Need a little help…….
in planning
for mobile data services for your department?
Pursuant to many discussions with law enforcement professionals, we are
pleased to provide an overview of advanced wireless solutions to enhance the
efficiency of your department, service to the community, and safety of your
officers.
While
efficiency and community service are important, the safety of your officers is
of primary importance. The
following excerpt from the Cullman Times makes the point of the ever present
danger to your officers and the need to know where they are at all times.
The Cullman Times
Published on: 02-01-2003
HANCEVILLE -- A reserve police officer
for the city of Hanceville was listed in stable condition Friday night at a
Birmingham hospital after being wounded while attempting to make a routine
traffic stop on Stout's Mountain Road.
The benefits of advanced wireless
technology can generally be classified into the following areas:
1) Status
2) Location
3) Privacy
4) Data Exchange
5)
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
Knowing the status of every vehicle is a
vital component for more efficient deployment of resources.
As the technology moves toward integration of CAD, the requirement for
simplified non-voice reporting will become increasingly important.
The most common reporting routines are – Emergency, In-Pursuit,
Disabled, In-Service, Out-of-Service, Enroute, At-Scene, and At-Station. This
information can be sent at the touch of a button with a wireless status terminal
as well as up to 4 additional indications.
Location reporting is an important
element in terms of service to the community, administration efficiency, and
officer safety. In the past,
location reporting has been done by voice.
Obviously, there are some problems associated with this procedure.
The advent of GPS technology now allows a department such as yours to
KNOW where each vehicle is, where they have been, where they stopped and for how
long, as well as reports of all excessive speeds.
With location reporting, you can now tell a citizen or businessperson when a patrol was made in their neighborhoods with exact, verifiable precision. You can also monitor the activity of field officers for more efficient administrative control. Most importantly, and officer in trouble can send an alert message that provides present location information.
Privacy is an
additional consideration. Voice
communications are not secure from scanners.
Sophisticated scanners easily available at retail stores can decipher
even the best voice encryption systems.
The ability to
exchange communications in a data format is faster, more secure, and more
accurate than voice. Routine
license checks can be made with data capability, either directly from the
vehicle, or as a connection link to central dispatch.
Either procedure is significantly more efficient than voice
communications.
Lastly, a plan
for integrated mobile communications used in association with a Computer Aided
Dispatch (CAD) system can be accomplished when your future planning involves
data communications capability.
The
integration of data capability into your communications for your future planning
is based on four essential areas:
1)
Infrastructure (Message transfer and delivery system)
2)
Command and Control (Software)
3)
Dispatch facilities (PC’s, consoles, printers, etc.)
4)
Mobile terminals (Data exchange, GPS, etc.)
Engineers
generally make it sound more complicated, but the function of a mobile data
system is essentially one of sending and receiving information in a non-voice
format. There are several
basic systems currently available.
1)
Digital public networks (3G, GPRS, etc.)
2)
Analog private networks (CDPD, Cellemetry etc.)
3)
Private Wi-Fi Mesh networks (Suitable for large police departments)
4)
APCO 25 digital/analog private networks
5)
Private 800 MHz networks (Sometimes used by county wide agencies)
6)
Private high speed VHF or UHF networks (Antiquated technology)
7)
Private Wi-Fi networks (Technology is in a state of change)
8)
Private analog VHF or UHF networks (Suitable for text only)
As an
overview, digital public networks are efficient for small fleets within the
digital coverage area of providers such as Sprint or AT&T.
Typical connection speeds are less than 100K. Cost will average $60 monthly per mobile.
This cost is for connection only. No
equipment (GPS, data terminals etc.) is included.
Does not work in most rural areas. Typical cost for the dispatch software
will be approximately $1,500, plus the cost of an associated PC and a high speed
Internet connection.
Analog private
networks are well suited for use in both urban and rural areas.
Connection speed is 9.6K with cost being slightly less than the
aforementioned digital service. Well
suited for GPS and status reporting. Not
suited for 2-way text information or graphics.
Typical cost will average $50 per month per mobile with a dispatch
software cost of $1,500, an associated PC and a high speed Internet connection.
Wi-Fi Mesh
networks are the trend for larger departments with the City of Baltimore, MD
leading the charge. These systems
currently operate in the 2.4 GHz range with speeds of up to 11.0 megabits.
Technology is changing to 5.2 and 4.9 GHz range.
Smaller departments generally cannot justify the prices of a Mesh system.
A typical system with six transmitting locations will run around
$150,000. Each transmitting cell
has an operating radius of approximately 1 mile.
The highly
touted interoperability APCO 25 private network unfortunately is not delivering
what it promised – interoperability! In Alabama, we don’t know of a single
operation P25 operational system.
The benefits
presumed are compatibility with both analog and digital systems with a standard
operating system that can be offered by all manufacturers and provide both voice
and data service.
Perhaps it
can, but at a typical cost of $25,000 per station and $3,000 per mobile or
handheld device (excluding GPS and/or terminal capability), there have been few
takers. Alternate systems
such as the Motorola SmartNet and MA/COM EDACS have been equally unsuccessful. The price will have to come WAY down before this becomes a
practical technology, since the typical operating range is about half that of a
conventional analog system.
800 MHz
systems with connection speeds averaging 19.2K are pricey and technically
obsolete. Larger counties and some
cities will use these systems since they may already have an existing trunked
radio system that is capable of handling both voice and limited data on the
existing infrastructure. This is
not a good investment except where no other alternative exists. Typical
infrastructure cost for a single transmitter site will run around $150,000.
Each site will provide coverage for approximately a five-mile radius on
average.
Private
high-speed VHF and UHF systems have the same issues as the 800 MHz. Systems.
Specifically, a cost of over $2,500 per vehicle for the radio model and
speeds that effectively support only GPS and text make this technology a poor
choice. Typical infrastructure cost
for a single transmitter site will run around $150,000.
Private Wi-Fi
networks are getting a lot of attention by smaller communities.
Speeds of up to 11.0 Mbps are possible. With reasonable infrastructure
cost and inexpensive modems used with laptop computers, this technology is
moderately acceptable with current 2.4 GHz equipment. The changing trend toward the licensed 4.9 GHz
band for public safety makes the purchase of 2.4 GHz equipment a poor choice at
this time. 4.9 GHz equipment should
be on the market by the end of 2004. Typical
infrastructure cost with 6 Access points and associated router should run around
$60,000.
Private analog
networks can operate on standard VHF or UHF frequencies with speeds of up to
1.2K. These systems can support
GPS, status reporting, and limited text messaging.
Smaller departments would generally be advised to consider this
technology as best suited for current requirements as well as integration into a
CAD system. Typical single
transmitter cost with associated software should run around $10,000.
With the
exception of the public network systems, we have assumed communications between
the vehicle and dispatch point only. Direct
access to the Internet would require a high-speed broadband Internet connection.
Support of a fleet of up to six vehicles could likely be supported by a
128K connection (typical cost $50 - $75 per month) assuming no graphics or heavy
text use. Graphics and/or high
volume text use would generally require a T1 connection with cost ranging from
$1,000 to $3,500 per month depending on location and carrier provided.
Once having
chosen your desired infrastructure technology from the previous list, your next
consideration would be the choice of your mobile data terminal.
Actually, a mobile data terminal is a combination of the actual terminal
(think of it as a laptop PC), the modem (the thing that connects the terminal to
the radio network infrastructure), and the software required to make it work.
Let’s start with the cost of the mobile terminals:
1)
Fixed mobile terminal (such as DataLux)
– Typical cost $5,000
2)
Ruggedized laptop (such as Panasonic)
-
Typical cost $3,500
3)
Throwaway laptop (such as Dell)
-
Typical cost $1,000
4)
Status/Display terminal only (CES/Motorola) – Average $
700
Next we add
the cost of the modem:
1)
Public digital network (Sprint, AT& T etc.)
-
$ 200
2)
Public analog network (CDPD, Cellemetry) -
$1000
3)
Wi-Fi Mesh Network
-
$ 300
4)
APCO P25 Private Network
-
Unknown
5)
Private 800 MHz networks (DataRadio etc.)
- $3,500 (Includes
radio)
6)
Private VHF or UHF 19.2K networks
-
$2,500 (Includes radio)
7)
Private Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
-
$ 150
8)
Private VHF or UHF analog, 1.2K
-
$1,400 (Includes radio)
Now, add the
cost of the software. There is no
software cost on any of the private systems.
However to maintain connectivity on a public system, assume a cost of
$1,000 per vehicle plus a 15% annual service fee for software by companies such
as NetMotion. Now that you have a
good idea of our available choices for mobile terminals and the associated
hardware and software, let’s move on to the requirements at the dispatch
center.
Assuming that
at a minimum, you want status messaging and automatic vehicle location, we will
begin with the connection cost to the host PC (not included) at the dispatch
center.
1) Public digital network (Sprint, AT& T etc.)
- $75 per
mo for hi-speed Internet
2) Public analog network (CDPD, Cellemetry) -
$75 per mo for hi-speed Internet
3) Wi-Fi Mesh Network
- $75 per mo for hi-speed Internet
4) APCO P25 Private Network
- Unknown
5) Private 800 MHz networks (DataRadio etc.)
- $3,500 (Includes
radio)
6) Private VHF or UHF 19.2K networks
- $2,500
(Includes radio)
7) Private Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz
-
$75 per mo for hi-speed Internet
8) Private VHF or UHF analog 1.2K
- $1,400
(Includes radio)
You will also
need GPS maps. Generally, this will
include up to ten counties at a cost of around $1,000.
You will also
need status messaging software. Typical
costs are as follows:
