The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate, the District of Columbia (D.C.), and ISCO International, Inc. [ISO], are partnering to field a communications pilot program with D.C. government to demonstrate how to connect existing wireless radio systems with advanced broadband technologies such as laptop computers and smart phones.
The Radio Over Wireless Broadband (ROW-B) project will use ISCO’s Clarity Public Safety solution to create an interoperable solution between radio and broadband systems.
“The ROW-B pilot represents an important milestone in our efforts to advance interoperability progress,” David Boyd, director of S&T’s Command, Control and Interoperability Division, said in a statement last week. “The capability to communicate among radio and broadband system users will significantly improve emergency response operations by allowing non-radio users to communicate with response units in the field.”
DHS says that in addition to traditional, handheld or vehicle mounted radios, emergency responders more and more are using separate, wireless broadband systems to communicate. Wireless broadband services are often supplied by a commercial cellular supplier. Radio and broadband systems are not designed to communicate with each other.
The ROW-B pilot began in July to connect the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer’s existing land mobile radio system, which are wireless radio systems that are either handheld or vehicle mounted, with broadband devises using the Bridging Systems Interface. This will allow a single user to reach multiple users through talk groups on a city- operated broadband network, DHS says.
The ROW-B pilot will also used Geographic Information System technology to identify the location of other vehicles, equipment and responders.