Fire Service - Command and Control IT

   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT #2  
We have seen this and it is a new one for us.

We typically get a remote cell tower in areas that don’t normally have cell coverage. Some of the companies that used to provide this have increased their rates. With competition other companies have stepped up.
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Being Canadian, I have an MBA (Mucho Bux Always) in getting shaken down by cell companies.

Verizon admitted doing wrong - somewhat surprising actually.

OTOH..... if a C+C post can chew up 10G/day, is signing up for a 25G plan a good idea ?

Rgds, D.
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT #4  
As it happens I am both a Firefighter and an IT professional that works in an industry that relies heavily on the collection of remote data across a wide geographic area and using a variety of communications technologies to get it.


In my opinion there seems to be enough blame to go around, and as much as I personally think the repeal of net neutrality was a mistake, I don't see this being a case for or against it.


On one side Verizon screwed up. There has been an admission that they have a policy in place & it was not followed. Smack a wrist or two and move on.


On the other side, building a critical function like a Mobile Command Center application that requires 1) the internet and 2) a cellular data connection is beyond even the farthest reach of the word asinine. If this application truly is that "mission critical" then there should be some demotions / firings in the Santa Clara County IT Department, FPD, and Emergency Management because obviously NO ONE vetted this system properly.

During any large scale disaster either natural or man made - anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together (or an ounce of real world experience) would know that privately held communications systems are one of the first things to fail and should NEVER be the SOLE link in a critical communications path.

I can guarantee you that the FPD does not rely on a cellular provider as the sole primary means of day to day alerting, communications, etc. I feel quite sure they have their own radio system run on govt owned equipment and that even if cellular was a component of day to day ops, that the system would still function without it. So why would you put MORE reliance on a specific technology during MAJOR events when you don't day to day?


My advice to them would be to add a couple more radio frequencies to their license and start doing Ethernet over Radio to their own internal network and use it's connection to the internet and have cellular available as a backup link.
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT
  • Thread Starter
#5  
As it happens I am both a Firefighter and an IT professional that works in an industry that relies heavily on the collection of remote data across a wide geographic area and using a variety of communications technologies to get it.


In my opinion there seems to be enough blame to go around, and as much as I personally think the repeal of net neutrality was a mistake, I don't see this being a case for or against it.


On one side Verizon screwed up. There has been an admission that they have a policy in place & it was not followed. Smack a wrist or two and move on.


On the other side, building a critical function like a Mobile Command Center application that requires 1) the internet and 2) a cellular data connection is beyond even the farthest reach of the word asinine. If this application truly is that "mission critical" then there should be some demotions / firings in the Santa Clara County IT Department, FPD, and Emergency Management because obviously NO ONE vetted this system properly.

During any large scale disaster either natural or man made - anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together (or an ounce of real world experience) would know that privately held communications systems are one of the first things to fail and should NEVER be the SOLE link in a critical communications path.

I can guarantee you that the FPD does not rely on a cellular provider as the sole primary means of day to day alerting, communications, etc. I feel quite sure they have their own radio system run on govt owned equipment and that even if cellular was a component of day to day ops, that the system would still function without it. So why would you put MORE reliance on a specific technology during MAJOR events when you don't day to day?


My advice to them would be to add a couple more radio frequencies to their license and start doing Ethernet over Radio to their own internal network and use it's connection to the internet and have cellular available as a backup link.

Thank you for your detailed comments.

I don't work on these systems, but did various tours of duty in tech in past lives...... your comments nicely box-in what I was scratching my head over.

As much as people want videos for everything (can't see chewing through 10G/day w/o heavy video feeds....), seasoned eyes-on-the-ground and in the air are obviously required for any large scale emergency. Air-eyes today will include drones, so I can see the interest in video transfer ability.

While video may be nice to have, the first priority should be providing commanders/teams rock-solid voice and text communication..... as you appreciate, not something cell networks necessarily supply in extreme conditions.

So yeah, my reaction was similar..... either that data was discretionary, or somebody really messed up the system plan....

Rgds,
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Good article Bruce.

I don't view this so much as a Net Neutrality issue per se , just a general concentration of (abusive) power..... from the ars article you linked:

"FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's decision to deregulate the broadband industry eliminated that complaint option and also limited consumers' rights to sue Internet providers over unjust or unreasonable behavior."

It's not difficult to see how a corporation would interpret that ^ as "Go Ahead and ________ your customers as hard as you want."

Makes sense to me (as a deposition) - good example of how toxic this business environment is.

Rgds, D.
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT #9  
At&t has a plan for first responders called first net suppose to give them emergency access. $40/month unlimited. Also 5G. Planning on enrolling in it.
 
   / Fire Service - Command and Control IT #10  
FirstNet will use 'special' SIMs that are issued to properly vetted first responders. In the event of major disaster or terrorist activity, the provider can institute this prioritization or even prevent all other normal user SIMs from accessing the towers. This would have been immensely valuable during the events of 9/11 and other disasters where every single user tries to get onto the limited available service (due to the event) at once. For large events in Washington, DC, the providers have mobile cell sites that can be installed to reduce the saturation/congestion on the permanent network.
 

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