Telecom Group Warns on Voice Radio

Facing a pair of common misconceptions about public safety communications, a national group has posted a layman’s explanation of why first responders can’t rely on cellular telephones for primary communications, and why the future broadband network won’t work for mission-critical voice. The posting by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) comes as scores of public safety agencies are upgrading their radio networks, and the federal government is leading an effort to create a nationwide wireless broadband data network. Both projects have generated questions by politicians and the general public about alternate ways of providing wireless voice communications for law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies. Specifically, some outside public safety believe that cellular networks could be used instead of push-to-talk radios, saving the expense of buying and operating individual agency radio systems. Some also believe that the wireless broadband network being created by FirstNet might support voice communications. In its posting, NPSTC’s  bullet point focus on the need for priority access, group communications, high reliability and security and the lack of current LTE technology to provide those features on a wireless network. The group warned public officials at all levels, “to not abandon or stop funding their public safety LMR systems,” believing that the broadband network will take over for their radio system.” Download (pdf) the full NPSTC explanation here.