Public Sector Services

700 MHz Public/Private Partnership

First responders need a single, nationwide communications system supporting voice and wireless broadband. From 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, and in any emergency crossing jurisdictional boundaries or requiring a coordinated effort among different response teams, our nation's first responders have been hampered by inadequate communications systems, delaying rescue efforts and placing lives at risk.

Public funding has not been allocated. The cost of purchasing and deploying a national communications system is exorbitant, and the day to day operational expenses would be impossible to fund without a source of ongoing revenue.

Thus, a public/private partnership must be formed to create this infrastructure. The FCC set the wheels in motion with the rules surrounding the D Block license in the 700 MHz auction, but it looks as if it may not be acquired in Auction 73.

Wireless Strategy, LLC is well familiar with the 700 MHz band. We have modeled coverage and capacity requirements for major national and international carriers, in bands ranging from 450 MHz to 2.5 GHz and beyond. We understand the business needs of wireless, the operational requirements essential to Public Safety, and the architectural and strategic approaches to achieving the lowest cost public/private network. Wireless Strategy is well positioned to support the D Block license winner or other entities with an interest in serving Public Safety.

Spectrum and Interference Analysis

Spectrum and interference are critical components of the quality of communications systems. Mission-critical communications must not be impacted by interference issues. The 700 MHz band plan has introduced similar interference challenges to Public Safety as was experienced in the 800 MHz SMR band, which resulted in the costly and lengthy rebanding effort by Nextel. Wireless Strategy, LLC has extensive experience resolving these types of issues. We are also experts at analyzing problems ahead of time, and advising clients on how to minimize interference when building a new system, acquiring spectrum, or choosing a new technology. We can provide a thorough understanding of the radio frequency (RF) landscape to ensure an accurate estimate of deployment cost and minimal impact to existing operations. Wireless Strategy can help navigate the path to a successful deployment.

Public Safety Broadband Requirements

A wireless system supporting first responders must be there when needed, both in terms of equipment uptime and in terms of coverage. Public safety personnel have unique communication needs that drive a range of specialized devices. And tomorrow's applications will push the envelope of wireless capabilities in terms of data speed and latency. We have years of experience in building wireless systems to meet exacting coverage requirements, working with vendors to improve equipment reliability, and exploring new device types. Through past work we have gained an industry-leading understanding of the next generation of wireless technologies and can help our clients match the technology with their specialized needs.

Applications and Services Enablement

The fourth generation (4G) of wireless technologies will deliver vastly improved data rates and latency. These improvements will spur the development of wireless multimedia applications targeting commercial and public safety customers. Local area mesh technologies developed within the defense industry may be ported to support first responders, networking firefighters into a shared command and control system or improving coordination among rescue workers involved in a search and rescue. Seamlessly integrating these new applications into the Public Safety devices and the wireless network will take architectural integration, product development and management, and system and service testing to assure flawless performance. Wireless Strategy has worked with vendors and operators in developing and testing new capabilities in production-grade wireless systems.