APX6500 RoIP

[sampsondeputy]

I’m curious to know if APX6500 radios are capable of RoIP via a Cradlepoint device. If so, what would be the setup? Any input would be appreciated and please “dumb it down” as much as possible, as this is a bit over my head.

Here’s the scenario. Our agency operates primarily on the NC Viper system. It’s my understanding Viper won’t allow RoIP. However, our angent also has our very own conventional 800mhz system which is on older Quantar repeaters at our tower site. These channels are also programmed into our APX6500 radios in a separate dedicated zone outside of Viper zones.

The conventional channels are already set up to operate on RoIP through a cubic vocality box and are tied into a Verizon PTT app on our cell phones. We have no issue using our cell phones to communicate back to the tower on these conventional channels. However, there are many dead zones in our county where the APX6500 itself won’t transmit back to the radio tower via antenna. Our thought is, if we could dedicate those channels to transmit from the APX6500 radio over LTE or WiFi via the craddle point, we could link the craddle point back to our already existing radio network at the tower.

 

[MTS2000des]

The only way a 6500 support RoIP as a subscriber is if it's a BN 6500 with SmartConnect via WiFi, and this would connect to a Smart Connect server running on your state core, have associated licensing fees, and would not work with your Verizon PTT app, but MSI's own app.

As you stated, as most systems don't allow third party radio gateways with donor radios, the best option is to use your conventional system and app combo you already have.

 

[sampsondeputy]

The only way a 6500 support RoIP as a subscriber is if it's a BN 6500 with SmartConnect via WiFi, and this would connect to a Smart Connect server running on your state core, have associated licensing fees, and would not work with your Verizon PTT app, but MSI's own app.

As you stated, as most systems don't allow third party radio gateways with donor radios, the best option is to use your conventional system and app combo you already have.

Thank you for your prompt response. They are BN model radios with WiFi and smart connect flash coding. It was my hope to bypass these limitations and utilize our own system. We will continue to use our conventional system as suggested, unfortunately this option doesn’t resolve the coverage issue with the radio itself and forces the user to use a cell phone which is not always practical.

 

[MTS2000des]

No way around it. Sadly, as P25 over broadband is relatively new, the TIA hasn't made any method part of the standard, so vendors are pushing proprietary solutions. IMO, SmartConnect is a great offering, as it's seamless to the end user to roam back and forth between LMR and LTE/WiFi, but it's expensive. L3H BeON is similar, but users can't automatically roam and have to "select" between broadband and LMR, and it takes anywhere from 45-90 seconds for a subscriber to go thru the registration process, at least on the XL radios we demoed.

I am not a fan of using a cellphone for life safety communications. Maybe Verizon has a purpose built LTE PTT device suited for this that may be affordable enough to put in every patrol car?

 

[jeepsandradios]

Have you reached out to the folks on the system your using to see if they have SC ? Until you specifically talk to the system administrators you dont know.

 

[sampsondeputy]

Have you reached out to the folks on the system your using to see if they have SC ? Until you specifically talk to the system administrators you dont know.

What is SC?

 

[KevinC]

What is SC?

Smart Connect.

 

[sampsondeputy]

Smart Connect.

Thanks for the suggestion. It is our understanding it’s not allowed on the state system. This is why we were looking avenues to accomplish something similar over our conventional system.