LAS VEGAS – March 23, 2016. Representatives of the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet) five early builder projects provided updates today on their initiatives at the IWCE show here today and said they are pleased that the programs are providing lessons that can help FirstNet and states. Pat Mallon, executive director of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS), said that his system met a Sept. 30 deadline for deploying 77 sites – down from the original planned 230 sites after it ran into fire union, politician, and community opposition to the siting of cell sites over health and aesthetic concerns.

Mr. Mallon noted that Congress passed legislation last year that gives Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) projects until fiscal year 2020 to complete spending on their projects, an extension from Sept. 30, 2015 (TRDaily, Oct. 19, 2015). He also noted that LA-RICS is doing RF testing in response to firefighter health concerns, saying that the readings from sites show “extremely low” levels. Enhanced readings are being done at 12 sites where towers were installed at fire stations, he said.

Mr. Mallon also observed the success of a demonstration of the network on Jan. 1 at the Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena. Mr. Mallon said LA-RICS members will be added to the network beginning April 1, while non-members and subscribers will be added beginning Oct. 1. Looking ahead, Phase II of the deployment includes analyzing 56 “search ring clusters” and reviewing original sites to expedite environmental review, including by considering small cells rather than macro sites, particularly along the ocean, he said.

Todd Early, deputy assistant director of the Public Safety Communications Service within the Law Enforcement Support Division of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said good data is coming in from early builder projects, which he said will help FirstNet and states when they get their state plans.

Mr. Early also said that the early builder network in Harris County, which includes Houston, has 18 sites, and there is also an extended range test site in Brazos County. There also is a mobile unit. Mr. Early is chair of the early builder working group of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee.

Fred Scalera, public safety broadband manager for the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, noted that his system was deployed to support the Pennsylvania State Police during Pope Francis’s visit to Philadelphia last September. He also said he is pleased that FirstNet is using lessons from the early builders.

The New Mexico early builder network has six fixed sites operational and a cell on wheels (COWs), said Michael Rohrbacher, RF/LMR engineering manager for the New Mexico Department of Information Technology. He said the network was successful at the International Balloon Fiesta and the New Mexico State Fair. Future tasks include customer development and engagement and outreach and education, he said.

Mike Brunswig, assistant director of the Adams County, Colo., Communications Center, noted that his network includes 19 sites and that the first went live a year ago. He said it has deployed or is testing a variety of applications for public safety uses, including mobile fingerprinting, e-ticketing, field-based reporting, and video surveillance.

He said officials are also analyzing future sustainability of the network. He noted that Colorado last week issued a request for information as it mulls opting out of having FirstNet deploy a radio access network in the state.

Lynn Bashaw, FirstNet’s director-network operations, said FirstNet has learned lessons from the early builder projects in the past year on areas such as fixed infrastructure, mobile infrastructure, user experience, and data analytics.

In the next 12 months, FirstNet expects to learn more about border interference, core redundancy, extended range, data collection, coverage gaps, device certification, and satellite backhaul issues, he said. More broadly, he said, FirstNet wants to see how the projects do in operation. – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily