Public-safety groups endorse LTE for 700MHz

WASHINGTON, USA: Three public-safety organizations have endorsed LTE (Long Term Evolution) as the favoured technology standard most suited to the development of a nationwide interoperable broadband network in the 700 MHz.

National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC), Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and the Executive Committee of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) endorsed LTE recently.

LTE is a standard capable of supporting public safety needs for voice, video and data communications with high bandwidth and low latency, which can significantly improve firstresponder access to mission-critical communications using bandwidth-hungry applications.

Ron Bonneau, president, NENA, said: “The performance and capabilities of LTE represent a means by which the public safety community can effectively plan to deploy broadband services to the field.”

Chris Fischer, president, APCO International, said: “Deciding at the outset on a standard to build upon will give public safety the ability to immediately focus on crucial issues such as infrastructure build out and roaming access while embedding cost saving measures in the process as a single standard is used from the outset.”

NPSTC's Chair Ralph Haller, said, "This action by the Governing Board establishes a platform for the nationwide 700 MHz network while supporting the concept of local deployment. It also brings the certainty that is needed by the carriers and equipment manufacturers to allow the public safety community to take advantage of economies of scale, bringing the network closer to a reality."