Calgary Police on Front Line of Public Safety Innovation
Motorola Solutions, Calgary Police Service and Ericsson demonstrating broadband capabilities of the first public safety LTE network in Canada
- Calgary Police Service is using Canada’s first dedicated public safety long-term evolution (LTE) network to access, collect and analyze valuable data
- Public safety LTE helps improve safety and efficiency for first responders and the communities they serve
CALGARY, ALBERTA – Oct. 19, 2015 – Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI), Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and the Calgary Police Service are currently demonstrating innovative applications on Canada’s first public safety LTE network.
The public safety LTE network is being tested by first responders within the City of Calgary and providing police with high-speed broadband capabilities to quickly access data, images and videos. The Calgary Police Service is able to collect and analyze information from a variety of sources and securely distribute it to officers on the front lines of protecting the public.
“Reliable and uninterrupted communications is a mission-critical priority in emergency situations, and having access to high-speed data via our own broadband spectrum will significantly contribute to all emergency services, providing a coordinated response to ensure public safety,” said Chief Constable Roger Chaffin of the Calgary Police Service. “Coordinated and reliable communication in emergency situations can ultimately help save lives. The need for reliability is one key reason we rely on our own private radio networks for voice communication rather than cellular phones.”
The Calgary Police Service is demonstrating the system and providing feedback on its ability to enhance safety, improve response times to natural and man-made incidents, and help first responders do their jobs more efficiently.
Applications on the public safety LTE network make it possible to share data and video without competing for bandwidth over a shared public network. For example, real-time video intelligence from cameras in police cars or throughout Calgary can be shared quickly and securely with an incident commander who can then analyze and prioritize the information and send it immediately to first responders before they arrive at the scene. In addition to video, Calgary intends to use other applications such as integrating public safety LTE with land mobile radio (LMR) networks and sharing information via computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and records management systems (RMS).
“Motorola Solutions is committed to helping public safety agencies in Canada and elsewhere capture and process large volumes of data and convert it into intelligence that can help quickly solve or prevent incidents,” said George Krausz, president, Motorola Solutions Canada. “The information gathered by the Calgary Police Service during this test will help demonstrate how the reliable high-speed transmission of data, images and video over a public safety LTE network can also help the city’s first responders become more efficient.”
“Public safety agencies face fundamental challenges to the way in which they provide services. They must respond faster and with greater efficiency to protect the lives and property of citizens,” said Graham Osborne, president, Ericsson Canada Inc. “Ericsson, a global leader in Communications, empowers public safety agencies such as the Calgary Police Service to meet the technological challenge with its reliable, secure and high speed LTE technology.”
Officially launched in June 2015, the public safety LTE network is composed of a number of cellular sites and used with LTE devices such as Motorola Solutions’ VML750 vehicular modems and LEX mission-critical handhelds. The new Calgary system is owned and operated by Motorola Solutions as part of an LTE Cloud Core which provides access to shared LTE applications, such as video and data analytics, on a subscription-based service for a predictable annual cost. The new system is also being monitored by experienced technologists at Motorola Solutions’ Network Operations Center in Schaumburg, Ill. to help ensure reliable and always-available communications.
The Government of Canada has set aside 20 MHz of the 700 MHz radio spectrum for public safety users. Industry Canada provided a developmental spectrum license to Calgary Police Service for operation in Calgary.
About Calgary Police Service
The Calgary Police Service is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In concert with other agencies and the citizens of Calgary, the Calgary Police Service strives to preserve the quality of life in our community by maintaining Calgary as a safe place to live, work and visit. To learn more go to: Calgary Police Service
About Motorola Solutions
Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) creates innovative, mission-critical communication solutions and services that help public safety and commercial customers build safer cities and thriving communities. For ongoing news, visit www.motorolasolutions.com/newsroom or subscribe to a news feed.
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About Ericsson
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) is the driving force behind the Networked Society – a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future. For more information go to: http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/press
