Jay Herther

1
M/A-COM NetworkFirst
  Perhaps nothing is more important in
times of cataclysmic events than the
ability of public safety entities to speak to one
another. Kathleen Abernathy, FCC
Commissioner

• Jay Herther
• 12 June 2002

2
www.macom-wireless.com
3
Key Question
How to provide immediate interoperability between
Federal, State, County, and Local Responders?
4
As you know Lack of Interoperability due to

• Multiple Agencies Federal, State and Local
• Multiple Radios
• Multiple Vendors - Different Protocols

And
5
More than 13 Different Frequency Bands? so
Radios Dont Talk to Each Other

• State and Local
• VHF
• UHF
• 800MHz
• NPSPAC
• 900MHz
• 700MHz (Proposed)

• Federal
• VHF (Low Band)
• VHF (High Band)
• UHF (Low Band)
• 380-399.9 MHz
• Secure

6
M/A-COM Interoperability Pyramid
P25 CAI
Level V Direct Analog FM
Level IV Direct Digital
Level III Mutual Aid Channels
IP based
Level II Multi-application Radios
Level I Network Interoperability
7
Solution Options
To achieve interoperability, you can
Adopt Radio Standard
Adopt Network Standard
or
IP Network supports all existing radios and
systems
Everyone Uses same radio and system
8
NetworkFirst is Similar to IP LAN
9
NetworkFirst Cross-Band Interoperability Example
Interoperability Different agencies, different
frequencies, different equipment all connected
by NetworkFirst
State
County
Other
Municipal
Federal
10
The Solution NetworkFirst ? Universal Voice
Connectivity with IP

SkyGate
SkyGate


UHF
PSTN interface
Dispatch Console

SkyGate
SkyCenter


SkyGate
VHF
Landline or uWave

SkyCenter 2
Faster Saves Easy Upgrades
P25
800MHz Analog
800MHz Digital
11
NetworkFirst Components
The SkyGate converts audio into IP packets

• One SkyGate card per channel
• Each SkyGate card has a unique IP address

The SkyCenter switches calls among SkyGates

• IP voice switch
• Creates and manages TalkGroups
• Knows each SkyGates IP address
• Provides diagnostics/admin
• Has inherent data capability

12
User Capabilities

• Universal voice connectivity
• Dynamic linking of IP Talk Groups with
  conventional CTCSS users
• PSTN connectivity
• DTMF
• Wide-area Connectivity

13
Network Administration System (NAS)A Web-Site
Model

• Administration Server
• Administration Databases
• WEB Server
• Propagates Real-Time Updates To System Elements
• Administration Clients
• Standard WEB Browsers
• Runs on a low cost PC
• Multiple Levels of Administration Privileges
• Administer, Configure and Control
• Talkgroups, IP Addresses, Radio Configurations,
  Consoles

14
NetworkFirst TalkGroups

• Police 1
• Police 2
• Tactical 1
• Tactical 2
• Scene
• Fleet Call
• Interoperability

• Maps CTCSS tones to talkgroups
• TalkGroups are Allocated to SkyGates
• Talk Groups are extended across agencies
• TalkGroup Allocations can be Dynamic or Static

• Interoperability
• Fleet Call
• Scene
• Fire 1
• Fire 2
• Tactical 1
• Tactical 2

15
The IP Technology is _at_M/A-COM Today
Interoperability among systems and users
requires Policy Pre-planning

• Establish appropriate policies/procedures
• Who can talk to whom?
• Who has priority?
• Train users on new policies
• Pre-plan so that no emergency is a surprise
• Practice with mock scenarios so that each
  responder knows his/her role

16
NetworkFirst Summary

• Network IP-based Connectivity
• Quicker deployment Interop. FIRST
• Cost effective
• Leverages COTS
• No new radio equipment