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Providing reliable
inside wireless coverage for first responders is a key Homeland Security
initiative throughout the United States. Many proactive and
conscientious building owners, corporations, building firms and
developers are putting in place the technology infrastructure to make wireless communication
services seamlessly available inside new and existing buildings
in an effort to improve first responders' ability to perform their
duties. This primer provides
the information you need to know about why it's important to provide
inside wireless coverage for first responders and how to address this
issue for your properties.
Demand For Inside
Wireless Coverage Goes Beyond Your Tenants
We
know that the proliferation of wireless devices and an increasing
reliance on them to conduct critical business has created an expectation
for “anywhere” wireless connectivity. While employees are free from
relying solely on wire line communications,
they are also free from working exclusively at their desks,
extending the opportunities to generate business and subsequent revenue for their organizations and improving customer response times. Wireless coverage within
buildings (where
an increasing amount of voice and data transmissions via cellular, PCS,
paging and two-way radio devices take place) is spotty at best. This is
often due to the inability of the wireless signal to adequately
penetrate various building construction materials, or the signal being impeded by structural or terrain-type obstacles
between the
building and the macro cell site. Dropped, inaudible or missed calls and
pages lead to delays, affect productivity levels, and create
frustration. This is just not acceptable anymore.
These same in-building communication deficiencies also affect the
abilities of first responders to perform their duties in the public
safety realm. Much of the focus on the demand for inside wireless capabilities centers on
building tenants. But there is arguably a more critical demand that
building owners need to be aware of and address. The inability to
provide reliable communications for fire fighters, emergency services
personnel and police is totally unacceptable because it jeopardizes the lives of public safety workers and civilians.
Effective wireless communication is critical to the success of public
safety operations.
Bringing Down The
Barriers Between Inside And Outside Wireless For First Responders
In
fact, there has never been a greater focus on the role of first
responders. Since 9/11, Homeland Security has become a high priority
initiative across the nation. As a result, a lot of attention is being focused on in-building wireless communication.
Since 1991, many localities have started to codify in-building
communication requirements as legislative standards, known as
in-building communication ordinances. These ordinances require building
owners to provide access to the public safety wireless networks inside
their buildings, to enable coverage for first responders' communication equipment such as two-way
radios.
Post 9/11, the number of ordinances passed has dramatically increased as
government funding has become more readily available to support this
initiative as part of local, city and state Homeland Security efforts. For example, local governments
in California,
Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Rhode Island,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Utah and Nebraska have passed in-building
ordinances to address this issue. Fueled by the awareness of
inadequate inside wireless coverage for first responders across the
nation and government funded support, it is expected that the
in-building communication ordinance movement will continue to gain
momentum in the coming months.
How Do Building Owners
Find Out If There’s An In-Building
Ordinance In Their City?
Internet searches are a good starting point. There are several organizations that aggregate radio in-building
ordinance information and make it available online. Alternatively,
contact your local or state planning board to find out if there is
legislation pending or to
request a copy of a passed in-building communication ordinance.
What Are Building
Owners Responsible For?
Ordinances and building codes are, in general, designed to allow public
safety radio system operation inside buildings and facilities. It is
usually the responsibility of the building owner to comply with the
ordinance and to incur the costs of implementing the necessary
technology infrastructure required to meet minimum coverage levels
within the building.
If
an in-building ordinance exists in the city in which a building property
is owned, it is
the building owner's responsibility to have
the building tested to ensure that two-way radio coverage for the public safety channels (typically in the
400 MHz and 800 MHz range) is not impeded on any floor of the building or in underground parking garages, stairwells and even
in elevator shafts. Ordinances will state a minimum threshold at which
the wireless signal strength must be maintained throughout a building, which in many cases is between 90-95%.
Ask your local
two-way radio provider or local fire department to come in and perform
tests to ensure that the public safety
channels are not obstructed. Failure to comply can result in the building not receiving "A Certificate of Occupancy,"
the same as if
the property failed to meet the building code for implementing an
internal sprinkler system. Annual testing to ensure that signal strength
is being maintained is also an ongoing requirement.
Can Building Owners Be
Exempted From Ensuring That Inside Wireless Works In Their Facilities?
Even if there is not an ordinance in the city where the property exists,
the building owner is not necessarily "off-the-hook." If first
responders such as local fire fighters arrive at a building in response
to an emergency
situation and realize that there is inadequate coverage to permit necessary two-way
radio coverage, they might refuse to send first responders into the building. If no one attends to the emergency and damage results, insurance companies may place part of the liability on the building
owner for not having sufficient inside wireless coverage and for having
unsatisfactory access to the public safety wireless network.
What
Type of Technology Infrastructure Do You Need To Enable Inside Wireless
Coverage In Buildings?
The November 2002 report, "Public Safety In-Building/In-Tunnel
Ordinances and Their Benefits to Interoperability," which was produced by the Public Safety Wireless Network Program, focused on in-building
ordinances for public safety communication and revealed several key
findings. Among those findings, the report concluded that Bi-directional
amplifier (BDA)
systems were the recommended method for meeting the threshold for signal
strength required by these ordinances. BDAs are part of
the technology infrastructure solution to address coverage level
requirements outlined in in-building communication ordinances. BDAs can
seamlessly extend two-way voice
and data communication into buildings, tunnels, subways, garages and
other radio frequency (RF) shielded structures. BDAs amplify the incoming signal and provide continuous service anywhere,
anytime for commercial, private and public safety wireless services.
Several BDA models are available to extend wireless services in each of
VHF, 400 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1900 MHz bands. The remaining technology infrastructure that completes inside wireless
solutions includes a distributed antenna system (DAS). Simply stated, a DAS transports RF energy from the BDA to the location where
it is required in the building via a network of cables and antennas.
What To Look For When
Considering An Inside Wireless Solutions Vendor?
Among the main considerations, look for a vendor that can provide:
-
A proven track
record and references
-
Scalable and
expandable equipment
-
Turnkey support
(including engineering and installation capabilities)
-
Local
representation
-
Products
available in both Public Safety and Wireless Service Provider bands
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Products that
can be remotely monitored and reconfigured
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Post-sale
support
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Coverage
Guarantee
Kaval Wireless
is a global provider of wireless coverage extension
solutions for inside spaces. Kaval manufacturers products and
designs, builds and installs turnkey systems that extend
wireless communications into commercial, public and industrial
buildings and other areas commonly impenetrable by wireless
signals. Kaval provides inside wireless solutions for the Public
Safety Markets, Wireless Service Providers, and Enterprise on
public, private and commercial networks.
Visit us at
www.kaval.com.
*CRE Partners is not responsible for the content, validity,
technical accuracy or other claims or information contained in this
article. Feature Articles are often authored by outside sources
and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of CRE Partners.
Further, publication of articles in the CRE Partners Newsletter and/or
web site is not meant to represent, promote, or endorse any company,
brand, product or solution.
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