Subject: [NEXTEL-1] FW: Internet based Dispatch Radio

From: "Todd Ellis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 13:31:54 -0400

NRTC, Digital Wireless to Test Internet-based Dispatch Radio 

Design Allows for Advanced, yet User-Friendly Mobile Voice/Data Features 

NRTC has set in motion plans to offer its members a family of dispatch radio
products that use the Internet protocol (IP) to build wide-area wireless
voice and data wireless networks. Through a memorandum of understanding with
Digital <http://www.digitalwireless.com>  Wireless Corporation, based in Los
Angeles, NRTC has begun preparations to distribute that company's Internet
Dispatch Radio systems to its members. 

"No one else uses this type of technology. This is really leading-edge,"
said Steve Collier, NRTC's vice president, emerging technologies. And yet,
said Bill Saul, NRTC's director, wireless systems, all of the techniques of
the Internet Dispatch Radio system are proven and reliable. "The
extraordinary event is the combining of these technologies into a dispatch
radio system," Saul said. 

With a minimum infrastructure cost and recurring expense, the Internet
Dispatch Radio system provides advanced features and operational simplicity.
The system converts analog voice transmissions to digital IP packets,
similar to exiting voice over IP systems that consumers currently use. The
system then delivers the digitized voice on the Internet to form
peer-to-peer networks. From the field worker's perspective, the Web-based
system behaves like familiar analog two-way radio systems. 

An Internet approach facilitates wide area networks. Cooperatives that have
large areas to cover, and need two or more base stations or repeaters to
reach field crews with analog systems, would be able to cover the same area
by linking base stations to the Internet. In fact, companies that
communicate with field workers across the U.S. and the world can use the
same technology to coordinate their activities from a central dispatch
center. Radios also come with global positioning system (GPS) receivers
integrated into the mobile units so that utilities can track vehicles for
dispatch, security, and safety reasons. 

Current Internet Dispatch dual-band radios operate on many of the same
channels between 136 MHz and 520 MHz that rural utilities now use. Under the
company's agreement with NRTC, it will add capability to operate in the 220
MHz band. 

Digital Wireless Corporation will test the system over the next three months
with an NRTC-member cooperative. Following the test, NRTC hopes to finalize
the agreement and begin offering the wireless system to all members.