Local governments are facing a decision. They must replace the analog 800 Mhz CDPD networks used by mobile terminals for police and fire. Now they’ve got homeland security checks to do it.
What to do?
They’ll have to move to more expensive cellular-based GPRS or 1XRTT data networks and pay cellular carriers [perhaps $250K/year] for the privilege, not to mention the cost of new radios. Or they could invest that money and create their own do-it-yourself Wi-Fi network.
Many will opt to use the unlicensed 2.4 GHz band for police and fire communications. They might use mesh-based 2.4 GHz units like Tropos, wireless LAN switches like Bandspeed and Vivato, or use dozens (or hundreds) of APs combined with automatic handoff between GPRS and Wi-Fi. City vehicles might use wireless USB clients with 802.1x or WET-54 bridges with mag-mount antennas and 2.4 GHz amplifiers.
Is this a good idea? Should “public safety” depend on the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band? Should these networks support free “public access”?
It depends. Consider the impact of Nextel’s Consensus Plan. There may be plenty of new (licensed) frequencies available for public service. But it will take years for that to happen.
Local governments don’t have years. The CDPD/cellular networks, on which public safety workers depend, may be turned off this year or the next. Cellular carriers want to force the move to GPRS/EDGE. They expect that data revenues will grow enormously. Nevermind that cellular data will likely always be more expensive than “IP” data — taxpayers will foot the bill.
Some kind of “local consensus plan” might be formulated. A migration strategy. It would need to benefit everyone, public safety officials, city officials and the general public.
My plan:
- Build a public safety 2.4 GHz network.
- Provide a “free” component for shared public use.
- Move to licensed frequencies when available
Here’s the thing; 802.16 is coming. Intel thinks WiMax could be used to deliver high-speed wireless Internet access throughout a small city for about $100,000, one-tenth the cost of rolling out fiber-optic lines today. WiMax has a theoretical range of 70km but in practice can deliver 10Mbps over a range of three miles. Schools and community centers could use it. It makes a better “city cloud”. Wi-Max is the future. Let’s not muck it up.
There may only be a 3-5 year window for effective use of a 2.4 GHz public safety/”freenet” before it gets overcrowded. Then public safety users can move to their new licensed bands and use long range 802.20 networking with 1Mbps connectivity. It will likely be cheaper and faster than cellular alternatives and they could control it. The 2.4 GHz network might be turned over to a coalition that runs the thing with “equal access” provisions. It could be upgraded to WiMax/802.16e on the city right-of-way.
OneCleveland, led by Case Western University, launched last October, now has over 1,400 access points. It will foster applications in five areas: bridging the digital divide, health care, arts and culture, scientific research and e-government. Hermosa Beach has a city-funded “cloud” that provides free wireless broadband to homes. The installation will cost the city between $75,000 and $85,000 to provide free access to every one of the city’s 18,000+ residents, with annual operating costs totalling around $18,000 per year. WirelessHoustonCounty will “unwire” a whole county. Consensus anyone?
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