2019-08-08

PSTA Releases Initial Industry and Public Safety Recommendations on LMR/LTE Inoperability

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

The PSTA Board of Directors announced the release the 'Land Mobile Radio (LMR)/Long Term Evolution (LTE) Interoperability Technical Subcommittee report', which includes the initial PSTA recommendations for public safety and industry.

The LMR/LTE Interoperability Subcommittee was established to identify integration protocol standards suitable for public safety users operating across LMR and Broadband Push-to-Talk (PTT) using any wireless broadband technology.

The Subcommittee’s recommendations are being made based on input and ongoing discussion between and among PSTA industry and public safety membership and have been formulated leveraging this industry and public safety expertise as well as publicly available standards and related information.

“After a thorough examination and review of several open standard LMR protocols, the PSTA LMR/LTE Interoperability subcommittee has identified the P25 Digital Fixed Station Interface (DFSI) as best suited to meet our primary goals,” said LMR/LTE Interoperability Subcommittee member Randy Richmond, JVCKENWOOD.

“Cost of implementation is always an important consideration in public safety and the subcommittee decided on DFSI as the primary recommendation from the PSTA because it is an affordable solution that fills the stated need for a viable and broad open standard” added LMR/LTE Interoperability Subcommittee member Andy Seybold.

Additional input from public safety and industry are welcome on these and future recommendations.

“It is critical to have seamless voice communication between legacy LMR systems and public safety LTE based communications as we see more and more first responders relying on LTE each day,” noted Chief Jeff Johnson, PSTA Board Member.

As PSTA considers additional, relevant, information provided within the LMR/LTE Interoperability Subcommittee, it will update its recommendations as necessary. The current report version will be posted on the PSTA website (www.pstalliance.org) and will be open and accessible to the public.

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