How often do you use GPS? Do you use it daily in your dispatch center to track the locations of your law enforcement officers or firefighters? Do you use it in your patrol vehicles to be able to get to someplace in a more efficient manner? Do you use GPS for search and rescue? Do you embed GPS into your reports for crime analysis? Do you rely on good GPS information to help respond to a vehicle-based notification of an incident from a third party like OnStar? Do you use it in your personal vehicle to go someplace you've never been? Do you use it, or have you thought about using it to track your own children?
If you've answered yes to any of the above questions, then think about this. What impact would there be if GPS was suddenly no longer reliable or if it wasn't available at all? The safety of our law enforcement officers and firefighters is one of the primary reasons for our existence in the telecommunications field. If something happens to them, we want to know what and we want to know where.
If you think that there is a negative impact, then keep reading. If you don't care ... you can stop now (if you haven't already).
An issue of potential significant impact to our commercial GPS looms in the horizon. Recently, it was learned that the FCC had expedited a waiver to allow LightSquared, a commercial service that provides satellite radio capability (used by numerous public safety agencies) among other capabilities to build a satellite/terrestial LTE network with over 40,000 land-based transmitters across the United States that would provide a wireless broadband network for commercial use. The actual FCC order can be found at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47633036/LightSquared-Waiver
Initial review of the potential system design suggest that these transmitters will have substantial impact on commercial GPS, whose frequencies border the frequencies proposed to be allocated to LightSquared. A strong transmitter signal will certainly overpower the relatively weak GPS signal, effectively rendering the GPS device ineffective ... and some initial review has suggested that this might actually extend several miles out from the transmitter.
Does this sound a little familiar to you? Is this the new version of the Nextel/800 MHz problem? Seems like we are still in the process of migrating 800 MHz public safety radio systems out of the danger zone. We need to avoid any potential replay of this problem.
So, what does this mean to you? What can you do to make a difference?
First, let APCO know that you take this issue you seriously and that you want APCO to take a very strong, written position on this issue. Ask for continued updates on the issue. APCO does have some members working on this issue, let's have some updates on their work.
Second, let the FCC know that you, as a public safety agency or a public safety practitioner don't support this waiver if it will be harmful to public safety.
Third, get involved in the process. NPSTC is looking for volunteers to be public safety points of contact during their review of the potential issues with the LightSquared system. contact NPSTC Participant Coordinator Mark Grubb at mark.grubb@state.de.us to volunteer.
Fourth, track the progress on this issue at http://www.saveourgps.org
The one thing we should not do is sit around doing nothing or just talking about this issue. Let's make sure that nothing gets built that will inhibit us from doing our job efficiently. More importantly, let's not allow something that will not let us find out officers and firefighters when they need us most!