Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Analysis: Standards needed for interoperability

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2003 15:17:49 -0500

Analysis: Standards needed for interoperability

By William Welsh
Staff Writer

10/29/03

The federal government should move quickly to set interoperability
standards so that emergency communications and public safety agencies
can coordinate effective responses to terrorist attacks and natural
disasters, according to research released this week. 

The biggest hurdle to interoperability is the lack of uniform radio and
network standards that would allow states and different levels of
government to communicate with each other, said Stephanie Atkinson, an
analyst with the consulting firm Frost & Sullivan of Palo Alto, Calif. 

“We need a standard for intergovernmental communications,” she said.
“The technology is out there.” 

To promote interoperability, the federal government is providing $3.7
billion for police, fire and emergency medical personnel, the so-called
first responders, according to Frost & Sullivan. 

Still, homeland security grants are just starting to trickle to the
state and local levels, Frost & Sullivan said. Of this money, 20 percent
goes to the states and 80 percent to the cities and counties.
Jurisdictions that receive grants must provide 25 percent in matching
funds. 

Atkinson said the Department of Homeland Security, through Project
Safecom, is seeking technology ideas from the private sector to
eventually allow the nation’s 44,000 public safety agencies to
communicate. 

While a number of state and local entities have established their own
networks for emergency communications, there is no interstate network
for them or for different levels of government to communicate with each
other, she said. 

The intergovernmental standards likely will be set by the departments of
Homeland Security and Justice and the Federal Communications Commission,
Atkinson said. 

A range of problems keeps public safety and government agencies from
communicating with each other. These include incompatible systems and
insufficient radio spectrum availability, lack of funding and
organizational issues.

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/22034-1.html

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