With eyes toward the future national public safety network being planned by FirstNet, Motorola Solutions and Verizon Wireless have launched a new in-car mobile broadband device that operates both in Verizon Wireless’ spectrum and the Band 14 spectrum that will be used for FirstNet’s network.
The VML 700 LTE Vehicle Modem R1.1 for public safety is designed to allow users to maintain LTE access by roaming between Verizon Wireless’ LTE network and the future network of FirstNet. According to the two companies, the device can be used immediately by FirstNet’s eight pilot projects, which include seven recipients of Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grants. Use cases include maintaining laptop or other in-board device connectivity in fire engines, ambulances and patrol cars, and the device can also serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot allowing up to 8 devices to be connected. It also provides location information for fleet management and dispatch purposes.
Despite the fact that FirstNet’s network is probably years from launch, potential customers for the product already exist. FirstNet recently signed its first formal spectrum lease with the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS), which received a $154.6 million BTOP grant for a proposed project that includes almost 300 wireless sites using new and existing infrastructure, fixed microwave backhaul rings and 100 miles of high-capacity fiber backbone.
Negotiations with six other BTOP grantees, as well as a project in Harris County, Tex. that is not BTOP-funded, are on-going and expected to be wrapped up soon. The board, which has made new hires, has a meeting next week.
Motorola and Verizon Wireless have been collaborating on dual-mode public safety products integrating Band 14 since before the BTOP grants were awarded three and a half years ago, according to Deep Grewel, senior director of sales strategy and business development for Motorola Solutions.
“We anticipated the need for this,” he said. “At that point we had already started designing this product and we’ve been working very closely on developing this.”
Motorola already offers a handheld device that operates in Band 14.
Dominic DeMark, area vice president of public safety markets for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, noted that while other products exist to provide in-vehicle mobile broadband, they usually involve an intelligent gateway and separate subscriptions or SIM cards for each network, rather than an integrated chip set solution as in the VML 700.
“It allows public safety to function on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, which is rapidly expanding. We will cover our 3G footprint with 4G LTE — we’ll have that built out by the end of this year,” DeMark said.
“So public safety can buy this, and be on Verizon Wireless or on the private, public safety network. They can travel outside of that network and go on Verizon. It incorporates the best of both worlds, today.”
Although both FirstNet’s Band 14 and Verizon Wireless’ Band 13 700 MHz spectrum are adjacent, Grewel said, both companies worked to minimize interference issues between the bands.
“They are well aware the bands are so close, and they’ve done all the right things to make sure there is no interference at all, if any,” he said.
Grewel noted that with constrained budgets and no certainty on how FirstNet devices will be funded — the legislation provides funding for the network, not devices — the VML is designed to offer value to public safety by offering useful connectivity now, and once FirstNet’s network arrives.
