting on February 11-13, in Phoenix, Arizona; on June 2-4, in Washington, D.C.; on September 9-11, in Seattle, Washington; and on November 18-20, in Greensboro, North Carolina. We would love to have you involved! Marilyn Page 2 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

3 Next Steps for Pinellas County, Florida 4.9 GHz Demonstration Project By Pam Montanari In 2005, Pinellas County received Congressional funding to test the feasibility of developing a high-speed communications network that would integrate both the 4.9 GHz public safety and the 5.9 GHz Intelligent Transportation spectrums using off-the-shelf technologies. The project is administered through ARDEC (Army Research, Development, and Engineering Center) and part of the System of Systems Security Integration initiative (SOSSEC). The project was contracted to Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), located at the Star Center in Largo, Florida. CTC, in coordination with Pinellas County, set up a systems integration laboratory to determine the feasibility of spectrum integration on a wireless network through testing and evaluation of various technologies. Early analysis indicated the standards for 5.9 GHz were in early development and there were no products available, so the focus of the project was a proof of concept demonstration in the 4.9 GHz public safety spectrum. CTC worked directly with the local public safety agencies to perform a needs analysis, which identified data and video in a seamless, easy-to-use environment as the highest priority to field personnel. These capabilities were not currently available due to limited bandwidth in existing systems. Integrating the System with Intelligent Transportation The second phase of the project, which started July 2007, began by refreshing the technology used in the network, due to second advances in 4.9 GHz and further development in 5.9 GHz. The network is scheduled to be reworked and optimized by March of CTC plans on working with several vendors to determine the best overall solution, and integrating the system with ongoing Intelligent Transportation efforts in Pinellas County. This phase also includes the integration and testing of mobile equipment and their associated applications. A mobile command post will be designed with connections to the existing systems, the 4.9 GHz test network, and for ad hoc on scene networking. The project timeline for this phase provides funding through December 2008 and, when completed, will provide limited capabilities for on scene regional interoperability using 4.9 GHz technology. Pam Montanari is the Radio Systems Manager for Pinellas County and can be reached at pmontana@pinellascounty.org. A 4.9 GHz testbed of eight nodes for the backhaul system was installed at these locations in Pinellas County. A 4.9 GHz testbed that consists of eight nodes for the backhaul system was installed in a selected area of Pinellas County. The nodes operate at 4.9 GHz using a 2.4 GHz link to the vehicles. Vehicles from the Pinellas County Sheriff s Office, Largo Fire Department, and Pinellas County Emergency Communications have access to the network. A network demonstration held in June of 2006 illustrated the connection between vehicles, a communications center, and an IP telephone connected to ARDEC. The system continued to be tested and evaluated through data simulation. This phase demonstrated the connectivity using off-the-shelf technologies; however, further development and enhancements would be implemented in the next phase of the project to make the network resilient enough for public safety operations. npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 3

4 FCC Creates Public-Private Partnership continued from page 1 Public Safety Allocation Specifically, the Commission designated the lower half of the 700 MHz Public Safety Band ( / MHz) for broadband communications and eliminated wideband operations except for those granted a waiver. It also consolidated the existing narrowband allocations to the upper half of the 700 MHz Public Safety block ( / MHz). To effectuate the consolidation of the narrowband channels, the Upper 700 MHz commercial D Block licensee will pay the costs of relocating any narrowband radios no later than the DTV transition date. To minimize interference between broadband and narrowband operations, a 1-megahertz guard band ( / MHz) is set between the public safety broadband and narrowband segments. In the 700 MHz Public Safety Band, the FCC did the following: Designated the public safety wideband spectrum for broadband use consistent with a nationwide interoperability standard Consolidated the existing narrowband allocations in the upper half of the 700 MHz Public Safety Band Located broadband communications in the lower part Adjusted the locations of the 700 MHz Guard Band blocks to permit a 1-megahertz shift of the 700 MHz Public Safety Band to address public safety narrowband operations in border areas of the country Public Safety Broadband Licensee The Commission established a single nationwide license, the Public Safety Broadband License for the 700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum, which it will select. The Commission determined that creating a single nationwide geographic area license offered greater flexibility and would ease the administrative burden on both the public safety community and the Commission. It stated that centralizing the responsibilities for implementing a broadband network across the entire country under a nationwide geographic area license, assigned to a single entity, best serves the goals of achieving a nationwide level of interoperability and a public safety network that is robust, cost effective, spectrally efficient, and based on a flexible, IP-based, modern architecture. The Commission related that no commercial interest may be the licensee or participate in the management of the licensee. It stated that the Public Safety Broadband Licensee must be broadly representative of the public safety radio user community, including the various levels (e.g., state, local, county) and types (e.g., police, fire, rescue) of public safety entities. To ensure that the Public Safety Broadband Licensee is qualified, an applicant must submit written certifications from a total of at least ten geographically diverse state and local governmental entities, with at least one certification from a state government entity and one from a local government entity. The Public Safety Broadband Licensee will be governed by a voting board consisting of eleven members, one each from nine organizations representative of public safety: the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials - International (APCO); the National Emergency Number Association (NENA); the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP); the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); the National Sheriffs Association; the International City/County Management Association (ICMA); the National Governor s Association (NGA); the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC); and the National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials (NASEMSO). The responsibilities of the Public Safety Broadband Licensee include: Negotiating the Network Sharing Agreement (NSA) with the winning bidder at auction for the Upper 700 MHz Band D Block license. General administration of access to the national public safety broadband network by individual public safety entities. Interfacing with equipment vendors on its own or in partnership with the D Block licensee, as appropriate, to achieve and pass on the benefits of economies of scale concerning network and subscriber equipment and applications. Authority to approve, in consultation with the D Block licensee, equipment and applications for use by public safety entities on the public safety broadband network. Implementing the relocation of narrowband public safety operations in channels 63 and 68, and the upper 1 megahertz of channels 64 and 69. Responsibility for reviewing requests for wideband waivers. The Commission pursued a direction that encompassed the significant changes in the statutory framework Congress continued on page 12 Page 4 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

5 NPSTC Celebrates Ten Years of Collaboration NPSTC s 14 member organizations celebrated ten years of collaborative advocacy for public safety telecommunications at a gathering filled with great stories, laughter, and a few tears. NPSTC s founding, long-time, and newest members joined Dr. David Boyd, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC), and Col. Victoria Velez, DHS, Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), who both spoke on the need for NPSTC s collective voice and shared their appreciation for the Council s accomplishments. Executive Director Marilyn Ward remembers NPSTC s early days Ten Year NPSTC Veterans Founding AASHTO member Larry Miller NPSTC s Chair Vincent Stiles shares memories Interoperability Chair John Powell and former Technology Chair Glen Nash OIC s Dr. David Boyd recalls NPSTC s historical beginnings NPSTC s Vice Chairs Chief Douglas Aiken and Chief Harlan McEwen npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 5

6 REGULATORY UPDATE In addition to the FCC decisions addressing the 700 MHz band, several issues are of interest to public safety communications: Miscellaneous Revisions to Part 90 of the Commission s Rules In May 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing miscellaneous rule changes to Part 90 of the Commission s Rules. It also sought comment regarding changes to the rules governing the 4.9 GHz band. NPSTC s comments strongly opposed eliminating or restricting paging capability currently permitted in the Public Safety Pool frequencies. Paging remains a crucial cost-efficient element to expedite emergency response. NPSTC opposed proposals to eliminate frequency coordination that include adjustments to bandwidth. NPSTC stated that the FCC s proposal to clarify that cross banding capability in the MHz band is applicable to all public services and is sound, as is its embrace of the Land Mobile Communications Council (LMCC) proposal regarding treatment of expired licenses. NPSTC stated that non-government transit and toll road operators should only be allowed access to Public Safety Pool spectrum when a currently eligible licensee remains responsible for and consents to such authorization. In an issue addressing obligations to protect AM broadcast operations, NPSTC stated that such responsibilities should be placed on tower owners. NPSTC agreed with the proposal to clarify that point-to-point operations in the 4.9 GHz band, when used as part of an overall system network, should be provided primary status. NPSTC urged the Commission not to reorganize or restructure the Part 90 rules. In the Matter of Amendment of Part 90 of the Commission s Rules, WT Docket No MHz Paging In August, NPSTC noted to the Commission the critical character of paging operations in public safety services and urged that its proceeding examining the 900 MHz band afford agencies access to the band for paging. NPSTC concurred in a proposal that all public safety agencies be eligible to apply for use of 900 MHz channels in the Business Land Transportation Pool subject only to availability and frequency coordination. NPSTC also urged the FCC to establish appropriate interference measures in the band. In the Matter of Part 90 of the Commission s Rules To Provide for Flexible Use of the MHz Bands Allotted to Business and Industrial Land Transportation Pool, WT Docket Petition for Reconsideration of the City of New York NPSTC submitted comments supporting the Petition for Reconsideration of the City of New York with regard to the Commission s Third Report and Order addressing the transition to more spectrum efficient technologies. The Commission s decision relates to the transition to 6.25 khz narrowband efficiency in the MHz or MHz bands. NPSTC urged the Commission to step back and evaluate the range of mandates currently being imposed on public safety agencies to ensure that each will enhance emergency response. Land mobile communications in the public safety sector will benefit from an integrated, coordinated, and balanced regulatory structure addressing its many challenges, including New York City s objection to mandated 6.25 khz efficiency. Any transition to 6.25 khz efficiency must first meet a core objective of enhancing public safety communications. The current record indicates that such a mandate will harm public safety to the detriment of emergency response. Implementation of Sections 309(j) and 337 of the Communications Act of 1934 as Amended; Promotion of Spectrum Efficient Technologies on Certain Part 90 Frequencies, Third Report and Order WT Docket No , RM-9332, FCC (March 26, 2007) 72 Fed. Reg (April 18, 2007), Petition for Reconsideration of the City of New York, WT Docket No , RM-9332, filed May 18, 2007, 72 Fed. Reg (June 6, 2007). Visit to view NPSTC s filings to the FCC. Page 6 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

7 700 MHz Broadband Will Commercial Systems Offer Reliability? By Joe Ross The NPSTC 700 MHz Broadband Questionnaire highlighted a lack of understanding regarding if and how commercial broadband systems meet public safety needs. For example, most respondents indicated that the reasons for not adopting commercial services were due to their availability and cost. In a later question, nearly 40 percent indicated that they did not know if commercial services met their reliability needs. An additional 35 percent indicated that the commercial services did not meet their needs in this regard. Many, if not all, of any shortfalls of today s commercial systems can be overcome by the new public/private partnership. However, it is equally important that the new partnership be viable, and therefore, a careful articulation of what s needed and affordable is critical. [Editors Note: On August 10, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its decision restructuring the 700 MHz band, which revised the 700 MHz band structure and service rules and established a Public Safety Licensee to promote a nationwide interoperable broadband network for public safety. The decision establishes a framework for a 700 MHz public safety/private partnership between the licensee for one of the commercial spectrum blocks, the D Block, that will be auctioned and the Public Safety Broadband Licensee. As part of the partnership, the commercial licensee will build out a nationwide, interoperable broadband network for the use of public safety.] Aspects of Reliability A reliable system is one that is available to public safety whenever it is needed. Many aspects of availability exist: coverage reliability, infrastructure equipment reliability, support systems reliability, and device reliability. In order for the system to provide beneficial use, all components must be working properly and both end devices must have sufficient signal to exchange the necessary information. To provide public safety grade reliability, the system must be able to accommodate natural or man-made disturbances. In fact, these are the times, as we know, that public safety communications are needed most. Most commercial wireless system outages are not caused by equipment reliability, but instead are due to support systems reliability and planned outages (e.g., software upgrades). Specifically, power and interconnection (T1, microwave, etc.) outages are the most likely to affect the uptime of a commercial wireless system. Most commercial cell sites are sold with battery backup that will last 4 hours. Some cell sites are equipped with generator backups that will provide elongated equipment uptime. In terms of interconnection reliability, most cell sites are connected by T1s. These two differences make up the primary reliability risks for commercial systems. Comparatively, most public safety networks are built with multi-day generator power (on top of sizeable battery backup) and they are built with multiple communications paths (e.g., T1s and microwave). There are exceptions to these rules on the commercial side some sites are on SONET rings providing redundant interconnection and many sites have permanent generators. More problematic, however, is that commercial planned outages for software or hardware upgrades or maintenance do not take into account the potential for public safety activity. All of these issues can be resolved through more stringent requirements for the public-private partnership. Redundancy As with public safety equipment, today s cellular equipment typically has ample redundancy to prevent outages. In today s architecture, most cellular systems have a redundant component on service-affecting components. From my experience with both systems, the commercial equipment itself is as reliable as Land Mobile Radio (LMR) equipment. However, today s cellular switching architecture is not designed to accommodate geographically diverse redundancy. In other words, a system in which a switch fails completely would not have the ability to re-route traffic to another switch. In contrast, many LMR systems have been deployed with geographically diverse redundancy. Again, these shortfalls can be accommodated by public safety s requirements of the new 700 MHz public-private partnership. Device reliability is another important component of the total availability of communications capabilities. We are all very familiar with the robustness of the typical public safety radio. It s rugged to military grades, doesn t need to be reset, and has very robust and reliable user interfaces. The same cannot be said of your typical cell phone or continued on page 8 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 7

8 700 MHz Commercial Reliability continued from page 7 PDA. However, there are military grade (MIL-810F) cell phones and PDAs on the market that can meet the needs of public safety from a physical reliability aspect. But the device must not just survive, it needs to work. Therefore, the software reliability is a major component of the device reliability, and, as many of us are aware, these devices need to be reset from time to time. For many smartphones or personal digital assistances available today, the frequency of hang-ups is not public safety grade. As data solutions become more and more mission critical, this issue will need to be addressed. Because the Public Safety Broadband Licensee can act as a central agent with the vendor software and hardware community, public safety s ability to meet its device reliability needs will be dramatically improved. Additional redundancy can be a form of additional reliability of the system. This can translate to quickly available emergency deployable networks (e.g., in a command vehicle) or spare, on-scene devices. Importantly, public safety radios have capabilities to communicate if the infrastructure fails via direct mode. This is perhaps the most critical shortfall when it comes to commercial devices available today. However, 4.9 GHz equipment typically has the ability to offer short-range unit-to-unit communications and P25 does offer direct mode low-speed communications capabilities. While these alternatives have their drawbacks, they can be important intermediate components to ensure that no public safety user is ever in harm s way due to the inability to communicate. Despite some of these existing downfalls, commercial technologies are poised to support public safety with incredible new capabilities via the public-private partnership. With the right buildout specifications, most of the shortfalls of today s commercial network reliability issues can be overcome. Challenges exist to satisfy all public safety requirements with commercial broadband, but, then again, no one solution has ever met anyone s needs. With the right balance of affordability, commercial viability, and enhanced resiliency, the public-private partnership can reliably address the lion s share of public safety data needs. Joe Ross is the Chair of the Broadband Standards Working Group. FCC Encourages Agencies Deploying 700 MHz Systems To File Waivers ASAP On August 16, 2007, the FCC issued a public notice to remind the public safety community that no new narrowband operations will be permitted as of August 30, 2007, in / MHz and / MHz bands, and that public safety licensees will be required to certify the number of narrowband mobile and portable handsets and base stations serving these handsets that are in operation as of August 30, In a conference call with public safety representatives, Chief Derek Poarch, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB), expressed his commitment to the public safety community and his wish that no harm will come to the community as a result of the FCC s 700 MHz Report and Order. Chief Poarch encourages all public safety agencies that have deployed or are in the process of deploying a 700 MHz system impacted by the Order to file a waiver request ASAP. The waiver request should include an equipment inventory and deployment schedule with exact numbers of radios in operation and planning dates with numbers for additional deployments. The Order states that only those narrowband radios certified as being in operation as of August 30, 2007, will be entitled to reimbursement for the costs of relocation to the consolidated narrowband blocks. The Commission also Page 8 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 prohibits authorization of any new narrowband operations in channels 63 and 68, or in the upper 1 megahertz of channels 64 and 69, as of August 30, It states that public safety entities may continue to place narrowband equipment into operation in the revised consolidated narrowband blocks and MHz. The information must be filed with the Commission on the effective date of the Order, October 23, Failing to timely and properly file the certifications forfeits an agency s right to be reimbursed for this mandatory relocation. Issues There are limited resources and ability to compile inventories and certify them within such a short timeframe. NPSTC believes there should be a reasonable opportunity for licensees to understand what is required, to compile the information, and certify that it is accurate. Some agencies have started to procure and deploy 700 MHz equipment and may be obligated to pay the manufacturer or service provider for the equipment operating on the previous narrowband channels regardless of the August 30, 2007, date. There are also agencies with fully licensed operational systems, but that are in transition with only a continued on page 13

9 Now Is the Time for Action on Interoperability: Emergency Response Council (ERC) Releases Nationwide Plan for Interoperability In August 2007, the Emergency Response Council (ERC), a nationwide group of public safety practitioners, issued Agreements on a Nationwide Plan for Interoperable Communications, a document that enumerates the 12 fundamental principles that must guide all interoperability efforts with 22 associated key actions that are essential to developing interoperability. The ERC s Plan provides a clear direction for local, state, regional, tribal, and federal practitioners to make planning, investment, and procurement decisions for interoperability with confidence. The ERC, jointly supported by the Department of Homeland Security s (DHS) Office of Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) and the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), represents a diversity of public safety disciplines, jurisdictions, and levels of government across the nation. In presenting these principles, the ERC stated, In the last two decades, the partnership between the public safety community and the federal government has elevated the awareness of interoperability and given more definition to the solutions required to gain progress nationwide. On June 14, 2007, in Denver, Colorado, leaders from this community joined together to lead the country beyond awareness to coordinated, immediate action. Why a Nationwide Plan? Despite all the good work that has been accomplished in support of communications interoperability, ineffective communications continue to put the lives of first responders at risk. Capitalizing on the momentum achieved so far, Congress s greater understanding of the importance of the issues, and the federal emphasis on achieving interoperability, the ERC believes that now is the time for a practitionerdriven nationwide plan. With the additional spectrum in 700 MHz that will soon be available and the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant program, there is no better time than the present to take action. In the last two decades, the partnership between the public safety community and the federal government has elevated the awareness of interoperability and given more definition to the solutions required to gain progress nationwide. On June 14, 2007, in Denver, Colorado, leaders from the [public safety] community joined together to lead the country beyond awareness to coordinated, immediate action. Guiding Principles 1. Interoperability begins with and its greatest value is realized in the daily use by local users. Still it works within a unified and actionable regional, tribal, state, and federal interoperability framework. Four Key Focuses The actions fall within four key initiatives, with a laundry list of concrete actions to take within each initiative. Leadership and coordination: Clear leadership structures to link all levels of government and to coordinate resources must be put in place. System design and interconnects: Systems must be designed so they can interoperate with other systems when needed and as authorized, and have the ability to adapt to future technologies. Standards and certification: Technical standards as well as certification and testing to verify these standards must be in place. Standardization and accreditation of protocols and procedures: Standards protocols, procedures, and accreditation are needed to ensure consistent operations and skill sets. 2. Interoperability is both a technical connection and an effective shared understanding. 3. Ongoing support by elected and appointed officials at all levels of government, combined with stable and predictable management, funding, operations, and maintenance is essential for sustained interoperable communications. 4. The burden of federal interoperability with local, regional, state, and tribal agencies is on the federal government. The federal government must coordinate its interoperability efforts and partner with users at all levels to ensure federal agencies have a capability to interoperate with local, regional, state, and tribal agencies. The burden of state interoperability with local, regional, and tribal agencies is on the state governments. continued on page 11 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 9

10 RPCs From the Field: 800 MHz Rebanding Challenges By Joe Kuran At NPSTC s June Governing Board meeting, the Regional Planning Committee (RPC) Committee moderated a panel whose members discussed their Wave 1 rebanding experiences. Following is an expanded account of one experience. The latest reconfiguration handbook is Rev 2.4, issued May 18, 2007, by the 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA). Reconfiguration is scheduled to be completed by The FCC and the TA have quarterly reports on their websites with a complete accounting of the funds spent on the 800 MHz configuration to date. Rebanding may be a fairly recent experience for some, but for Washington County, Oregon, it started over nine years ago. That is when we first noticed the interference that was affecting our 800 MHz trunked radio system. Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA) sent the first interference complaint report to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in November The FCC responded 14 months later in January 2000, followed by further correspondence between WCCCA, the FCC, and Nextel. During the exchange of documents, the number of sites where interference had been identified tripled. Also during this time, Motorola did some field testing and identified the problem as receiver intermodulation. As a result of this testing, Motorola developed the attenuator concepts that are now incorporated into the latest generation XTS portables. Beginning the rebanding process It appeared that there was an 800 MHz interference problem. In November 2002, Nextel issued a white paper, and, following the complex search for a solution to the problem of interference, the FCC released Docket 02-55, in August Rebanding was described as eight easy steps that would only take 36 months to complete. WCCCA started the actual rebanding process as soon as possible, with the first Motorola meeting in May 2005 and submission of the Statement of Work (SOW) to Nextel 3 months later. Nextel made it clear that they thought the SOW included an unacceptable amount of labor time; however, 29 weeks later, WCCCA received an approved Planning Funding Agreement (PFA). The biggest issue was Nextel s request for details and deliverables that did not exist. By September 2006, Motorola completed the Stage 1 SOW and it was submitted to Nextel and the Transition Administrator (TA). The early subscriber replacement concept was issued by the TA at this time. When WCCCA submitted a separate SOW to Nextel in October 2006 for subscriber replacement, Nextel responded that agencies could not get a subscriber replacement agreement without an approved Frequency Reconfiguration Agreement (FRA). We received our approved Stage 1 FRA in November 2006, but when we requested that Nextel approve our early subscriber agreement, Nextel stated that early subscriber replacement had to be part of the Stage 2 FRA. This extended back and forth process delayed the implementation date for Stage 1 retuning. Faulty loaner equipment from Nextel also slowed down the process it took us three tries to achieve a working Quantar repeater that was part of a parallel system. In late December 2006, WCCCA submitted our SOW and Motorola s SOW for Stage 2. What could have made the process easier So far one of the biggest challenges WCCCA has faced is that while dealing with these delays, our system is undergoing constant changes and upgrades. During Stage 1 we were retuning our VRMs (Vehicular Radio Modems), and from the time the original SOW was completed until the actual time that we started doing the retuning, the SOW continued on next page Page 10 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

11 continued from previous page had changed. Early on, we informed Nextel of this issue, and were told that change orders would be simple and accomplished with an over the phone verbal approval; however, Motorola s change order involved more than Nextel expected. Motorola s corporate policy is to initiate a change order for everything, which requires another contract amendment. Motorola was half way through the lower 120 retuning process and, without the change order approved by Nextel, would have had to halt operations. Second, if we could have received our 800 MHz replacement radios last fall, most of them would have been programmed and installed by now. Most agencies would have gladly replaced them through normal vehicle replacement and PMs (Preventive Maintenance). As of this writing, WCCCA has received good news. Their Stage 2 FRA, submitted in December 2006, is at the TA for final review, and includes funding to retune the entire system, including Clackamas County and the City of Newberg, with whom WCCCA has Intergovernmental Agreements. Joe Kuran is the Technical Systems Manager in Washington County 911, Oregon, and APCO Frequency Coordinator for Region 35. Contact him at jkuran@wccca.com or WCCCA operates with a 15-year span of Motorola Radio Firmware versions, which also complicated planning. My technicians were aware of these issues during routine maintenance. My mistake was not to take this issue into account when planning the retune. This may continue to be an ongoing issue even when we start receiving the RB radios because we are not allowed to get them all at once, but through a 120 return cycle, which in itself will add considerable time to the radio replacement project. If I had had all the replacement radios at once, they could have been divided and programmed and it would be done. Nationwide Plan for Interoperability continued from page 9 5. Mission critical voice is primary; data is secondary, but very important. 6. Daily use of nationally recognized common resource names, language, and command structure creates trust and value for their use in actual incidents. 7. Resilient interoperability requires people to flexibly adapt to the different levels along the SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum. 8. Grant funding authorizations and conditions from state and federal government are prioritized to support cooperative efforts over strengthening of stand-alone systems. Agencies struggling with the issue of operability should strongly consider the long-term benefits of joining regional interoperability initiatives. 9. Neighboring agencies should collaborate in the planning and acquisition of a communications system. 10. Public safety will identify opportunities at all levels of government to deploy or use shared systems. 11. Users should continue to plan a migration path to a shared system, but seize unplanned opportunities now. 12. All levels of public safety, policymakers, industry, and the public will be educated that interoperability saves lives, money, and property. npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 11

12 New Legislation Expands PSIC Grants Beyond 700 MHz On August 3, 2007, the President signed the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 into law. Based on the changes included in this law, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued modified grant guidance to the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program to take effect immediately. Specifically, the law expands the requirements of the PSIC Grant Program to include: Planning and coordination as eligible costs Funding for equipment and software Allowing investments in other public safety communications spectrum bands Establishing and implementing a strategic technology reserve for pre-positioning activities. Accordingly, NTIA amended the PSIC Grant Guidance to meet the new requirements. The changes are as follows: Excludes planning and coordination activities from the 20 percent cost share requirement Removes the restriction involving the 700 MHz frequency band Includes pre-positioning activities as a program and selection priority Amends the Funding Availability section to set aside $75 million to fund pre-positioning activities which will be allocated to each state and territory in proportion to its total allocation Extends the deadline for each state and territory to submit its Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans and Investment Justification under the PSIC Grant Program from November 1, 2007, to December 3, 2007 Refines guidance on allowable costs with respect to major funding categories. Each state and territory continues to be required to submit its application and narrative no later than 11:59 p.m. on August 22, The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 authorized NTIA, in consultation with DHS to make payments not to exceed $1 billion in the aggregate through fiscal year 2010 to carry out the PSIC program. For more information, visit modifications_ html FCC Creates Public-Private Partnership continued from page 4 set governing the 700 MHz spectrum, the technological advances in wireless services, and its view of the rapidly increasing need of public safety users for broadband communications. It embraced a centralized and national approach to maximize public safety access to interoperable, broadband spectrum in the 700 MHz band that will foster and promote the development and deployment of advanced broadband applications, related radio technologies, and modern, IP-based system architecture. Significant challenges await both public and private interests as the Commission s rules commence to be implemented with the auction of the commercial spectrum now set to begin in January 16, Page 12 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

13 SIECs Statewide Planning Update One of the open items of business following the March 2007 Statewide Planning Conference hosted by the National Governor s Association and NPSTC was the request for an online workspace for the states to use in the development of their Statewide Communications Interoperability Plans (SCIPs). In response to this need, the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) Working Group has been hard at work developing the National Interoperability Information exchange (NIIX) website ( which went live on July 2, NIIX provides a centralized clearinghouse for interoperable communications-related information. It also offers the state s interoperability planning bodies one or more secure communities for the members of their local, tribal, state, and regional organizations to collaborate in the develop of statewide plans, agreements, policy documents, and other related information through a webbased secure location. NIIX Works As of this writing, 47 states have already signed on to NIIX, with 500 users. There are 14 states sharing planning documents in 30 private communities. NIIX National Services Centralized access to peer-supplied documents, including various plans, agreements, governance, policy, legislation, SOPs, funding, and other useful documents concerning planning for and achieving interoperability Security and authentication to ensure that only members with appropriate authorization have access to sensitive planning documents Ability for members to submit documents to a national library for sharing with peers Contact list of other NIIX community members NPSTC-provided member training, assistance, and support NIIX Community Features State/territory coordinators can set up and manage their own collaborative sub-communities within the site State/territory coordinators control which users may have access to their community site State/territory communities allow authorized members access to their state and regional sub-communities, with the ability to securely manage and share draft documents, and solicit and view document comments and feedback State/territories may establish more than one community (i.e., statewide planning, plus additional sub-committees or planning areas) Other features include: - Notification s to community members of postings requiring their attention - Community calendar - Community announcement bulletin board - Contact list of other community members - NPSTC-provided member training, assistance, and support For more information regarding the NIIX website contact the NPSTC Support Office at or at info@niix. org. Don Root is the Chair of the SIEC Working Group. 700 MHZ Systems to File Waivers continued from page 8 portion of radios and base stations expected to be active on August 30, In other cases, there are agencies ready to begin operations but they will be unable to do so since there will be no relocation costs for the 700 MHz deployments post August 30, Additionally the Computer Assisted Pre-coordination and Resource Database System (CAPRAD) database that is critical to agencies for proper frequency coordination and for the Regional Planning Committees to make the needed revisions has not been reprogrammed. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which maintains the CAPRAD database, is now working to address this need, but it is not clear that it will be accomplished in the timeframe necessary to meet the current FCC requirement. NPSTC has discussed the difficulty the short timeframes to inventory equipment poses for public safety agencies and the frequency coordination issues with Chief Poarch. The FCC is prepared to expedite waivers and treat the resolution of the complicated issues such as those regarding CAPRAD in a flexible and reasonable manner. npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 13

14 Member SPOTLIGHT International Association of Chiefs of Police In 1893, police chiefs from all parts of the country assembled in Chicago to form the National Chiefs of Police Union, primarily to apprehend and return wanted persons who fled local jurisdictions; 114 years later, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has expanded that mandate to an exponential degree. Since that time, the IACP has grown to be the single largest professional organization representing police executives worldwide with membership of more than 21,000 representing 100 countries. Today the IACP s goals are to advance the science and art of police services; to develop and disseminate improved administrative, technical, and operational practices and promote their use in police work; to foster police cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among police administrators throughout the world; to bring about recruitment and training in the police profession of qualified persons; and to encourage adherence of all police officers to high professional standards of performance and conduct. The IACP emphasis on the science and art of policing is clear from its achievements during the early days. Professionally recognized programs such as the FBI Identification Division and the Uniform Crime Records system can trace their origins back to the IACP. Programs and services provided by the IACP today include policy development, legislative support, management studies, training, technical assistance, program development, and research. The IACP offers world renowned training programs all year throughout the United States. Early Achievements In 1897, the National Bureau of Criminal Identification became operational among association members; fingerprint identification was encouraged through exhibits at the St. Louis World s Fair and in member communities in 1904; IACP criminal identification files were used to create an FBI Identification Division in 1924; And, in 1934, the IACP and the FBI established the FBI National Academy for state and local police. Covering a wide range of crucial issues in leadership, management, community involvement, crisis management, force management, staffing, patrol operations, investigations and more, IACP training programs provide in-depth instruction by some of today s leading experts. IACP s international program is critically important to police executives around the world. IACP holds observer status with INTERPOL and consultative status with the United Nations. In her speech as outgoing 2007 President, IACP, Mary Ann Viverette, said, We know that sharing ideas, investigative techniques, and specific crime-related information among agencies from different nations is the only way that we can succeed in our anticrime and antiterrorism efforts. Creating model policies on tough issues According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 663,535 police officers are in the United States, serving in almost 19,000 separate jurisdictions, a large majority of them small departments with limited resources. Through IACP Net, the portal to law enforcement on the Internet, these agencies can access up-to-date information on policies, ordinances, programs, and innovations. IACP Net facilitates the exchange of solutions and fosters cooperation between leading departments and agencies. A cooperative agreement with the U.S. Justice Department s Bureau of Justice Assistance to create the National Law Enforcement Policy Center is the basis of the policies IACP is able to share with member agencies. The objective of the center was to assist law enforcement agencies across the country in the critical and difficult task of developing and refining law enforcement policy. The center has developed a wide variety of model law enforcement policies that incorporates the research findings, the input of leading subject experts and the professional judgment of advisory board members who have combined this information with their extensive practical field and management experience. The end product is some of the best contemporary thinking in the field on some of the most difficult issues facing law enforcement administrators. continued on next page Page 14 npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007

15 continued from previous page Pursuing adequate and timely radio spectrum for public safety IACP comprises many committees ranging from arson and explosives to organized crime to victims services, and also supports divisions and sections, to meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. The Communications and Technology Committee is ably chaired by NPSTC s Chief Harlin McEwen. The committee acts as a liaison agency between U.S. government agencies and the other nations represented in IACP and other public, civic, and industrial agencies whose facilities are devoted to the development of science and technology and use of modern communication systems. The committee stays fully informed on developments relating to the science of communications and other technology and its practical use in police service and reports to IACP as necessary for dissemination to all police agencies all pertinent information and recommendations that will advance and assist in the application of technology in police service. Through this committee, IACP has been extremely active in pursuing adequate and timely radio spectrum for public safety, passing resolutions in support of policies at annual meetings, testifying before Congress, putting a face on the issue for the FCC, and working hard to share the message to the field. Through Chief McEwen working with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the Association of Public Safety Officials-International (APCO), and others, IACP was extremely active in both seeking a solution to the 800 MHz interference situation and in helping to educate policymakers and the field about the benefits of the Consensus Plan. The same group of associations directed their efforts towards digital television (DTV) clearing next. In July 2005, Chief McEwen testified on behalf of the IACP before Congress on the need for an early and firm date for broadcasters to clear the channels in the 700 MHz band. In early February 2006, Congress finally passed DTV legislation, which sets February 17, 2009, as the date certain for completion of the DTV transition. spectrum in the upper 700 MHz band for a nationwide public safety broadband network. One of the top IACP legislative priorities communicated to the 110th Congress in 2007 was improving public safety communications operability and interoperability. Specifically, the IACP urged the Congress to pass legislation authorizing the creation of a Public Safety Broadband Trust (PSBT) and the allocation of 30 MHz of additional public safety radio spectrum in the 700 MHz band for development of a national public safety broadband network to be administered by the PSBT. The IACP s statement of support concluded with these words, This network would allow for nationwide connectivity of existing public safety radio systems and would facilitate interoperability between all public safety agencies in a way not before possible. This is a timesensitive matter because if the Congress does not pass the necessary legislation prior to the spectrum being auctioned for commercial purposes, the opportunity for public safety will be lost forever. To learn more about the IACP, visit At IACP s annual conference in October 2006, the 700 MHz band was again the focus when the association passed a resolution submitted by the Communications and Technology Committee to support the proposal to allocate to public safety an additional 30 MHz of broadband radio npstc spectrum Volume 7, Issue 3, September 2007 Page 15