Whitepaper: Exploring the Many Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities of Land Mobile Radio Systems

In the wake of high-profile cyberattacks on public-safety agencies, it's crucial to understand the vulnerabilities of land mobile radio (LMR) systems. Our whitepaper explores these risks and offers actionable strategies to

Catch the Funding Wave — Here’s How to Leverage Federal Broadband Infrastructure Grants

Bridging the digital divide, i.e., bringing broadband communications capabilities to Americans living in unserved/underserved areas of the country—typically in rural outposts—has been a top priority of Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for many years.

How Licensees Can Protect Themselves When Unlicensed Users Enter the 6 GHz Band

In Summary: 

• Last year, the Federal Communications Commission issued an order that enables unlicensed devices to share 1,200 megahertz (MHz) of spectrum in the 6 gigahertz (GHz) band. This whitepaper explores the potential impacts on public safety agencies and strategies for mitigating them.
• “Interference is going to happen,” says Mark Gibson, director of business development and regulatory policy for Comsearch. “The question is, what is going to be done about it?”
• The path an agency uses can take two very different tasks, and each has its unique advantages and disadvantages. The path an agency chooses will depend heavily on its financial and IT resources, whether it can be coalesce regional support, and the level of commitment it can and is willing to lend to the project.

Background

MCP's Support Helps Story County, Iowa Replace Obsolete Radio System

Story County's new temporary radio system has improved coverage, capacity, and reliability for users.

Episode 5: Alert and Warning Systems: A Primer

On-Demand Webinar: COVID-19: Maintaining Operations Remotely

Today’s public safety answering points (PSAPs) and emergency communications centers (ECCs) play a critical role in communities during normal times, but in times of crisis, their role becomes even more important. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its spread across the country, having a plan in place to support remote work for call takers and dispatchers to ensure ongoing operations is imperative. 

Maintaining Operations Remotely During a Public-Health Crisis

In Summary:

• As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, public safety, law enforcement and other mission-critical organizations need to prepare for the possibility of remote operations
• There are a number of options available to agencies for remote call-handling, computer-aided dispatch (CAD), and radio dispatch
• Which option makes the most sense for your agency to protect staff members from viral illnesses, like COVID-19, with minimal interruption to operations?

Implementing a Successful Public Safety Radio System Upgrade

In Summary:

• Every year, an estimated 240 million calls are received by 911 dispatchers across the United States. Once those calls are placed, the fast and accurate operation of two-way radio communications is essential to support the response. Often saving lives.
• As traditional technologies begin to reach end of life, it is critical that agencies take steps to implement new technologies to enhance their current emergency response operations.
• The process for upgrading or replacing an existing land mobile radio (LMR) system can seem daunting, but it does not have to be.

Developing an RFP for Your Radio System Upgrade or Replacement

In Summary:

• A radio system upgrade or replacement project does not need to be daunting or overwhelming
• Obtaining a new system through the request for proposals (RFP) process allows agencies to select a best-of-breed solution, ultimately yielding better results
• Any RFP should have the same standard elements, but not customizing your RFP to your project could result in proposals for unnecessary work, extra costs and, ultimately, a project that does not meet goals or expectations

On-Demand Webinar: How to Prepare for Florida House Bill 441

On July 1, new legislation went into effect in the state of Florida that has major implications for public safety agencies. The legislation — HB 441 — introduces stringent requirements for public safety answering points (PSAPs) relating to radio and E911 communications.

How Relocation of T-Band will Affect Public Safety

In Summary:

• Public safety licensees in some of the nation's top metropolitan areas that currently operate in the T-Band will need to transition their land mobile radio (LMR) systems before 2023.
• The FCC will reallocate this spectrum via auction as part of the enactment of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.
• Agencies with LMR systems currently on the T-Band face considerable challenges in transition those systems in advance of the 2023 deadline.

This whitepaper discussed the challenges that agencies face during the transition from the T-Band, provides a transitional timeline and offers tips and information for making the transition.

A Blueprint to Help Public Safety Organizations Understand Their Environments

 In Summary:

• For public safety officials, the task of monitoring and assessing the myriad technological and operational factors that determine the center's success or failure is a big, complicated and time-consuming job.

• Leaders need help understanding where their centers stand regarding factors such as cybersecurity, IT and networks, next generation 911 (NG911), staffing, and more.

• MCP's Model for Advancing Public Safety^SM, also known as MAPS^SM, is a proprietary assessment program that helps assess a program against standards, best practices, and the collective knowledge of MCP's 115+ specialized public safety professionals.