What Is Public Safety Interoperability?

By Staff Writer

Recently there have been several stories describing what public safety interoperability is and how FirstNet users should “enjoy” the benefits of interoperable networks.  The authors apparently aren’t familiar with the history of public safety communications or how public safety interoperability has been established or defined in the past, but, regardless, they’ve missed the mark.  Interoperability isn’t about being able to access as many networks as possible; It’s about first responders being able to access a single network on a prioritized basis with cost effective devices that meet their complex mission critical needs.

Public Safety Interoperability is the ability to talk to who you need to talk to when you need to talk to them.  It is not a need to talk to everyone, all the time.  Recent definition of FirstNet public safety interoperability speaks to being able to communicate via multiple networks.  Public safety needs a network that can provide the coverage needed that prioritizes its first responders in how they access network resources.  Public safety doesn’t need or value access to multiple, disparate networks that introduce inconsistent performance instead of meeting first responder needs.

The Project 25 standard is a public safety standard was developed over 35 years ago resulting from an FCC inquiry to users and manufacturers in an effort to improve existing public safety communications capabilities and chart a course for an evolution from analog to digital public safety radio standards.  Project 25 was established to and succeeded in addressing the need for a common digital standard for first responders and emergency response entities.  The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) TR-8 Committee became the forum in which the standard would be developed and updated over the next couple of decades, and the Project 25 standard continues to evolve today with TR-8. 

Historically, the public safety community’s definition of “interoperability” resulted from the Project 25 Common Air Interface (CAI), a standardized digital voice interface that ensures interoperability between radios and infrastructure from different Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). This standard has resulted in public safety’s ability to leverage Subscriber Units from multiple Project 25 OEM’s to use in Project 25 networks.

At no time in the history of Project 25 has fixed, network infrastructure from multiple OEM’s been able to work together within a Project 25 system. Period.  Interoperability resulting from the use of Project 25 standards has solely been achieved with Subscriber Units that utilize the Project 25 CAI within the standard.  This has limited public safety’s ability to introduce any competition in Project 25 procurements when implementing Project 25 fixed infrastructure.  You purchase a network from a Project 25 vendor, and the fixed equipment comes from that single vendor.  The only flexibility or benefit derived from the standard is that that network can accommodate the operation of Subscriber Devices from multiple manufacturers using the Project 25 CAI.  All of the users you need to talk to can have access to your network, as needed, to facilitate interoperability.    With a handful of Project 25 equipment providers, the Department of Homeland Security Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (CAP) at this link shows the number of Subscriber Units that are certified to work on today’s Project 25 networks.  Approved Grant Eligible Equipment | Homeland Security

The inherent interoperability provided in the FirstNet single, nationwide network has over time developed the detailed, granular prioritization tools that public safety asked for and received for use during their mission critical incidents.  The network performs to the satisfaction of its users and since there is no requirements for those public safety agencies and users that are not happy with FirstNet’s performance, can choose to go elsewhere. To date over 1300 different devices can operate on the FirstNet network.  

Whether a user in in their home area or across the country, a single nationwide network provides the user with the degree of interoperability needed. FirstNet Interoperability is the operational and technical framework that provides the ability for user equipment from multiple manufacturers to work ubiquitously across a single nationwide broadband network providing universal, seamless, and secure communication between all public safety agencies, nationwide.

The moral of this story is;  When people change the definition of public safety interoperability, remember they are doing it for themselves, not for public safety.  We understand, develop and seek out the solutions that best meet our needs.