July 08, 2008
Statement for Local Public Safety
The PSST has been entrusted to make certain that the Shared Wireless Broadband Network (SWBN) meets the communications needs of the public safety community across America. The PSST Board of Directors takes this responsibility seriously. A critical part of making sure the needs of public safety are addressed is ensuring that local public safety has a central role to play when the network arrives in their community.
It is important for local public safety to understand that this network will not replace their current narrowband, mission-critical, voice-only communications. The SWBN will provide a state-of-the-art wireless broadband option to public safety, built to meet the challenging conditions in which they communicate. However, the network will be another option offered to local public safety and participation is not mandatory.
The SWBN will be subject to the command and control elements required by public safety in any particular community. From the largest urban areas to the smallest counties, local public safety will determine who is on the network in their area and what level of priority service they will receive. The PSST will be responsible for common elements of the SWBN as a whole, but local communities will determine who uses the network and when. This factor will require the active participation of local communications managers adept at the administration of broadband communications capabilities.
A significant barrier to public safety use of high-end technology and wireless data applications is finding the resources to build the network infrastructure. This new broadband network should provide a communications platform on which local public safety can participate and enjoy exciting current technology. Local public safety users on the SWBN should expect mobile voice, video and data capabilities that are interoperable with SWBN users across agencies, jurisdictions and/or geographic regions.
Ultimately, it will be the decision of local public safety and local governments to participate in the SWBN. However, the PSST believes that priority access, nationwide data interoperability and other components to the public safety portion of the SWBN will provide a compelling value proposition to the public safety community. The PSST encourages all individuals involved in local public safety to investigate the benefits this network could provide for users and the community they serve.
