Complied List of Jurisdictions Planning New Radio Systems

[maus92]

I noticed that Montgomery County is purchasing Motorola CAD and E911 telephone systems, and looks like Motorola will also provide a RMS (at least for law enforcement.) Is this a response to compatibility problems integrating Motorola radio / consoles with third party software systems like AACo experienced with Tiburon CAD / records management system?

Also, what exactly in included with E911 telephone systems that make them unique? Is Verizon getting out of that business?

 

[DisasterGuy]

AA was a different beast. Just about any CAD vendor can interface to Motorola out of the box. Motorola is about the most expensive CAD/RMS that money can buy. The only E911 piece that Motorola owns is a small company they purchased a year or two ago called Emergency Call Works.

Regarding Verizon, they did historically lease CPE to 911 centers and everyone but PG used them for service using the VESTA platform currently owned by Airbus DS. Verizon announced a couple years ago they were getting out of 911 CPE and while most jurisdictions are sticking with Airbus VESTA platforms there are other companies now selling and providing the service contracts. Carousel is the largest in terms of contracts in MD.

Verizon desires to stop legacy (E911) services in the next couple years as well however the state has yet to release an RFP for an ESINET provider to transition to NG911.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[boatbod]

I'm curious why more counties aren't just hopping onto FiRST or one of the other 'statewide' systems. When I worked in NC many municipalities were joining the VIPER network and the ability to talk with most anyone in the state was a big plus (not to mention not having to support your own system). Why not here in MD?

As noted by the OP, Talbot will be transitioning to FiRST, but not until they complete the construction of their new dispatch center and it's new CAD system and up to date radios. The most optimistic timeframe for that is July/August 2016. Maybe it'll be operational before the end of the year?

As I understand it, Talbot (and probably other jurisdictions) dispatch boards simply aren't capable of interworking with FiRST. During the recent UESC radio outage, we were able to use statewide Fire TAC TGs, but interoperability with Talbot Center was primitive; I think a couple of dispatchers were assigned portable/mobile unit radios.

Moving a county wholesale to a new radio system is a complex and costly undertaking. Certainly there is benefit to using existing infrastructure, but if you already have a reliable system then where is the incentive to change until some external factor forces your hand?

 

[DisasterGuy]

The only counties that have expressed a desire to go on FiRST are Kent, Caroline, Queen Annes, Talbot, Allegany and possibly Garret. All other counties are maintaining and/or building their own systems.

Wicomico has a contract pending with Motorola for a new Phase 2 P25 system. Worcester and Ocean City are transitioning their seperate but regional EDACS systems to demarcated but joined regional Harris P25 with ability for Somerset to join the region (with their own seperate but regionally networked system). Dorchester will almost definitely do a standalone P25 transition. Cecil is doing their own standalone P25 transition. Do not expect any further expanded use of FiRST by counties.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[boatbod]

The only counties that have expressed a desire to go on FiRST are Kent, Caroline, Queen Annes, Talbot, Allegany and possibly Garret. All other counties are maintaining and/or building their own systems.

Wicomico has a contract pending with Motorola for a new Phase 2 P25 system. Worcester and Ocean City are transitioning their seperate but regional EDACS systems to demarcated but joined regional Harris P25 with ability for Somerset to join the region (with their own seperate but regionally networked system). Dorchester will almost definitely do a standalone P25 transition. Cecil is doing their own standalone P25 transition. Do not expect any further expanded use of FiRST by counties.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

So much for having statewide interoperability.:roll:

 

[DisasterGuy]

You don't need to be on the same system to have interoperability, only to adhere to interoperable standards and policies. For many jurisdictions, the cost to build their own systems with in-building coverage was less (significantly so in some cases) than the cost of joining the State system that is designed only for on-street coverage.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[maus92]

So much for having statewide interoperability.:roll:

I guess it depends on what level of "interoperability" is required / desired. If the equipment that is being acquired is P25, then that will allow at least a basic level of service. But will jurisdictions share keys to enable a deeper level of interoperability? Sharing resources with ISSI / or similar technology? Localities being on the FiRST system certainly lessens some management overhead, and might enable some technologies and techniques that would otherwise be unobtainable for smaller jurisdictions (compared to Montgomery County's $110M rebuild.)

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

So much for having statewide interoperability.:roll:

Public Safety radios throughout the state should be programmed with the FiRST MD-Call & Statewide Tac Channels if they have radios that are capable of operating on FiRST. This will allow interoperability throughout the state. During large scale events or incidents, operations can be utilized on these talkgroups and if need be patched into other talkgroups or systems.

 

[riveter]

Disaster and his colleagues in that part of the state are not, I say again, absolutely not ignoring those needs and those good practices that form the backbone of day-to-day interop and intercommunication.

Over and over, the lower eastern shore proves itself a model of networked communication and cooperation between federal, state, and local agencies that I hardly see paralleled elsewhere in the state despite good efforts here and there. Don't fret.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

I know Wicomico was in RFP earlier this year, did they ever select a vendor?

 

[DisasterGuy]

Wicomico notified bidders a week or two ago that they selected Motorola turnkey.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

Wicomico notified bidders a week or two ago that they selected Motorola turnkey.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Thank you!

 

[troymail]

Cecil has an application for five 800 MHz P25 Phase II frequencies:

ULS Application - PubSafty/SpecEmer/PubSaftyNtlPlan,806-817/851-862MHz,Trunked - 0007272639 - CECIL, COUNTY OF

Dave

Looks like they got 'em....

ULS License - PubSafty/SpecEmer/PubSaftyNtlPlan,806-817/851-862MHz,Trunked License - WQXX275 - CECIL, COUNTY OF

 

[Mark]

Looks like they got 'em....

ULS License - PubSafty/SpecEmer/PubSaftyNtlPlan,806-817/851-862MHz,Trunked License - WQXX275 - CECIL, COUNTY OF

Ok excellent.,was told they were also going to get some 700MHZ freqs as well to blend with the new 800MHZ freqs like Chester County Pa does or will those come from FiRST?

 

[troymail]

Ok excellent.,was told they were also going to get some 700MHZ freqs as well to blend with the new 800MHZ freqs like Chester County Pa does or will those come from FiRST?

Doubt they'd be FiRST frequencies. Checking ULS and CAPRAD, I don't see any 700's for Cecil (yet). However, if they are really P25 Phase 2 on day one, they already will have 8 talkpaths on the 5 800's they have (which appears to be equivalent to what Cecil has today).

 

[Mark]

One other question I have is in the license for 2 fixed locations are all located in far North and West
in the County.. Are these 2 locations just new fixed additions or more to come?

 

[troymail]

One other question I have is in the license for 2 fixed locations are all located in far North and West
in the County.. Are these 2 locations just new fixed additions or more to come?

Might be planned new tower sites - the license is likely just a placeholder.

 

[Mark]

Might be planned new tower sites - the license is likely just a placeholder.

OK Thanks,yes Cecil County currently has known documented coverage problems in those same areas.. Was told new system would use total of 8 sites..
Couple current fixed locations are receive only and assume they may want to change that as well.

 

[DisasterGuy]

Fairhill and JFK are both sites on the current system and represent the envelope for establishing 40db contours for coordination (though I would have expected to cecilton included in the filing for that same reason. They have not yet gone to bid for the system so final determination of sites will be based on the winning vendors design.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[tolley]

Dorchester

Due to budget constraints Dorchester will be maintaining the current Motorola system but has applied for a grant to purchase new radios which will operate on the FIRST system so they can maintain interoperability with neighboring jurisdictions.