Public Safety Mobile Communications Plan November 6, 2003

1. Public Safety Mobile Communications Plan November 6, 2003

2. WyoLink Program • Began in October of 2002 • Goal was to develop an actionable plan • Driven by practicality of both technology and economics • Hallmark of this program was its highly interactive nature

3. Overall Methodology • Establish program governance • Project Team providing overall guidance • Steering Committee with representatives from State, local, Federal organizations • Retain a consulting firm • Via competitive procurement • Incorporate best practices • Engage stakeholders • Interviews and surveys • Feedback and reports

4. Federal Engineering, Inc. • Nationwide consulting firm • Founded in 1983 • Specializing in state & local governments • Emphasis on rural America • Diverse technology experience • Wired and wireless systems • Voice, data, and video • Certified independence

5. FE State PSMR Projects • Montana • Nebraska • North Dakota • South Dakota • Tennessee • Wyoming

6. FE Local PSMR Projects • Counties • Contra Costa, California • Troupe County, Georgia • Campbell County, Wyoming • Cities • Nashville, Tennessee • Virginia Beach, Virginia • LaGrange, Georgia

7. Federal Engineering Philosophy • Driven by user needs • Not technology • Resist vendor hyperbole • One size does not fit all • Public safety systems are similar, but… • Specific user group needs are unique • Economic viability • Infrastructure sharing • Cost of replacement/upgrade/maintenance • Ideal systems rarely if ever get built

8. Phase I – Understanding Needs • FEClientNet web based survey • Cast a wide net • Collect information on today’s systems • 72 diverse groups responded • Numerous personal interviews • Group meetings • Individual agency interviews • Site visits • Defined short and long term needs • Infrastructure, coverage, interoperability • Shortfalls in today’s systems

9. Phase I Findings

10. Phase II – Develop Recommendations • Issued a Request for Information • Latest technical and pricing info • Six vendors responded • Synthesized three viable alternatives • VHF, and 800 MHz, and “do-nothing” • Follow-up surveys to refine database and determine impact of do-nothing approach • Analyzed the alternatives • Meet requirements • Technical benefits and lifecycle costs

11. Alternatives Determined Not Viable • VHF low band • High interference and skip • No new development and no APCO Project 25 • 220 MHz narrowband • Low power and limited coverage • Very limited PS features • Poor performance typical of AM • UHF • Less coverage to VHF hi-band • Low data rates

12. Alternatives Determined Not Viable • 700 MHz • Limited equipment available today • Coverage inferior to VHF (similar to 800 MHz) • 900 MHz • Limited range and poor coverage • Primarily used for data • Non-licensed therefore no protection • 4.9 GHz • Very limited range • Few manufacturers • Primarily intended for fixed data

13. Other Technologies Rejected • Non-trunked systems • Limited channel sharing • No virtual talk groups • No channel efficiencies • No backup channels • Cellular • High usage costs • Incomplete statewide coverage (at carrier’s discretion) • Lack of availability during crisis • Limited broadcast capability

14. Other Technologies Rejected • Satellite • Very high usage costs • Limited PS features • Software defined radios • Future technology projected to be expensive • Not needed if WyoLink is adopted • Cross-patching • Does not address FCC narrowband issue • Lacks modern features • Operationally cumbersome • Limited interconnect capacity

15. Extensive Coverage Analyses • Modeled coverage of over 550 State, local, and Federal Government tower sites • Ran analyses at both VHF and 800 MHz • Both mobile and portables • Rural and city • Most cost effective solution • 57 existing and planned WyDOT sites • Interconnected via upgraded WyDOT microwave

16. 800 MHz vs VHF Considerations • Dispelling the myths • Both frequency bands can be engineered for the same performance • Identical features are available in both frequency bands • In-building coverage can be designed to be the same for both frequencies • The real issues are • Capacity requirements • Availability of frequencies • Interoperability with existing systems • Practical economics

17. Recommended Alternative • VHF (150 MHz) frequency band • Coverage increase from 83% to 94% • Maximizes existing infrastructure • Sufficient frequencies available • 20 additional voting receiver sites to improve portable coverage • P25 digital trunked radios • 5,000 mobiles; 6,300 portables • Casper and Cheyenne • Interoperability being addressed • Costs included in WyoLink

18. Major System Features • Full interoperability across all participating State, local, and Federal agencies • existing Casper & Cheyenne 800 MHz systems • "mutual aid" functionality for those who may wait or decline to participate in WyoLink • Improved statewide mobile coverage from 83% to 94% • Full compatibility with the current and emerging APCO standards

19. Major System Features (cont’d) • State-of-the art technology • digital radios • trunking to improve efficiently and talk groups • encryption, low-speed data, and AVL as needed • Increased capacity through the addition of new channels • Improved reliability and disaster recovery capabilities • Replacement of aging radio infrastructure and the addition of multiple control points

20. Alternatives Rejected • 800 MHz • Would require over 200 sites to achieve the same coverage • Interference problems coming to Wyoming • More expensive with limited benefit • Do-nothing • Significantly more expense • Fosters growing interoperability problems • Reduce ability for technology refresh

21. Projected Economics

22. A Plan to Build On • This is not just another study • Provides analysis of best alternatives • Recommends a viable solution • Understands and resolves differing user needs • Leverages existing State and local assets where feasible • Fosters stakeholder support • Will result in reduced life cycle costs

23. For More Information Contact Ronald F. Bosco Federal Engineering, Inc. 10600 Arrowhead Drive Fairfax, VA 22030 703-359-8200 Rbosco@fedeng.com