Transcript Slide 1

Spectrum 20/20
Ottawa, ON, May 6, 2008
Public Safety Challenges:
Broadband Anyone?
Sean O’Hara
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) Technical Advisor
Business Area Manager – Analysis, Communications, and Collection Systems
Syracuse Research Corporation
[email protected]
Syracuse Research Corporation
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
1
www.NPSTC.org
Heading off a
Data Divergence
• As long ago as 2006, mobile broadband was starting to take a
strong hold on the wireless subscriber community
– BB data networks rolling out, coverage footprints grow
• Emergency responders began to see the utility of having high
bandwidth mobile data connectivity
– Most mobile data systems only provided a maximum of 32 kbps for their
data applications
– The faster speeds offered by the commercial data technologies offered
the ability to transfer images, video, and other large files.
• BB started to take hold in the Public Safety Community
– Washington DC began to roll out dedicated a 700 MHz BB network
– San Diego County (and many others) started to utilize commercial
providers to offer BB data services to their users
– New York City released an RFP for a dedicated BB network
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
2
www.NPSTC.org
NPSTC takes Action
• The public safety community clearly communicated to the FCC its
desire to utilize the 700-MHz spectrum to support broadband
operations.
• After significant analyses and debate, NPSTC filed comments with
the FCC in May 2006 requesting that the structure of the 700-MHz
band public safety allocation be modified to allow for broadband
aggregation of up to three 1.25-MHz channels.
• NPSTC then formed an Broadband Task Force (BBTF) to work out
the details of how all of these technologies could be deployed
without harmful interference.
– This BBTF was chartered to work jointly with public safety and the
vendor community in the development of coexistence guidelines.
– NPSTC and the BBTF concluded that the various technologies could
coexist as long as they were properly managed and coordinated.
– Submitted a technical report with band configuration recommendations
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
3
www.NPSTC.org
The Technology Landscape
Broadband Optimization Plan Proposal
BB: EVDO
WB: SAM
BB: UMTS/WCDMA/LTE/WiMax
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
4
www.NPSTC.org
A New Concept is Born
• Rather than accept the widely-supported NPSTC recommendations,
the FCC took bold steps to introduce a new framework for a National
Broadband network whose spectrum assets would be managed by a
single public safety broadband licensee (PSBL).
– D Block auction winner to work with PSBL to provide services
• This was an extremely contentious topic within the Community, and
the responses were sharply divided
– Could it Hurt?
• Many concerned that economic viability dooms the network to failure, while
crippling the ability to roll out dedicated local public safety BB services
• Concern that this would be seen a “solution to all problems”, and as such
would take away resources from solving NB voice interoperability concerns
– Could it Help?
• Many felt that only a National Network could provide the economies of scale
to provide service and coverage for public safety
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
5
www.NPSTC.org
A Public Safety BB SoR
• In last 2007 as the 800 MHz auction approached, there was a lot of
uncertainty in the market regarding the expectations of the PSBL
– What were the requirements going to be to provide public safety
services?
– More importantly, how much is this going to cost?
• NPSTC stepped in again, brought tremendous resources to bear,
and worked with the community to generate a Statement of
Requirements* for distribution to the D-Block Bidders.
– This at least provided a basis for what types of details need to be
worked out in the Network Sharing Agreement (NSA) to be negotiated
between the PSBL and D Block auction winner
– However, there was still uncertainty as to what the actual requirements
for the network would be, as the NSA was to be developed post-auction
*Available
at : http://www.npstc.org/statementOfRequirements.jsp
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
6
www.NPSTC.org
The Auction: Reality Check
• Everyone knows how the 700 MHz auctions turned out
• Some unfortunate facts we are now dealing with:
– Fact: Only a single bid was placed for the D-Block Spectrum, well below
the minimum bid.
– Fact: Many of the National service providers likely met their needs
through the auction (AT&T, Verizon), or though the use of other bands
(such as Sprint’s 2GHz spectrum acquisition through 800 MHz
rebanding)
– Fact: The D-Block/PSBL concept is probably only economically viable
for someone who already has a national footprint
• This is not a the best position for PS to be in
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
7
www.NPSTC.org
Syracuse Research Corporation
Contemplation Time
• Now is a good time for some careful contemplation
• FCC:
– How can this approach be reformulated to make best use of the
spectrum?
• Public Safety
– How can we find a balance between wants and needs?
– How can we get something that is achievable?
• Commercial Ventures
– The 10 MHz of prime 700 MHz spectrum is worth a lot of money (~
$10B), is there anything that can be developed that can serve public
safety and still provide a reasonable ROE?
• I have worked work with a lot of public safety folks, both managers
and end users, and from my experience we need to take a look at
requirements, services, and operability/interoperability
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
8
www.NPSTC.org
Syracuse Research Corporation
My Perspective (not NPSTC’s):
Services
• Data is not voice
– It is a mistake to treat data as voice, it often serves an entirely
difference purpose as voice, has difference UI characteristics, and uses
different applications, with differing requirements
• In most cases, data is not as “mission critical” as voice
– Ask first responders to chose between voice and data if you do not
believe me.
– What you can do and how you do it is highly augmented by data
capabilities (database queries, telemedicine, etc)
– Data helps you do a better job to serve the public
• Data may never replace voice
– Almost all data applications require to take your eyes off of what you are
doing.
– Even the most sophisticated data consumers (the armed forces) still
need voice
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
9
www.NPSTC.org
Syracuse Research Corporation
My Perspective (not NPSTC’s):
Requirements
• Data Requirements are not ubiquitous
– Requirements are not the same everywhere
– Traffic light control, meter reading, and other public service applications
are the not same as bomb squad robot video and control
• Data Requirements are relative
– If you have nothing, then anything is better
– Many (and perhaps most) first responders do not even have
narrowband data available to them right now
• Data Requirements are not the same as voice
– Voice messages requires minimal latency, and have a short “lifetime”
– Data messages often can be queued and delivered as soon as possible,
and have a much longer “lifetime”
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
10
www.NPSTC.org
Syracuse Research Corporation
My Perspective (not NPSTC’s):
Operability/Interoperability
•
Voice and Data interoperability are not the same
– Different requirements and different implementations
– Many data benefits are applications of operability - not interoperability.
•
The need/requirements for data interoperability is very ill-defined right now,
and as such the best way to achieve them are uncertain
– There have been major efforts by many folks to look at this, but divergent
conclusions
•
Politics and parochial interests have hindered the furthering of voice
interoperability, and they might be worse for data
– Voice is a piece of cake compared to sharing data, which is more akin to sharing
and/or opening up access to IT networks.
•
Applications needs to be as interoperable as the data itself
– Top down approach developed standardized applications, and can offer band
and technology agnostic interoperability as soon as a common IP platform is
reached
– Bottom up approaches offer technology and band specific solutions, but still
cannot work until the top of the stack is reached
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
11
www.NPSTC.org
What is Next?
• Public safety needs to look at where it is going to use data and
especially BB data in their operations
– Capabilities and timelines
• Public safety needs to understand what is going to be mission
critical, and what is not
– Mission critical applications require a hardened highly available network
• Public safety needs to understand what their data interoperability
needs are, and start to look at all the ways that they can be met.
– From application layer to PHY(s)
• We need to build a bridge to a fiscally achievable destination
– And during all phases of construction, we need to be able to be
somewhere better than we were.
• This is a huge complex effort
– NPSTC will continue to work hand in hand to help guide PS as this
plays out
NPSTC: The Collective Voice of Public Safety Telecommunications
12
www.NPSTC.org