Steven W. Jennings, CIO Harris County ITC
}
}
}
}
}
Harris County operates an 800 MHz Motorola Multi-cast
SmartZone Regional Radio System that supports 33,000
users in 512 departments in the region, covering nine
(9) of the thirteen (13) counties in the HGAC region.
The system employs 23 tower sites utilizing over 230
channels.
The system is capable of operating in either analog or
digital mode. The digital system is still being built out
so it has limited capacity at this time.
Very limited expansion of the SmartZone 4.1 System
due to obtaining additional 800 MHz frequencies.
There are no more 800 MHz frequencies available in the
region, and the current system capabilities are near
capacity.
A backup master site is presently being built and is
expected to be online by end of October2007. This will
serve as our disaster recovery site should our main site
be rendered inoperable.
}
}
}
}
}
The current SmartZone 4.1 radio system does not
support 700 MHz channels and is not a P25 compliant
system.
Motorola SmartZone 7.X is the Project 25 compliant
system that uses 700 MHz radio channels as well as 800
MHz radio channels. Project 25 is the digital standard in
public safety radio communications.
Through DHS grant funds, Harris County has begun
implementing a Motorola SmartZone 7.X, P25 compliant
system that will support 700 MHz. The master site and
various sites have been installed and is on air.
This region has exhausted the pool of 800 MHz radio
channels, and 700 MHz is required to further expand
the Regional Radio System.
Region 51 will be submitting their 700 MHz Frequency
Plan to the FCC in the November time frame due to the
new FCC requirements and revamping our CAPRAD to
12.5KHz.
}
The FCC has allocated 24 MHz of spectrum
for public safety services at 764-776 MHz
and 794-806 MHz (referred to as the 700
MHz band). On August 6, 1998, the FCC
adopted a First Report and Order and Third
Notice of Proposed Rule Making that
established a band plan and service rules for
this spectrum.
}
Project 25 (P25) is a set of open standards for digital radio
communications systems for use by local, state, and federal
public safety agencies. Its goal is to enable interoperability
and mutual aid between agencies regardless of equipment
manufacturer.
}
P25 is being implemented in two phases:
◦ Phase I specifies the requirements for 12.5 kHz bandwidth operation.
Standards are complete in this phase and systems are currently being
deployed by manufacturers.
◦ Phase II -To improve spectrum efficiency, standards are being developed
to provide an equivalent of 6.25 KHz bandwidth operation. This will
effectively double channel capacity as compared to phase I.
}
The Department of Homeland Security has adopted
P25 as the radio communications platform that it
supports and grant funding considerations usually
require migrating to P25 compliant systems.
}
}
}
}
}
For many years, public safety radio systems operated in
the 800 MHz band with only occasional harmful
interference.
Public safety users began to encounter pockets of "dead
zones" within their coverage areas, where the signals
from commercial wireless systems overwhelmed the
sensitive public safety receivers.
The solution is reconfiguring the 800 MHz band. Under
this band reconfiguration, many 800 MHz public safety
and commercial mobile radio licensees will have to
move to another part of the 800 MHz band.
To ensure a smooth transition to the new 800 MHz
band plan, the relocation process will be managed by an
independent Transition Administrator (TA).
Harris County has begun aggressively planning to
transition to a new band plan. All radios in the Regional
Radio System will require reprogramming or
replacement to operate after the new band plan is
complete.
}
}
}
}
The Region’s overall strategy is to continue to integrate
all existing compatible radio systems/channels, into a
Regional Radio System for the purpose of
interoperability. This should encourage user agencies to
acquire and use appropriate radio equipment to access
the system.
The Regional Radio System is designed using a priority
based approach, giving all first responders the highest
priority regardless of agency. Using this approach, all
users share the same set of channels at a particular site.
The future of the Regional Radio System is in the
expansion of the SmartZone 7.X system. A migration
path must be established for moving from the existing
SmartZone 4.1 platform to the SmartZone 7.X platform,
and funding sources identified to achieve the migration.
The Regional Radio System SmartZone 7.X is currently
at version 7.1. Project 25 phase I.
Current ASTRO 25 System •Seven repeater sites Phase 1 •Add microwave radio connectivity to all existing SmartZone 4.1 and ASTRO 25 repeater sites. Phase 2 •Harris County (simulcast/multicast) •Brazoria County (simulcast/multicast)
·Chambers County (multicast)
·Fort Bend County (simulcast)
·Galveston County (simulcast/multicast)
·Waller County (multicast) Phase 3 Phase 4 •Liberty County (multicast) •Montgomery County (simulcast)
·Walker County (multicast) •Austin County (multicast) •Colorado County (multicast)
·Matagorda County (multicast)
·Wharton County (multicast)
}
}
}
}
Harris County has selected the Bunker Site in
Conroe, Texas, as the Disaster Recovery Center for
the Regional Radio System. This facility is located
approximately 50 feet under ground in a secure
bunker.
The Disaster Recovery Center will house the backup
Master Site for the Regional Radio System’s
SmartZone 4.1 System.
This site will also house the Master Site for the P25
SmartZone 7.X.
This site will be critical in the event that the region
experiences a natural or man made disaster. This
project contract with the Bunker started early
summer and we are presently in the construction
phase.
}
}
}
The Regional Radio System currently uses leased T1 and DS3’s to connect all tower sites and dispatch
centers into the Master Site. History has proved
that the weakest link in this system has been the
connectivity piece.
Licensed microwave is a proven solution for
connectivity. If designed properly it can provide
uninterrupted service which is critical in a public
safety systems.
A design of a microwave backbone for the Regional
Radio System has been performed by Motorola. The
result of this study is being incorporated into the
current development of the Regional Radio System.
The estimated cost to build out this microwave
backbone is $13MM. Funding is needed to begin
this implementation.
Texas Radio Coalition Coalition
}
City of Austin
◦ Rio Grande Valley
◦ Lower Colorado River Authority
}
}
}
East Texas Medical Center
DPS Dispatch Centers
Harris County Regional Radio
Discussions with other large private system private owners are underway. Seeking sustained infrastructure cost support, possible tax based
Bringing together Large Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System
Harris County Regional
System
Large Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN
East Texas Medical Wide Area Radio Network
Large Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN • Beaumont/Jefferson County Radio Network
The City of Beaumont, Jefferson County and Surrounding Region.
Large Systems in Eastern Eastern
• Harris County Regional Radio System • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN • Beaumont/Jefferson County Radio Network • Brazos COG
Brazos Councils of Governments Proposed Coverage
Large Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN • Beaumont/Jefferson County Radio Network • Brazos COG • Parker County
Parker County/P25 switch
Large Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN • Beaumont/Jefferson County Radio Network • Brazos COG • Parker County •North Central Texas Council Of Governments NCTCOG
20 Sites Proposed as a Interoperability Overlay
Conceptual Proposal For a
Collaboration between Large
Systems and proposed Systems Systems
• Harris County Regional Radio System/P25 • East Texas Medical Center TX­WARN/Upgrade P25 • Beaumont/Jefferson County Radio Network/Upgrade P25 • North Central Texas Council of Governments Region putting in 20, 6 channel P25 sites tied to Parker County • Brazos Council of Governments Region
Conceptual Proposed Coverage
Conceptual Proposal Benefits Benefits
• It would create a large seamless roaming capability for Public Safety users, greatly enhancing interoperability capabilities between agencies locally and over a large area. • It would allow better coordination in the event of mass evacuations. • It would create the largest level 6 interoperable system in the State. • It would put our jurisdictions closer to the goal of State wide standards based systems by 2015. • It would allow broader access to grant funds for system expansion • It would save dollars on reoccurring maintenance fees through a collaboration of a tiered approach to maintenance and combined buying power. • This collaboration would create a safer environment for the public due to the enhanced communication capabilities.
Conceptual Proposal Statistics Statistics
• It would involve 7 Council of Governments representing 71 Counties. • Using 2005 numbers it would involve over half the population of Texas 12,238,484. • It would involve the two largest UASI regions in the State. • It would involve the largest number of target threats in the State. • It would involve 58,103 square miles. Larger than most states.