We encourage all of our clients to read through the various documents published by the Washington State SIEC (State Interoperability Executive Committee) even if you are not located in Washington. Because the state agencies currently operate multiple stand-alone systems on different frequency bands (e.g. 800 MHz for Department of Transportation, VHF for State Patrol, etc.) and in different modes (e.g. Department of Transportation is using EF Johnson trunking, while State Patrol is conventional...) the long-term approach contemplated by the WA SIEC is instructive for any state, or even a region.
There are three documents that we would give the highest priority for study:
The weighty Technical Implementation Plan (Nov 2005) catalogs in detail the current inventory of radio systems, describes the process of collecting input and setting goals with various users statewide, and outlines the proposed system (actually a "system of subsystems"). This document builds on the previous publication,
...the System Architecture Report (Aug 2005). This is a (relatively) concise description of the requirements of a statewide interoperability system (and is fairly specific about the requirements of the various components of such a system).
The Alternatives Report (May 2005) outlines the various approaches proposed by the consultants (Federal Engineering, operating under the direction of the SIEC) answering the "needs" and "objectives" defined in previous exercises (and described in various documents available at the SIEC website).
What we like most about Washington's approach is that they are adopting an architecture, rather than procuring a monolithic system or product. And they are stating from the outset that the solutions should be open standards-based and using non-proprietary off-the-shelf components.
Indeed, we think it is high time that the public safety customers invest in communications the way the high technology industries invest in computers: choosing architectures rather than products or vendors. To quote from the System Architecture Report:
In June 2005, the SIEC reviewed three alternative courses of action and decided on an architectural approach that will provide the technology and business solution for achieving communications interoperability for state agencies. This approach, based on the concept of using multiple radio communications subsystems, positions the state on a direct path to achieve many of the goals set
by the SIEC in December 2004.The technical architecture described in this report is designed around the two of the SIEC’s principles of build wisely, build once and share often, and solutions should be open standards-based solutions that can be built using non-proprietary off-the-shelf components. Rather than forcing a single-frequency based solution, this approach leverages the state’s existing radio systems operating in different bands, and provides a phased migration to common air protocols based on Project 25 (P25) standards. [emphasis is ours]
We couldn't have said it any better ourselves.
-National Interop Staff
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