So they had their "technology summit" today, paid for and hosted by Motorola Solutions.
My takeaways: people making decisions were not qualified.
Consultant is reminiscent of a used car sales person, trying to use scare tactics to force other agencies onto the system. More BS than info. Not entirely sure he knows all the details. Consultant has "installed 78 of these systems".
They tossed the definition of interoperability and recreated it their way. This was brought up over and over and over by agencies present and no good answer for interop for any system not connected to RICS. There are "interop talkgroups" on the system. No utilization of 7CALL or 7TAC channels.
Fire is ecstatic that the new 700MHz system is allowing them to get MDTs with mapping, video, and other info. B/C that is liaison to tech committee doesn't understand this isn't going over the 700MHz system. Fire complained about previous coverage with the single low level VHF repeater site, which is much improved using the two simulcast sites.
Fire analog channels are not going anywhere. Command 2 patched to FD2 talkgroup for mutual aid. The others will remain up and in place and maintained as a backup. Fire has in excess of 10 talkgroups... 5 command TGs, 5 tactical TGs, and admin level TG(s). Utilization of simplex only on mutual aid incidents. They fail to see the need ("Because the 700 has such good penetration") to utilize simplex on fireground and will only implement in when mutual aid is used.
While never specifically answered, it appears that all talkgroups on the system are encrypted. Will need someone to confirm, but that's the impression given.
The UHF channels are still in place and on the air, to be used as a PD backup. When drilled on interoperability, the consultant kept evading questions and giving vague answers. No word as to whether CALAW4D or City Common are available for outside agencies to talk to SM Dispatch. They keep referring to the interop talkgroups on the 700MHz system, failing to see the fact that SB County and SLO County are not going to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in new radios to interop with one city.
One major fault: after the switchover to the 700, someone forgot about station alerting. The stations were without alerting for a couple of days until a resolution was cobbled together. Again, going back to consultant (in my opinion) not being thorough or the people behind the RFP not having any technical background.
Guadalupe is not on the system at this time, and it's not certain IF they will join.
Consultant was very pushy on the new system and kept stating that agencies will create an island themselves if they don't join the new system. I don't see any SLO County interest other than possibly Pismo Beach.