The Silicon Valley Radio Interoperability Project provided requirements analysis, system specifications, alternative funding possibilities, and a Request for Proposal for a state-of-the-art radio interoperability and data integration system for 18 stakeholders in Santa Clara County California.
YES Inc. developed the voice and data radio implementation alternatives with emphasis on future technology and interoperability possibilities. YES performed two major tasks as consultant to the prime contractor. The first of these tasks was to conduct an assessment of future public safety radio trends as they impact the Bay Area. This included identification of all the radio technologies that may be potentially applicable, a critical assessment of these technologies, and recommendation of technologies to be included in long-term radio planning and future investment.
Voice and data radio as well as convergence possibilities for the two were described. In each case the plans of the major traditional public safety radio vendors (Motorola, M/A-COM, and EF Johnson) and were mapped in detail followed by advanced technologies such as 802.11, 3G commercial, 4G development, 802.16e, 802.20, and Project MESA. Particular attention was given to support for interoperability, especially the emergence of products incorporating IP-based gateways and processing. A number of current and forthcoming IP-based interoperability offerings were evaluated for their relative strengths and weaknesses. The impact of FCC re-farming (migration to narrower channels) and 800 MHz re-banding (segregation of public safety from cellular carriers, primarily Nextel) were also assessed.
The second task was to provide a white paper summarizing the potential offered by the transfer of 50 MHz of spectrum above 4.9 GHz from Federal use to public safety. The paper included investigation of applicable technologies in the near-term and in the future and a discussion of planned vendor offerings, as they are known at this time. Potential operational utilization of this spectrum was also addressed.