APCO & NENA Endorse Long Term Evolution (LTE)

APCO & NENA Endorse LTE as Technology Standard for the Development of Nationwide Broadband Network – The Board of Officers of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and the Executive Committee of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) today announced both organizations’ endorsement of Long Term Evolution (LTE) as the technological standard to be used in the development of a nationwide interoperable broadband network in the 700-MHz band assigned to public safety. APCO and NENA also urged their partner organizations meeting this week at the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council to join in endorsing LTE.

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 first-responder access to mission-critical communications using bandwidth-hungry applications. Further, LTE’s all-IP architecture, spectral efficiency, and bandwidth flexibility will improve overall network economics. Coupled with economies of scale to be gained as commercial carriers build networks in this spectrum, it is anticipated that public safety will reap substantial benefits by adopting LTE as the standard for its nationwide interoperable network from the start by capitalizing on research and development currently underway.

“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,” said NENA President Ron Bonneau.

“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,” said APCO International President Chris Fischer.

A national, interoperable network is necessary to interrupt the current cycle of a patchwork of systems with varying degrees of capability, inconsistent levels of interoperability, inefficient use of spectrum, and the lack of a competitive open marketplace for radio equipment. The technical specifications available via LTE will help public safety reach these goals.

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