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Interoperability Streams
Communications interoperability weblog
Communications Interoperability Resources
2006 National Interoperability Summit Proceedings now available!
| Programs, Organizations and Committees |
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
SAFECOM Program.
The umbrella program for Federal communications interoperability efforts is the
SAFECOM Program in the DHS Office of
Interoperability and Compatibility. A multitude of publications, including
those from the now-defunct Public Safety Wireless Network (PSWN) Program, can
be found on their site.
Interoperable
Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP). ICTAP is a technical
assistance program of the DHS Office of State
and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP), which was
previously the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) under the U.S.
Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. ICTAP provides assistance to
Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and State Homeland Security grantees.
U.S. Department of Justice - National Institute of
Justice (NIJ)
NIJ
CommTech Program.
Previously known as AGILE (Advanced Generation of Interoperability for Law
Enforcement), NIJ program researches technology solutions for interoperability.
NLECTC
Public Safety Communications Program. The National Law Enforcement and
Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) maintains an office providing technical
assistance for public safety agencies, support for NPSTC and other communications
initiatives.
NPSTC
National Public Safety
Telecommunications Council (NPSTC). NPSTC is a federation of associations
representing public safety telecommunications. The purpose of NPSTC is to follow
up on the recommendations of the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee
(PSWAC). In addition, NPSTC acts as a resource and advocate for public safety
telecommunications issues.
PSWN
Public Safety Wireless Network Program (PSWN). The PSWN Program has been
absorbed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
SAFECOM Program. It was created to
promote effective public safety communications and to foster interoperability
among local, state, federal and tribal communications systems. The program was
jointly sponsored by the Department of Justice and the Department of the
Treasury.
PSWN's systems planning documents are its broadest contributions to
communications interoperability efforts. They can be found in the SAFECOM
Library.
U.S. Department of Commerce - NTIA and NIST/OLES
NTIA Emergency
Planning & Public Safety Division. The Emergency Planning & Public
Safety Program was established to coordinate the various spectrum and
telecommunications related activities and programs within the Federal
Government as it relates to public safety.
Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee (PSWAC). The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) established the Public Safety Wireless
Advisory Committee ... to evaluate the wireless communications needs of
federal, state, and local Public Safety agencies through the year 2010 and to
recommend possible solutions.
PSWAC no longer exists. It was followed by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC).
Office
of Law Enforcement Standards Public Safety Communications Standards
Program. OLES' Public Safety Communications Standards program is dedicated to
supporting AGILE (now CommTech).
The program is developing standards for voice, data, image and video transfers,
drawing on existing standards, discussions with end users regarding their
requirements and participation in IT and wireless standards committees. To meet
the needs of law enforcement and public safety agencies until standards are in
place, the program is evaluating commercial devices and services that can
provide interim interoperability.
APCO
Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials, Intl. (APCO). APCO is a member driven association
of communications professionals that provides leadership; influences public
safety communications decisions of government and industry; promotes
professional development; and fosters the development and use of technology for
the benefit of the public.
APCO has over 16,000 members internationally. Its Automated Frequency
Coordination subsidiary is by far the largest frequency coordinator — an
official FCC designation — for public safety, processing nearly two thirds of
all such license applications in the United States.
Project MESA
Project MESA. Project
MESA is an international partnership producing globally applicable technical
specifications for digital mobile broadband technology, aimed initially at the
sectors of public safety and disaster response. The project is supported by the
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the United States'
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA).
Project 25
Project 25 began as an
APCO project in 1989 to create radio standards for digital public safety
systems. As documents became formalized and accepted through the
Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and, finally, through ANSI, the
standards suite came to be known more simply as 'Project 25'.
The Website is largely inactive. Formal standards documents are available for a
fee through TIA. This document gives a brief rundown on the project and its
products.
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| Documents |
NTFI
Brochure on Communications Interoperability (450 KB)
When They Can't Talk, Lives Are Lost
Produced by AGILE for the NTFI, February 2003.
Recent brochure produced to accompany the NTFI Guide.
Intended primarily for public officials, it contains simple explanations of
issues.
NTFI
Guide to Communications Interoperability (1.6 MB)
Why Can't We Talk? Working Together To Bridge the Communications Gap To Save
Lives
Produced by AGILE for the NTFI, February 2003.
PSWN Systems Planning Guide (2.5 MB)
How-to Guide for Managing the Radio System Life Cycle
This guide is designed to assist public safety agencies in navigating the radio
system life cycle. It covers issues essential to successful planning, design,
procurement, implementation, operations and maintenance of a regional or
statewide radio communications system.
PSWN Roadmap (900 KB)
Public Safety Land Mobile Radio — A Road Map for Systems Development
A large-format document intended for commercial paper production.
State and Local Law Enforcement Wireless Communications and
Interoperability
State and Local Law Enforcement Wireless Communications and
Interoperability: A Quantitative Analysis
Produced by the NIJ's NLECTC-
Rocky Mountain Region, January 1998.
The definitive study on communications interoperability capabilities and needs.
PSWAC Final Report (2.6 MB)
PSWAC Final Report to the FCC and NTIA
Produced by the Public Safety Wireless Advisory Committee for the FCC and NTIA,
September 11, 1996.
The seminal work on public safety wireless communications needs. See the
Interoperability Subcommittee Summary on p. 44. The full report is included as
Appendix A.
Understanding
Wireless Communications in Public Safety (2.6 MB)
Understanding Wireless Communications in Public Safety: A Guidebook to
Technology, Issues, Planning, and Management
Produced by NLECTC- Rocky
Mtn Region, January 2003.
A mix of high-level and technical materials.
Interoperable
Communications User's Handbook (1 MB)
Developing Multi-Agency Interoperability Communications Systems: User's
Handbook
Produced by Community
Research Associates, Inc., 2001, for AGILE.
Focuses on the ACU-1000 and its transportable counterpart, the TRP-1000,
devices that allow different radio channels to be patched together either
semi-permanently at a fixed location or dynamically at the scene of an
incident. A good overview of interconnection technology. Discusses examples in
Chicago (IL), Orlando (FL) and Arapahoe County (CO).
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