Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Westmoreland County (PA) goes 800 MHz P25 Digital w/Motorola

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 20:39:56 -0500

Motorola Press Release

Westmoreland County (PA) 
Plans New Motorola Digital 
Communications System

Integrated Voice and Data Upgrade 
Enables Public Safety Agencies 
to Communicate Directly with Each 
Other for First Time

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.

January 20, 2003

Motorola (NYSE: MOT) announced today it has been awarded a contract by Westmoreland County
in Pennsylvania for a new, $12.46 million ASTRO® 25 trunked communications system that
will enable public-safety agencies countywide for the first time to communicate with each
other over a shared communications system. The system is part of Motorola’s extensive
portfolio of integrated communications and information solutions to address
mission-critical public safety and security requirements worldwide.

“We searched extensively for a communications system that would meet three criteria:
dramatically improve our radio coverage countywide, allow interoperability among our
agencies, and allow for uninterrupted and efficient information flow,” said Rich Matason,
Westmoreland County Director of Public Safety. “Motorola worked with us on designing a
system to do just that.”

Current radio communication in the county is poor, according to Matason. “Right now we’re
lucky if we can cover 40 to 60 percent of the county,” he said. “We have to deal with
numerous locations where reception is weak or non-existent with our existing system, which
is a mix of frequencies on three different radio bands. All users experience many ‘dead
spots’ where they simply cannot communicate back to the 9-1-1 Center with their portable
radios.”

Matason estimated the new system will almost double the current coverage in the
1,025-square-mile county.

“It not only greatly increases our coverage, but the reliability of that coverage,” he
said. “Computer projections have shown a reliability rate of between 90 and 95 percent for
both countywide coverage and coverage within buildings.”

The technology enables all agencies on the system to communicate directly with each other
over their portable and mobile radios. Talk groups within and among county agencies will
enable users from Fire, Police or EMS to communicate routinely with each other without
disturbing the others. In the event of an emergency, these users and different talk groups
can be instantly brought together, providing interoperability and coordinated responses. 

“We’ll be able to talk directly with all county public-safety and public service agencies
using one radio, something we’re not able to do now,” said Matason. “It’s critical in
helping protect our county’s 375,000 residents.” 

In addition, the technology is interoperable with other Motorola systems recently
installed in Pennsylvania, including Montgomery County, Bucks County and the city of
Philadelphia. One of the keys to interoperability for the Motorola 800 MHz ASTRO®
SmartZone® digital system planned for Westmoreland County is its compliance with the
Project 25 Standard. Project 25 is the functional and technical standard for public safety
digital systems adopted in 1995 by a consortium of two-way radio user groups to ensure
that public safety personnel would be able to communicate directly with each other.

The third requirement for integrated voice and data capability will also enhance
communications and response time, said Matason. Motorola’s Premier MDCä Message Switch and
associated client application will be installed in firehouses, police stations and EMS
agencies throughout the county. Premier MDC will tap into the ASTRO 25 integrated data
capability to provide users with real-time, wireless access to National Crime Information
Center (NCIC) data, maps, and state and local information databases. Radio information is
encrypted, enabling law enforcement officers to transmit securely and privately for the
first time.

“Arming policemen, firefighters and emergency medical responders out in the field with
this kind of vital information can make a huge difference in responding quickly to
mission-critical situations where every second counts,” said Matason. 

In addition to the need to replace aging technology, the county was facing the upcoming
loss of 12 frequencies on the 800 MHz band because of a Federal Communications Commission
mandate. The new Motorola system is designed to operate on the new 700 MHz public safety
frequency band, ensuring that Westmoreland County will be able to expand as the number of
users increases. 

The system is expected to have approximately 4,000 subscribers when it goes online in
2004, including 117 fire departments, 40 police departments, 25 EMS agencies, 12 agencies
in surrounding counties and all Westmoreland County public service agencies. The 25-site
system will have 12 channels and simulcast capability to enhance communication throughout
the county. As townships and agencies come online, they plan to purchase Motorola XTS
5000™, XTS 2500™ and XTS 1500™ digital portable radios.

“We worked closely as a team with Westmoreland County officials to identify their
communications requirements and public-safety issues, and were able to design a system
specifically tailored to help them relay mission-critical information as they respond to
routine and emergency calls,” said Mark Schmidl, Motorola Communications & Electronics,
Inc. vice president. “The capability should serve the county well for years to come.” 

About Motorola's Safety and Security Solutions

Motorola is a leading provider of integrated communications and information solutions with
65 years of experience in meeting the mission-critical requirements of public safety,
public service, government and enterprise customers worldwide. The company's extensive
public safety and security portfolio includes: interoperable two-way radio communications
solutions with encrypted security capabilities; command and control equipment and software
applications, including computer-aided dispatch, 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 systems, and automated
records management systems; identification and tracking solutions, including
palm/fingerprint and photo-imaging systems, as well as comprehensive information
management capabilities for criminal justice and civil needs; and physical security and
monitoring solutions, including remote monitoring and diagnostics.

http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,1958,2279_1861_23,00.html

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From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 14:54:46 -0500

From:  [email-masked].
Date:  Wed Jan 22, 2003  8:55 am
Subject:   Re: Westmoreland County (PA) goes 800 MHz P25 Digital w/Motorola

>In a message dated 1/22/2003 8:05:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, >[email-masked]
writes:

>That's my point exactly.  I have had to deal with several NPSPAC
>licensees who were goaded into licensing by vendors when channels
>first became available.  Now the FCC is "getting even" if they
>haven't started construction after one renewal - even with
>justification letters.

Getting even?  How long is a licensee supposed to be able to warehouse spectrum without
having to build it?  The licensee knows the rules when they acquire the channels.  Isn't
that unfair to anyone else in the area that wants to use the channels?  And if there ISN'T
anyone that wants to use the channels in that area, the licensee can simply cancel the
license and reapply.

Sorry, no sale here.

Alan T.