From Voice to Data: Building the Next Generation of Public Safety Communications in Germany

Why resilient public safety organizations depend on dedicated UHF spectrum and a future-proof transition beyond TETRA to mission-critical broadband communications.

Functional public safety organizations (BOS) are essential for a resilient state. To operate effectively, these organizations depend on reliable emergency communications. This raises a key question: how can public safety organizations ensure that their emergency communications — the backbone of their operations — remain highly reliable and available at all times when using a self-managed public safety broadband network?

Most emergency situations cannot be predicted or planned in advance, except for scheduled events. As a result, emergency communications must work reliably at all times, both for personnel in the field and in control centers, and across the entire country.

Without a robust, fail-safe, self-regulating, secure (eavesdropping-proof), standardized, and operationally suitable communications infrastructure, fire departments, rescue services, the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), and other disaster relief units, as well as federal and state police  , customs, and the German Armed Forces, will not be able to guarantee their operational readiness to the necessary extent in the future. Particularly in the areas of emergency care, hazard prevention, and law enforcement, with their diverse operational scenarios throughout Germany, the importance of broadband and modern transmission capabilities for large volumes of data is constantly increasing for emergency services. Whether it's casualty care, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, energy shortages, or hybrid threat and attack situations – the transmission of real-time data (e.g., video, images, telemedicine) plays an increasingly vital role in internal security and the protection of citizens.

A key prerequisite for meeting these internal security requirements in Germany is the use of dedicated and suitable frequencies by the public safety organizations (BOS). Only in this way can the successful history of the shared infrastructure for communication among all public safety organizations (BOS) and thus for fulfilling their official duties be continued in a future BOS broadband network, fully in accordance with state sovereignty.

Can the TETRA frequencies not continue to be used?

The BOS's self-managed digital radio network, currently used by the public safety organizations and based on the TETRA standard, focuses—due to technical limitations—primarily on voice communication and is not capable of broadband data transmission. Furthermore, TETRA technology is nearing the end of its life cycle and can no longer contribute to the urgently needed further development of the communication capabilities of all public safety organizations. In addition, the frequency resources used in the TETRA digital radio network are too limited to establish and operate a modern, broadband voice and data communication system uniformly for all public safety organizations.

What is needed instead, and why?

To fulfill their daily tasks, it is essential that public safety organizations (BOS) are provided with alternative frequencies suitable for their purposes. A study by TÜV Informationstechnik GmbH (TÜV IT) has determined – also taking into account societal and technological changes – that public safety organizations require at least 60 MHz of frequency in the UHF band 470-694 MHz. It recommends allocating an internationally standardized frequency spectrum to public safety organizations for the long-term and needs-based provision of mission-critical communication services (MCx services).

The path from the current BOS digital radio network to a self-managed BOS broadband network is outlined in the Broadband Strategy for Public Safety Organizations (BOS), adopted in 2021 by the Administrative Board of the Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio (VwR) and the Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK), as well as in the Frequency Strategy based on this strategy and also adopted by the IMK and VwR of the BDBOS. The German Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio (BDBOS), the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), and the Conference of Ministers of the Interior (IMK) have formulated the primary allocation of a bandwidth of 60 MHz in the UHF band 470–694 MHz, specifically in frequency band 71.

The future use of this NR/E-UTRA operating band n71/71 (663–698 MHz for uplink paired with 617–652 MHz for downlink) is crucial for public safety radio because it is the only frequency band in the UHF band 470–694 MHz that has been standardized for global broadband communication by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)—a joint project of a group of telecommunications associations that develops specifications for third-generation (3G) mobile communication systems. This frequency band is already used for public mobile communications in the USA. Both of these factors mean that end devices and infrastructure technology are already readily available on the market.

The future use of this NR/E-UTRA operating band n71/71 (663–698 MHz for uplink paired with 617–652 MHz for downlink) is so important for public safety radio because it is the only frequency band in the UHF band 470–694 MHz that has been standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for global broadband communication. This project is a joint initiative of a group of telecommunications associations that develops specifications for third-generation (3G) mobile communication systems. In the USA, this frequency band is already in use for public mobile communications. Both of these aspects therefore indicate the existing market availability of end devices and infrastructure technology.

The federal and state governments are aiming for exclusive use of frequency band 71 as a so-called "government-only" band for mission-critical, sovereign applications. Currently, a concept for the UHF band is being developed across departmental levels at both the federal and state levels, outlining options and scenarios for an optimized allocation of UHF band usage. The objective is to achieve and ensure the efficient use of frequencies in the long term, meeting the frequency requirements of broadcasting, the military, and public safety organizations, as well as secondary users such as PMSE (Programme Making and Special Events – wireless transmission of audio and video at events), radio astronomy, and meteorology. The European Union's (EU) Mobile Critical Communication Group (MCCG), an expert group for mission-critical communications, also supports the "government only" approach for frequency band 71.

Federal-State Steering Committee UHF

The Federal-State Steering Committee UHF (BLLK) is a body that coordinates frequency usage in the UHF band between the federal and state governments. Representatives from the following federal ministries and states participate in the work of the steering committee, which is led by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs:

• Federal Ministry of the Interior
• Federal Ministry of Defence
• Federal Chancellery
• Federal Network Agency
• State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate
• State Chancellery of Thuringia (for broadcasting)
• Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior and Sport
• Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia (for the Conference of Interior Ministers).

International Perspective on the UHF Band 470-694 MHz

At the EU level, as well as during the quadrennial World Radiocommunication Conference (last meeting: 2023), multifaceted agreements are reached regarding the use of frequencies at the political, technical, and regulatory levels.

The positions held by EU member states regarding the future use of the UHF band 470-694 MHz are not uniform, even within the respective national interest groups for broadcasting, PMSE, PPDR (Public Protection and Disaster Relief), and mobile communications. This makes the creation of a flexible, future-oriented framework across the Union all the more necessary, one that considers the roles of the stakeholders and their requirements for their respective uses (a cooperative approach). The interest of some member states in frequency band 71 as a potential band for future PPDR broadband networks has already been registered with the EU's Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG).

The positions of some member states regarding frequency band 71 as a potential band for future PPDR broadband networks have already been recorded. National Considerations for the UHF Band 470-694 MHz

To ensure the operational capability of the public safety organizations (BOS) – and consequently to guarantee internal security within the EU and Germany – the implementation of the frequency strategy adopted by the Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK) is essential as a national task. At the national political and technical levels, the frequency requirements of the BOS in the UHF band are known and acknowledged by the heads of government and the Federal Government, extending beyond the IMK.

The current governing parties state in their coalition agreement their intention to take a position at the European level regarding the allocation of UHF frequencies: "When allocating UHF frequencies, we are committed to ensuring that all legitimate interests are taken into account at the European level."

Furthermore, the Federal Government recognizes the necessity of a dedicated frequency range in the UHF band 470-694 MHz for the BOS and thus for strengthening internal security: "The BOS digital radio system will receive improved funding and its own UHF frequency range."

Working Together for Frequencies

The BDBOS (Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio), the BMI (Federal Ministry of the Interior), and the federal states are working together at various national and international levels to successfully meet the legitimate and future-oriented frequency needs of all public safety organizations (BOS) in Germany. This commitment to frequencies in the UHF band is not an end in itself; it serves the independence from third parties and thus the functionality and resilience of all public safety organizations, enabling them to fulfill their sovereign duties in the area of ​​internal security in Germany in accordance with state sovereignty. And with the functionality of all public safety organizations, the resilient state, in turn, creates the conditions for a safe and secure social life for all its citizens.

Image: Courtesy of Polizei/Niedersachsen