Survey of Wireless Communication Technologies for Public Safety

TLDR

Public safety agencies rely on wireless communication to coordinate first responders, and recent disasters have highlighted the need for greater interoperability, capacity, and broadband connectivity. This paper surveys the outstanding challenges, current wireless communication technologies, and regulatory, standardization, and research activities addressing these challenges, with a focus on the United States and Europe. The authors conduct a comprehensive review of literature and industry reports to assess the status of wireless technologies and the initiatives underway to improve interoperability and capacity for public safety operations.

Abstract

Public Safety (PS) organizations bring value to society by creating a stable and secure environment. The services they provide include protection of people, environment and assets and they address a large number of threats both natural and man-made, acts of terrorism, technological, radiological or environmental accidents. The capability to exchange information (e.g., voice and data) is essential to improve the coordination of PS officers during an emergency crisis and improve response efforts. Wireless communications are particularly important in field operations to support the mobility of first responders. Recent disasters have emphasized the need to enhance interoperability, capacity and broadband connectivity of the wireless networks used by PS organizations. This paper surveys the outstanding challenges in this area, the status of wireless communication technologies in this particular domain and the current regulatory, standardization and research activities to address the identified challenges, with a particular focus on USA and Europe.