Public safety mobile broadband

• Public safety mobile broadband (PSMB) holds considerable potential to improve how the police, fire, ambulance and other public safety agencies (PSAs) deliver their services. It will allow frontline officers to access high-speed video, images, location tracking and much more.
• PSAs currently rely on their own radio networks for voice communications and some low-speed data. Mobile broadband use has been modest due to concerns that the quality of commercial services is insufficient to support 'mission critical' operations.
• The network capacity that PSAs require is uncertain. PSAs are seeking a higher quality of service than what is currently available on commercial networks. However, the standards required (in terms of coverage, reliability, security, priority access and so on) are not specific.
• There are many ways to provide a PSMB capability, including the construction of a dedicated network, a commercial approach, or some combination (hybrid) of the two.
  • A dedicated network would give PSAs access to and control over their own PSMB network using their own parcel of spectrum.
  • A commercial approach would mean that PSAs obtain PSMB services from one or more of the commercial mobile carriers through a contract for service.
• The Commission has undertaken an illustrative evaluation of the costs of several specific delivery options over a 20-year period. The cost of a dedicated network is estimated to be in the order of $6.2 billion, compared to $2.2 billion for a commercial option. Even the lowest-cost hybrid option is about 32 per cent more expensive than a commercial option.
• A commercial option is cheaper because it requires significantly less new investment than a dedicated or hybrid option, as considerable existing infrastructure could be used or shared.
• Risk factors also influence the relative merits of different options.
  • A dedicated network would likely take longer to deliver, offers less flexibility to scale up network capacity in the short term and risks future technology upgrades being delayed.
  • There are risks arising from limited competition and supplier lock-in under a commercial approach, and the precise service levels that could or would be achieved are uncertain.
• The benefits of each option are not expected to vary markedly, since the options under evaluation have been designed to deliver a similar level and quality of PSMB capability.
• On first principles, a commercial approach represents the most efficient, effective and economical way of delivering a PSMB capability to PSAs.
• Small-scale pilots would help jurisdictions gain confidence in a commercial approach; gauge the costs, benefits and risks of PSMB; and develop a business case for a wider-scale roll out.
• Competitive procurement is essential. Splitting up tenders, leveraging infrastructure assets and insisting on open technology standards can help governments secure value for money.
• Achieving interoperability will require jurisdictions to agree on common protocols covering matters such as network technology, spectrum, end-user devices and applications. And to make the most of PSMB, PSAs within each jurisdiction will need to agree on protocols for sharing information and — where a PSMB capability is shared — network capacity.
• Australian Government intervention in spectrum allocation is not necessary to support a PSMB capability. Spectrum should be priced at its opportunity cost to support its efficient use.

Private Telcos best for public safety mobile broadband

Commercial carriers are the most cost effective option for delivering a public safety mobile broadband capability to public safety agencies, according to a Productivity Commission report released today.

Mobile broadband technology represents a significant opportunity to save lives and property, improve officer safety and drive productivity gains in the delivery of public safety. It will allow frontline officers to access high-speed video, images, location tracking and much more.

However, mobile broadband use is unlikely to increase significantly until a public safety grade service — superior to services offered by commercial carriers today — is available.

The report evaluates a range of options for delivering a public safety mobile broadband capability to Australian public safety agencies, including use of a dedicated network, an existing commercial network, and combinations (or hybrids) of the two.

The Commission found that the commercial option would be significantly lower cost than a dedicated or hybrid option. 'A commercial option is substantially lower cost because considerable existing infrastructure could be used or shared, meaning significantly less new investment is required', said Commissioner Jonathan Coppel.

The Commission has assessed the risks of each option. While the nature and magnitude of risks varied across options, no option was clearly preferred on the basis of risk factors alone.

Since the benefits of each option are not expected to vary markedly, the Commission considers that its cost evaluation provides the best guide to net community benefit. The cost differential estimated was of the order of $4 billion.

'Small-scale pilots would provide an opportunity for jurisdictions to gain confidence in a commercial approach, gauge the costs and benefits of the capability more precisely and develop a business case for a wider scale roll out,' said Commissioner Jonathan Coppel.

'With mobile broadband technology, the potential to achieve interoperability within and across jurisdictions is within reach and would bring significant additional benefits' said Commissioner Jonathan Coppel. However, this will depend on jurisdictions agreeing to common interoperability protocols and making arrangements for sharing information and network capacity among agencies.