PacketHop Survey Shows 4.9 GHz Band Support is Critical For First Responders
Dedicated 4.9 GHz Band Provides Reliable, Congestion-Free Mission Critical Communications for First Responders
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - August 1, 2006 - 4.9 gigahertz (GHz) public safety band network support is becoming vitally important for incident-area communications according to 82 percent of participants in a recent survey conducted by PacketHop, Inc., the leader in instant broadband mobile-mesh communications systems. In June, PacketHop surveyed more than 700 public safety organizations that filed for licenses to use the 4.9 GHz broadband Wi-Fi spectrum to ascertain their deployment plans and perspectives. The Federal Communications Commission allocated the 4.9 GHz spectrum exclusively for public safety agencies to improve inter- and intra-agency communication. Eighty-seven percent of respondents said they have deployed or plan to deploy a 4.9 GHz public safety band network within two years.
"The 4.9 GHz band is critical for first responders because it provides reliable, secure wireless spectrum, specifically dedicated for handling mission-critical communications," said Roberta Wiggins, research fellow for the Wireless/Mobile Technologies Decision Service with the Yankee Group. "The unlicensed wireless bands provide inconsistent network performance and are susceptible to interference and congestion. In an emergency, every second counts and network hiccups are not acceptable for first responders on the frontlines."
The survey also identified other key public safety challenges, including cost, coverage, bandwidth, network redundancy and peer-to-peer communications. For example:
- Ninety-four percent said peer-to-peer data communications between first responders at an emergency is critical;
- Eighty percent said redundant network connectivity is important during an emergency;
- Seventy-three percent said cost was an issue when adopting new communications technologies;
- Fifty-six percent said their current wireless coverage was insufficient, and 61 percent said that they need higher bandwidth.
Affirming the immense value of multimedia applications, 80 percent of respondents said they would like to leverage instant messaging at an emergency; 67 percent said location tracking; and 51 percent said interactive mapping. Additionally, 51 percent said they would like to use video to communicate at an incident.
PacketHop deployed the world's-first mobile mesh broadband 4.9 GHz communications system in April during a Homeland Security Training and Evaluation Exercise at the Long Beach Airport, in Long Beach, Calif. The PacketHop Communications System is based on industry standards like 802.11, operates with any IP-based technology and provides a seamless upgrade path for public safety agencies to move from unlicensed 802.11a/b/g networks to 4.9 GHz licensed networks.
"The results of this survey clearly indicate that the 4.9 GHz band is a near-term requirement for many public safety agencies," said Michael Howse, president and chief executive officer of PacketHop. "The benefits of the dedicated, secure 4.9 GHz communications spectrum, combined with PacketHop's infrastructure-optional communications system and multimedia communications applications, provide first responders with the most reliable, high bandwidth and effective communications system on the market."
About PacketHop
PacketHop is the leader in instant broadband mobile-mesh communications systems. The PacketHop Communications System delivers the freedom to network on-the-fly, and securely operate with or without access points. PacketHop also provides server-less applications including real-time multicast video, GPS positioning, instant messaging, and white boarding, in addition to supporting other Internet-based applications. PacketHop's technology and products are covered by more than 20 issued and pending patent applications. For more information on PacketHop, please visit www.packethop.com.
PacketHop and Aware are trademarks of PacketHop, Inc. The names of other companies and their products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.