NTIP/SWIP Projects Support Public Safety Radio Communications Systems in Montana

1. NTIP/SWIP Projects SupportPublic Safety Radio Communications Systems in Montana NTIP Draft Baseline System Design August 31 & September 2, 2004

2. Northern Tier Project

3. Critical Success Factors • Continue to recognize individual agency autonomy and the need for flexibility • Provide local access to public safety communications support and information resources • Provide for long-term project funding and increased funding for ongoing maintenance and support • Commit to long-term interagency participation • Align local strategies with the statewide design • Commit to advanced voice and data technologies

4. User Need Based Design

5. Coverage Wide area coverage Reliable Jurisdictional Coverage Reliable In-Building Coverage Reliability Equipment Reliability Network Reliability System Support and Maintenance Security Secure Communications Security from System Disruption Interoperability Mutual Aid Roaming System Support Operational Support Maintenance Support Requirements - Voice Communications

6. Coverage Wide Area Coverage Jurisdictional Coverage Reliability Equipment Reliability Network Reliability Application Reliability System Support and Maintenance Interoperability Back End Interconnection Roaming System Support Operational Support Maintenance Support Requirements - Data Communications

7. Requirements - Interconnection • Radio Site Backhaul • Network Interconnection • Interagency Communications • Reliability • Capacity • Standards • System Support

8. Baseline System Design

9. Baseline Sub-System Designs • Voice Communications System • Paging System • Data Communications System • Interconnection System

10. Voice Communications Fundamentals • VHF High Band • Compatibility with Existing Systems • Optimized Coverage • Interoperability with federal agencies • Interoperability with adjacent states • Use of Trunking Where Appropriate • Channel efficiency • Operational flexibility • Cost effective implementation • Project 25 Digital • Advanced feature set • Interoperability • Narrowband ready

11. Voice Communications-Paging • VHF Paging on Dispatch • Analog operation on dual mode channels • UHF Paging • When available • Common Frequency Statewide • Reduction of Contention for Channel • Long Term Support • No paging support on P25 and Trunking

12. Voice Communications - System Design Hybrid System • Wide Area Trunking • 10 to 15 sites • Conventional Sites in Each County • 10 Counties • Integrated Trunked Systems in Population Centers • Kalispell Area/Flathead County – 3 to 5 Sites • Havre Area/Hill County – 2 to 3 Sites

13. System Diagram Trunked Wide Area Site Conventional County Site Trunked County Site Trunked Wide Area Site Trunked County Site Conventional County Site Trunked Shared Site Trunked Wide Area Site

14. Wide Area System Diagram

15. Wide Area System Detail

16. Local Area System Diagram

17. Data System Design Issues • Current desire for data services • Rapid evolution of data technology • Montana State standard DataTAC system • State-of-the-art dedicated data system • Shared P-25 data/voice operation • High cost of ubiquities data system coverage

18. VHF P25 Data System Design • Provides 9600 BPS data transfer • Relatively low capacity data • Shared channels with voice communications • Overlay design requires no additional sites or transmitters • Low cost implementation • Rapid deployment for data evaluation

19. VHF P25 Data System Diagram

20. UHF Dedicated Data System • RD-LAP (DataTAC) Data System • Expansion of current DataTAC systems implemented elsewhere in the State • Compatibility with existing system and terminals • Not fully IP compliant • Becoming an obsolete technology • Leverages existing investment • Dedicated High Speed Data System • State-of-the-art replacement for current DataTAC systems • Fully IP compliant • Not compatible with existing system and terminals • Leverages new technology

21. Dedicated Data System Diagram

22. Data Communications – System Design • P25 Wide Area Data where appropriate • Evaluate DataTAC vs. new technology data • Expansion of dedicated data system • Standardized IP network architecture

23. Interconnection – System Design • Digital Microwave Backbone • Use of Public Utility Digital Connections • Where high reliability can be assured • Fiber Connections • Where microwave paths may not be cost effective • Long Backhaul Spurs • Common T-Carrier Standards • Consistent Network Interface

24. Interconnection System Diagram

25. Next Steps • Cost estimate development • Estimated schedule development • Prioritized implementation plan • Match implementation to funding • Refinement of design • RFP development

26. Project 25 Standards • It is the only viable standard for Public Safety Mobile Radio communications • Promotes vendor independence • It provides a broad range of system implementation options • From simple conventional to complex trunking systems • Supports simplex, repeater, trunking, simulcast, etc • P25 has been developed and endorsed by the Public Safety community including • APCO (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials) • NASTD (The Association for Telecommunications & Technology Professionals Serving State Government) • P25 complies with FCC narrowbanding requirements • It provides both digital and legacy analog operation • Does not obsolete existing equipment • Will not be obsolete in the near future • Allows for operation on analog mutual aid channels

27. Project 25 Standards • It complies with DHS/SAFECOM recommendations • P25 has been strongly recommended or required in many Federal grant programs • P25 is the Interoperability standard for Federal systems • It is the only multi-vendor standard for features above basic PTT (push to talk) • Emergency call, encryption, trunking, etc • It provides easy migration to higher feature systems without coverage or feature loss, while maintaining vendor independence • Market prices are being driven down and product selection is expanding as additional vendors start manufacturing P25 compliant equipment • Additional vendors have indicated they will be releasing P25 products in the near-term further lowering prices

28. Alabama Alaska Colorado Georgia Kentucky Michigan Minnesota Montana New Hampshire North Dakota South Dakota Virginia Wyoming State Wide P25 Recognizing the benefits, many states have either selected or mandated P25 as their Public Safety mobile radio standard including: Other states are seriously considering, or are in the process of moving to P25 as their standard.