Houston, TX - Slow development of radio standards frustrates first responders

[Thunderbolt]

HOUSTON - Delays persist in finalizing standards that would make the radios that first responders use interoperable, a problem that frustrates government officials struggling to find communication solutions in the vendor community.

Slow development of radio standards frustrates first responders - Nextgov

 

[DPD1]

"Sorley is leading Houston's efforts to deploy one of the largest P25 radio systems nationwide. He spent months canvassing vendors to encourage response to a request for proposals. But because of a lack of interoperability, only two manufacturers were qualified to submit bids. "It was a little disheartening," Sorley said. "[A lack of standards] has a big impact on competition."


And that's exactly why it is the way it is.

 

[911_Radioman]

Largest P25 Networks Nationwide?

Very hard for me to imagine the City of Houston and surrounding counties being larger than the State of Michigan - which had a 100+ site P25 'system-of-systems' in 1999. Unless you really want to hold their feet to the fire on the verbage used to describe the architecture. Michigan's system is really several P25 'Smartzone' systems linked together with proprietary networking called 'OMNI-Link'...which, again; given the fact that 'new' standards developed for 'networking' P25 equipment are now IP v.4 and 6 compliant, calls that designation into question.

But the State of Michigan's system works, and it works quite well.

And as for Sorely, he's a puppet of whoever is going to get the big kickback from whichever vendor throws the most money around. He and his longtime friend/associate Grasso took their share out of the big Orange/Osceola/Seminole Smartzone system years ago - which is how they ended up where they are...and in typical Motogovernment fashion, these guys remain employed by the 'Corporatist' governments of this country, even though they haven't any formal education beyond high school.

You didn't answer any of my emails or phone calls, Chris.

But, you weren't so 'ashamed' to know me and my family when you needed a 'favor'. Too bad for me you don't know how to return it.

You're on notice; don't ask my mother for any more 'favors'. You've shown us both that you know how to ask for help, but you clearly don't know how to offer any in return.

Lack of standards? Please. That's the most lame excuse ever. Does Tom Sorely even read anything in the industry press?

We have the 'Compliance Assessment Program' which insures equipment is P25 compatible...something I actually helped bring about with a very long and detailed letter I wrote to the FBI/Justice Department in the wake of 9/11, after it became clear to me a few years before that the FCC had abdicated all authority to the manufacturer's insofar as 'adherence to standards' is concerned.

I should copy this and send a hard copy to the Mayor of Houston, and the local newsies...they're going to love hearing about their antics in Florida.

 

[ads47]

If you were so instrumental in the development of the CAP you would have know Tom is on the CAP Governing Board.

Sounds like you need to take your personal beef somewhere else.


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[radioman2001]

I think if he has a legitimate beef, he can voice it here. My take on this after going around in circules with all the vendors for our 2013 mandated update, is that the Feds should mandate a system design, build it with Fed tax monies, and dictate that all emergency agencies move over to it and terminate all of their other radio licenses. That's the only way to get true interoperablity and keep the vendors in line about their propriatary systems. Works in military comms and the EU.

 

[ads47]

A legitimate beef over family matters, I think this is the wrong place for that.

I am a little lost on your comments about it working for the military. They have some of the larger P25 systems out there as well as every other flavor of proprietary systems, so how is it working for them? There are bases that border each other that cant talk to each other because they have two different proprietary systems.

Your comments about mandating the standard and that all agencies must go to it would violate many federal laws. The bottom line is its a free country and the Feds are not going to mandate it that way, I wish they would but they cant. What is happening is Grant language is changing to say that you have buy interoperable systems and be able to prove it to use the money. That in itself has forced the whole P25 process and how the Vendors interact with the Buyers to change for the better. In the next year or so what you know as the P25 process now will be completely different. The Feds and Congress are very interested in improving the process, finally after twenty years of stagnation.


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[ads47]

Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives :: Hearing :: Progress on P25: Furthering Interoperability and Competition for Public Safety Radio Equipment

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