APCO Global Alliance

Policy Statement - 4th Generation (4G) Broadband Technologies
for Emergency Services

The partner associations of the APCO Global Alliance assert that new 4G networks will enable powerful and innovative solutions for protecting the public by providing emergency services worldwide with real-time information, control, reliability, security and performance that are at the core of mission-critical information and communications technology (ICT). Advanced 4G systems’ cellular services will provide a comprehensive and secure IP-based mobile broadband network solution for wireless data, video, and voice communications for emergency services worldwide.

The partner associations of the APCO Global Alliance recognize that Long Term Evolution (LTE) is emerging as the leading standard in 4G technology; being adopted worldwide by the largest mobile communications service providers. Since LTE is a global standard, it is capable of providing emergency service agencies and governmental organizations with a cost-effective way to meet their broadband communications needs and one that gives them a greater selection of devices and applications — a capability that has been sought for years.

Further, LTE's all-IP architecture, spectral efficiency, and bandwidth flexibility will improve overall network economics. Coupled with economies of scale to be gained as commercial carriers build their own LTE networks, it is anticipated that emergency services worldwide will reap substantial benefits by adopting LTE as the global standard for emergency broadband networks from the start by capitalizing on research and development currently underway.

Resolution – Global LTE Emergency Broadband Network

WHEREAS:

Emergency service agencies worldwide require greater anytime-anywhere access to information; and

WHEREAS:

New 4G broadband networks are being deployed worldwide by communications providers for consumer-based information services; and

WHEREAS:

The benefits of global standardization for emergency broadband networks will create a rich ecosystem of devices spurred by the standards-based designs, open intellectual property environments, commitments from chipset manufacturers, large communities of developers and interest from consumer electronics manufacturers; and

WHEREAS:

4G devices supporting critical emergency services will need to support many of the features and design considerations used today, including: one-to-many and device-to-device communications; high performance batteries, radio, antenna and audio; and ergonomics based on "high velocity human factor" industrial design; and

WHEREAS:

LTE is the 4G standard being deployed by many of the largest communications service providers worldwide; and

WHEREAS:

LTE technologies can be utilized globally to establish and operate all-IP based emergency communications broadband networks to access information anytime and anywhere; and.

WHEREAS:

Adoption of the LTE standard as the global 4G standard for emergency broadband services will increase the ability of the APCO Global Alliance to influence the development of LTE standards to support critical emergency services; and

WHEREAS:

A global market for LTE devices that support emergency services will reduce equipment costs, create economies of scale for manufacturing, and promote competition; hereby

BE IT RESOLVED:

That the partner associations of the APCO Global Alliance endorse LTE as the global standard for 4G emergency communications broadband networks.