Alcatel Lucent Public Safety LTE PDF

Public safety LTE
A How-to Guide – GLOBAL EDITION

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table of contents
New Capabilities for Public Safety / 5

Limitations of First Responder Communications / 6
Unprecedented Opportunities / 8
The Solution: Public Safety LTE / 11

Partnerships / 11
The Utilities Advantage / 16
LTE: What It Is, What It Does / 19

Why LTE / 19
How LTE Meets the Needs of Public Safety / 26
Preparing for LTE / 29
Deploying an LTE Network / 35

Providing Reliable, Secure Communications / 35
Building up the Backhaul Network to Support LTE Traffic / 39
Supporting Video on the LTE Network / 43

Effectively Managing Video / 44
Governance of Video Content / 44
Evolving Voice Support on the LTE Network / 47

Supporting Roaming out of Jurisdiction / 49
Use of a Commercial Wireless Carrier / 50
Rollout Strategy / 53
Best practices / 55
Invest Today to Accelerate Benefits / 58
A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 3

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4 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition
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New
Capabilities
for Public
Safety
We live in a changing world, where public safety and the owners and operators of
critical infrastructure must address new threats and challenges, both natural and
man-made. In addition to police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS), utili-
ties and transportation agencies have critical roles to play in emergency response.
It’s no longer enough for these first responders to rely on a push-to-talk (PTT)
network for situational awareness.
Mobile technology capable of sending and receiving bandwidth-intensive data
can help emergency response organizations do their jobs more effectively and safely.
These organizations need mobile broadband networks that let them share streaming
real-time video, detailed maps and blueprints, high-resolution photographs and other
files that today’s public safety wireless networks can’t handle. The same is true when
served by commerical wireless networks during major events or catastrophes.
Long Term Evolution (LTE), the new standard for wireless communication of
high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals, will satisfy the broadband

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needs of emergency response
organizations. Already de-
Mobile carriers in many countries ployed by many of the world’s
now have commercially available LTE largest mobile operators, it
networks. The Global mobile Suppliers delivers capacity and speed and
Association (GSA) reported in June 2012 simplifies the network archi-
that 80 LTE operators have launched tecture.
commercial services, and another 144 LTE will enable sharing of
commercial networks are expected to incident data like never before:
be operational by the end of 2012. in real time, securely, and in line
Altogether, the GSA found that 327 with the mission-critical needs
operators in 99 countries have committed of the 21st century. And it will
to commercial LTE network deployments do so in a manner not typically
or are engaged in trials, technology possible with third-generation
testing or studies. (3G) technologies deployed in
Source: http://www.gsacom.com/news/gsa_352.php today’s commercial networks.
LTE is a set of standards for
radio access networks, which sit
between mobile devices – such
as cell phones, tablets and laptops – and the core network. As the name implies,
LTE encompasses the evolutionary path from today’s networks to tomorrow’s all-IP
based, ultra-fast converged networks. It enables real-time video transmission from
a firefighter at an incident scene to the emergency operations center, transmission
of high-definition video (some of which may be received through next-generation
112/911 systems), distribution of high-resolution photos and detailed maps to police
cars, and much more. LTE gives users the same experience in a mobile setting as on
fixed networks in the workplace or home.
LTE provides unprecedented capabilities for mobile broadband networks. It has
been declared by public safety and communications experts to be the technology of
choice for mobile broadband communications for years to come.
Limitations of First Responder Communications

Current Land Mobile Radio (LMR) and Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) networks
are limited by their lack of capacity and standardization, which prevents emergen-
cy response teams from communicating in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
No mission-critical broadband: LMR/PMR networks rely on narrowband systems

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MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS
ENDORSE LTE
LTE has been endorsed by major public safety organizations as the technology of
choice for the public safety broadband network. Proponents include:
• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
• TETRA + Critical Communications Association (TCCA)
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
• United States National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC)
that are optimized for voice. They lack the capacity to support rich, multimedia
content, which is needed to improve response and cooperation among emergency
response organizations. While some public safety agencies have low-rate wide-
band data capabilities, most do not. Video and bulk file transfers are impossible
with most public safety mobile data networks, and support for remote access
to databases and Internet is limited. Some agencies pay for broadband through
commercial providers, which allows them to have access to the Web and e-mail,
for example. However, these networks become congested during catastrophes,
emergencies or other public safety events, which is exactly when public safety
communication is most critical.
No interoperability: While efforts are underway to standardize LMR/PMR net-

works using APCO Project 25 (P25) and TETRA open standards, many LMR/PMR
systems rely on outdated proprietary technology and hence do not interoperate.
This hampers inter-agency response because LMR/PMR systems used by neigh-
boring cities or counties cannot communicate with each other. The problem is fur-
ther compounded when a multi-agency or joint public safety and utility response
is required. An agency could operate multiple dedicated networks to cater to its
voice and data needs, though this would multiply deployment and management
costs: each time a change is made to a network there are new costs for equipment,
testing, operations and devices.

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Unprecedented Opportunities
In contrast to existing technologies, LTE provides massive capacity and low
latency, ensuring the necessary broadband to support mission-critical applications.
It is a standards-based technology which ensures interoperability and cooperation
among agencies. As a global mobile technology, it inherently supports roaming.
Furthermore, LTE leverages a large competitive ecosystem of equipment, applica-
tions and devices made for the private (commercial) sector, which can mean lower
development and equipment costs.

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LTE BENEFITS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY – AN OVERVIEW
LTE is a powerful new technology that will benefit public safety in numerous ways
Greater interoperability and enhanced inter-agency cooperation:

• Standardized protocols and interfaces
• Built-in roaming capabilities
• Sophisticated quality of service (QoS) toolbox including priority access
mechanisms that authorize and prioritize communication, and provide
guaranteed and differentiated QoS applications
Unprecedented broadband capabilities:

• High capacity, allowing a wide variety of applications that rely on rich,
multimedia content
• Low latency, enabling real-time services (VoIP, video, group calls)
• Much faster than 3G, employing advanced technologies
Cost effective:
• Lowers operating costs with a simplified all-IP architecture
• Leverages a rich, open ecosystem from commercial networks
• Complements existing narrowband radio networks
• Makes private networks more economically feasible
High reliability and security:

• Supports a geographically redundant IP-based architecture, reducing single
points of failure
• Supports encryption/ciphering on both control and user planes, enabling secure
communications
Evolution to mission-critical network:

• 3GPP is incorporating enhanced functionality to support features required for a
mission-critical network in the upcoming release (Release 12) such as:
¬ ProSe (Proximity Services) for direct mode operation
(also called talk around) between terminals
¬ Enablers for efficient group communications (GCSEL)

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the solution:
public safety
LTE
An LTE-based broadband data overlay network offers the solution for public
safety agencies. The network has high reliability and security, and users can
count on optimal performance at all times due to its QoS capabilities. Public
safety LTE operates in dedicated bands (400 MHz or 700 MHz spectrum de-
pending on the region/country) and complements the near-term continued use
of existing narrow-band LMR/PMR solutions for mission critical voice.
Public safety LTE and other critical communications users can also operate
in spectrum usually dedicated to commercial LTE systems where authorized by
the regulator. This means that, when dealing with a major disaster (e.g., earth-
quake, floods), the total first responder team – public safety, utilities, transporta-
tion agencies, and defense – have real-time access to video and operational data
with a highly interoperable solution to enhance safety and decision-making.
Partnerships
In today’s commercial mobile marketplace, operators are spectrum-starved. With
hundreds of millions of users, and multiples of that with the emergence of connected

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PUBLIC SAFETY SPECTRUM
North America
In the United States, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012
(signed into law on February 22, 2012) provides up to 34 MHz of 700 MHz
spectrum for public safety broadband use.
• Dedicates 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum to public safety broadband use,
pairing 10 MHz of 700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum already
licensed to public safety with the 700 MHz D-block for a total of 20 MHz
of dedicated broadband spectrum.
• Provides public safety with flexibility to use the remaining 14 MHz; that is, the
12 MHz narrowband block plus the 2 MHz guard bands for broadband.
Canada is following the United States band plan.
Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa

In the Asia-Pacific region, the future Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) plan
provides 2x45 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum. Although this is being discussed
in most countries, no country has identified spectrum for public safety.
In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, a first digital dividend – which refers
to the spectrum freed up as a result of the switchover from analog to digital
terrestrial TV – has been allocated to commercial wireless operators (with a
few exceptions in the Middle East). Discussions on a second digital dividend are
starting on the basis of providing a sub-set of the APT band plan. It is unknown
whether there will be a dedicated spectrum for public safety in this second
devices (for example, “machine-to-machine” communication), operators are

desperate for access to new airwaves to help them address the crush of traffic on
their networks.
Utilities are in a similar situation. Unlike public safety, there is no dedicated allot-
ment of spectrum to address utility needs, either during emergency response (to keep
their networks up and running) or for the smart grid (which is critical for enhanced
efficiency and security of the utility network).

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digital dividend, which is scheduled as a discussion item at the next World
Radiocommunication Conference in 2015.
Therefore it is unlikely that dedicated 700 MHz spectrum will be made available
soon in any country in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia-Pacific. In many
of these countries, the 400 MHz frequency band is reserved for private mobile
radio users, such as those within emergency services, transportation and utilities.
There are opportunities to use some of the spectrum in the 400 MHz band for
broadband. Regulatory change is required to allow the use of broadband channels
that are scaled down to 1.4 MHz , 3 MHz or 5 MHz for an easier fit from within
the existing but disparate 400 MHz spectrum slices available today. In a move in this
direction, the Spanish regulator recently announced it will free 2x5 MHz of spectrum
in the 450-470 MHz band for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR).
Latin America and the Caribbean

Most Latin American countries are expected to adopt the Asia-Pacific
Telecommunity (APT) plan in 700 MHz (FDD: 45 MHz). Mexico, Colombia, Chile
and Ecuador have already selected this plan and Argentina, Brazil and others
are likely to as well. Each country is also analyzing whether spectrum will be
dedicated to public safety, or if it will be 100% commercial. Most public safety
agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean (and government entities, as is the
case in Argentina) are hoping to gain access to at least 2x5 MHz in the 700 MHz
spectrum. The 400 MHz spectrum is mainly used for public safety or government
entities in Latin America. Brazil already dedicated the 450 to 470 MHz band to a
rural project. Mexico has the 380 to 400 MHz band dedicated to public safety.
LTE provides numerous benefits that make it attractive for partnerships be-
tween jurisdictions, and between public and private organizations. Experts predict
there will be more partnerships as more public safety agencies begin moving for-
ward with deployments.
First, there are the financial benefits. As shown in Figure 1 it is dramatically
more cost-effective to build a network as part of a public-private partnership rather
than on a standalone basis. Second, the LTE architecture makes partnering attractive

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for a number of reasons, includ-
In the United States National ing the ability to keep traffic
Broadband Plan, the FCC estimated from multiple organizations
a total required investment of $16 separate and secure.
billion to deploy a nationwide public Sharing will be helpful be-
safety LTE. The Middle Class Tax cause it provides great benefits
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 at lower cost. For example,
does not come close on the funding partnering with a utility could
front. Instead, Congress required provide an agency affordable
FirstNet to look to partnerships to access to utility-owned infra-
make up the $9 billion in additional structure in rural geographies
resources needed to deploy a – towers, rights-of-way, and net-
nationwide network. In practice, work backbone – all of which
this means partnerships that create can save considerable time and
cash. It also means partnerships that resources compared to a green-
reduce the deployment costs of the field deployment. Conversely,
network. Fortunately, the new law public safety agency infrastruc-
provides FirstNet with some powerful ture –backbone, towers – could
tools to produce, through spectrum also be leased to partners to
and network infrastructure sharing. provide a new revenue stream.
Agencies are also able to
gain flexible coverage through
partnerships with commercial wireless operators, roaming while in other public
safety jurisdictions, and optimized cost and control when operating at “home” in
their private LTE network.
A larger public safety entity may possess and manage its own centralized equip-
ment, enabling full control over its subscriber base and operations. Alternatively,
core network equipment can be shared among multiple entities and managed by a
third party. This flexibility gives public safety entities administrative control over their
subscribers and network.

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Figure 1. Bell Labs comparison of a U.S. standalone public safety network
versus public-private partnership
$25,000 Device management
Device
Training
Coordination and monitoring
$20,000 Planning and engineering
Maintenance
Roaming expenses
HSS
$15,000 NOC and data center
IP core
LTE core
Backbone lease
$10,000 Backhaul
Site rental
Utilities
One-time services
$5,000
Spares
MW CAPEX
Hardening costs
$0 Site acquisition cost
eNodeB
Stand-alone Public-private
TCO $21,371M $14,653M
CAPEX 55% 45%
10-year TCO savings 46 % = $6,718M
• Site acquisition cost is the biggest • Maintenance is the biggest

contributor to the standalone contributor to the public-private
network TCO partnership TCO
• The other major contributors are • Other major contributors include
hardening costs, maintenance eNodeB, hardening costs, devices
costs, eNodeB, device
management and one-time
services are major contributors
(as submitted on June 15, 2012 to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in its
Request for Information on the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program)

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The Utilities Advantage
In many public safety emergency situations, utilities have a key role to play
along with fire, police and EMS, and as such they maintain their own emergency
response workforce. If a power line is involved in a fire, accident or other emer-
gency, other responders may have to wait for the utility’s staff to address the issue
before their rescue activities can begin. A gas leak is similar: the leak must be
contained by utility personnel before it is safe for EMS responders to enter.
Utilities are in an excellent position to partner with public agencies for an LTE
deployment:
• Experience: They are well equipped and experienced at responding quickly
to emergencies.
• Infrastructure: They have substantial infrastructure in place – such as power
and transmission poles – to which they can add other equipment. Many
have been investing in IP-based communications for years, which in turn can
provide the high bandwidth backhaul that will be required for LTE, and they
already have fiber optics and microwave systems in place.
• Presence: They have a particularly strong presence in rural areas and are
already focused on end-to-end coverage. For example, utilities reach 100
percent coverage of a geographic area, which is consistent with the coverage
public safety is expected to provide. Commercial communications providers
typically reach only 97 percent of the population.
There are already many successful examples of LMR systems shared between utili-
ties and public safety agencies in the United States, which further demonstrates
the value of cooperation.

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A WORD ABOUT UTILITIES
When the public safety community thinks of an ideal partner for the deployment
and use of a mission-critical network, they think of a partner who has the same
mission-critical needs they do: life and death, not revenues and profit. Utilities
fit the bill. They are emergency first responders, and they also need a “five-9s”
network that is hardened and built for mission-critical needs so it won’t go offline
when the network is needed the most. They also have an existing revenue base
that can support sensible investments in the utility business – smart grids.

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LTE:
what it is,
what it does
LTE is a relatively new wireless technology that greatly increases the speed,
reliability and capacity of mobile phone networks. LTE standards were first
described in Release 8 of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Both
3GPP and 3GPP2 have declared LTE to be the next-generation global standard for
mobile communications.
Why LTE
LTE is faster, simpler and more economically feasible than any other mobile com-
munication technology. The following features and benefits combined make LTE
much more powerful and reliable than 3G, and provide unprecedented capabilities
for public safety, as well as other critical infrastructure operators such as utilities.
Better performance – The numerous technological advances of LTE bring better

overall performance. End users will certainly notice an improved experience, and
the technology itself will be more reliable.

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Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology, for example, is used with LTE.
MIMO puts several antennas – rather than one – on a single tower and on the devices.
With more antennas working for the same communication, performance (coverage
and capacity) is significantly improved without the need for additional bandwidth or
increased transmitting power.
Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is another technology that
is used with LTE. It maximizes the use of available spectrum far better than previous
technologies. This is a key attribute because there is a finite amount of spectrum avail-
able for use. The improved spectral efficiency lets the system optimize bandwidth data
capacity, number of users, and user experience.
• What it means for public safety and utilities: Improve situational awareness
¬ Two-way voice, real-time high-definition video, and large data file distribution
integrated with incident management databases, including Geographic
Information Systems (GIS), provide for immediate, dependable communications
during incident response. With LTE, voluminous amounts of information can be
exchanged from anywhere, instantly, in many ways. Collaboration utilizing these
tools ensures effective sharing of information in task force operations.
Simplified, IP-based architecture – The all-IP architecture of an LTE network

requires fewer elements, which reduces complexity and results in lower capi-
tal expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) as well as lower
latency. LTE is also extremely scalable, which makes it easy to accommodate a
significant number of users. All-IP architecture is also more flexible, making it easy
to inter-connect nodes, build pathways between nodes for increased resiliency and
availability, and to change the logical paths between nodes if needed.
In today’s commercial marketplace, operators are reducing network complexity
and cost by leveraging a common IP architecture for their fixed and mobile needs.
Public safety agencies can benefit from the same efficiencies. Best of breed technolo-
gies and solutions from the commercial sector – augmented with public safety spe-
cific features, such as ruggedized devices for first responders – will provide reduced
cost, reduced complexity, and superior service for the public safety market.
• What it means for public safety: Unify communications and enhance day-to-
day operations
¬ Voice, video, and data on one end-to-end IP network results in reduced
complexity and lower costs through greater efficiency. LTE supports
telemetry and remote diagnostics, which means information can be sent

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Figure 2. Public Safety LTE solution – high level
Radio Backhaul Evolved Operations,

Access (IP/MPLS and Packet Core Administration
Devices Network microwave) (EPC) and Maintenance Applications
(RAN)
Data center
eNodeB
IP/MPLS
eNodeB
User Equipment Essential

(UE) signaling
and
transport
control
components Command
center
IP-based Architecture
automatically to mobile devices and analyzed remotely. As a result,

personnel have instant remote access to databases to access vehicle records
or suspect files, for example, or to submit reports electronically. Public
safety personnel can be more effective when paperwork and waiting times
are reduced.
• What it means for utilities: Manage distributed field assets with a single network
¬ LTE provides a single network to enable meter collectors, substations, pole-
mounted and remote intelligent devices, field personnel, distributed energy
resources, enterprise voice and data, as well as video surveillance.

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SPEED: A GIANT LEAP FORWARD
LTE is much faster than 3G — theoretically more than 15 times faster – in both
download and upload speeds. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access
(OFDMA) technology is used on the downlink while Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-
FDMA) is used on the uplink. OFDMA provides robust data transmissions when
used over wide channels. This enables LTE to be effective at bandwidths larger
than 5 MHz, which is the maximum bandwidth at which 3G can work.
For example, the maximum theoretical download speed of LTE is 326 Mb/s using
20 MHz bandwidth and 4x4 MIMO schemes. For 3G, it is around 20 Mb/s. Speeds
offered to users in the real world are actually much lower than these theoretical
or laboratory figures. Both in theory and in practice, however, LTE is clearly
a giant leap forward. While 3G typically provides 2 Mb/s in download speed
to real-world users with a 5 MHz channel, LTE typically provides 15 Mb/s in
download with a 10 MHz channel.
Speed in the real world depends on several factors, such as the number of users
on the system, distance from the cell tower or the number of antennas on the
tower. Speed also depends on the size of the bandwidth channel being used. A
channel that is 10 MHz wide is faster than one that is 5 MHz wide.
Low latency – With LTE, users typically experience a one-way latency of 10-15
ms, which is very important when it comes to demanding applications such as
push-to-talk or streaming video, and for applications that require very fast access
setup, which is often the case with public safety applications. Too much latency
degrades the signal and can frustrate the end user.
• What it means for public safety: Unprecedented video and digital imaging
¬ LTE gives new meaning to the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Seeing what’s happening at an incident scene – while the situation is
unfolding – is much more helpful than hearing about it. LTE provides near-
real-time transmission of high-definition video, as well as detailed images of
crime and disaster scenes, suspects, and more. If an officer is not responding
by radio, a dispatcher can instruct the squad car to activate and/or remotely
control a camera and autonomously transmit video to the dispatcher.

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• What it means for utilities: Realize the benefits of a “smart grid”
Utilities are looking for opportunities to leverage intelligent and proactive
monitoring of their infrastructure in order to be smarter about how they manage
their resources. National energy, environmental and other policies are demanding
a more efficient, clean and reliable electric grid. Smart technologies allow utilities
to keep energy flowing as cost-effectively as possible. With LTE, the ability to
access extremely demanding applications will open the door to many functions
that are not possible with current networks. For example, because LTE supports
high-definition video in real time, a utility will be able to use a drone to fly over
transmission lines and check for faults before they affect service.
Greater interoperability – LTE has a number of advantages related to interoper-

ability: commercially standardized protocols and interfaces mean that more public

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safety personnel can talk to one another, agencies and individuals can be on the
same communications platform, and there is support for an open device ecosystem.
• What it means for public safety and utilities: Enhance cooperation and lower costs
¬ Move away from “special” or proprietary and expensive technologies.
¬ Allow roaming onto commercial networks when necessary, facilitating
broad partnerships between public safety and commercial carriers.
¬ Communicate seamlessly with other emergency responders. When utilities
join other first responders on a public safety LTE network, inter-agency
communications is greatly enhanced.
¬ After next-generation 112/911 is a reality, leverage growing amounts
of information – text, images, and video – received by Public Service
Answering Points (PSAPs) from the public through mobile devices.
Security – LTE makes use of some of the most advanced mechanisms available for
air interface and network security. Air interface security features and capabilities
protect the LTE device, network elements, and traffic from attacks originating over
the air interface. Network security features and capabilities protect the LTE net-
work elements and traffic from security attacks generated in the wireline transport
network and external devices connected to the evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio
Access Network (eUTRAN) and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network. End-to-
end security is achieved with strong data encryption in the devices and network.
This includes encryption at the base stations which provides over-the-air cipher-
ing and integrity validation as well as security over land lines connecting the base
stations to the EPC using IPSec. Mutual authentication between the network and
devices ensures system integrity.
• What it means for public safety and utilities: Communicate securely and reliably
¬ Enables secure communication
¬ Eliminates tampering with over-the-air information
¬ Throughput capability enables implementation of additional end-to-end
security layers, if needed
¬ Mutual authentication means rogue devices will not jeopardize operations
¬ Provides the basis for a secure and reliable communication between devices
and data centers
Network sharing – The concurrent use of the network by multiple entities with dis-
tinct functions and roles means asset-sharing must be done in a manner amenable
to all parties. Standard network-sharing methods are available to ensure multiple en-

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tities have access to their fair share of resources without hindering each other’s op-
erations. For example, an architecture based on the Multiple Operator Core Network
(MOCN) concept is possible when utilities have access to their network identity.
• What it means for public safety and utilities: Share resources
¬ Spectrum resources can be concurrently used
¬ Spectrum-sharing can be tailored based on mutual agreements
¬ Distinct encryption levels can be provided
¬ Traffic can be segregated
Quality of service and prioritization – With its all-IP architecture, the LTE net-
work must rely on QoS controls to handle different types of services and prevent
congestion. In that regard, QoS functions are spread across the whole LTE network
domain, including the User Equipment (UE), base station, EPC, and IP/multiproto-
col label switching (MPLS) backhaul/backbone segments.
LTE standards define a comprehensive framework to support end-to-end QoS
– from the terminal to the edge of the EPC. Each user and each application per user
can be translated into a set of QoS parameters (data rate, latency, packet loss rate and
priority) to enable guaranteed and differentiated delivery of each individual applica-
tion end-to-end. Further, LTE introduces priority mechanisms, including pre-emption,
to distinguish between higher and lower priority sessions and UEs. In the event of
congestion, this enables the network to prioritize the most critical services/users by
pre-empting resources from less critical applications/users.
Finally, the rules of QoS can be changed dynamically, ensuring for instance that
a group assigned to an incident will have priority over other first responders that may
also be in the incident area but that are not part of the response team. QoS continuity
when roaming is ensured subject to local policies.
• What it means for public safety and utilities:
Assure QoS for mission-critical activities
¬ Intelligent sharing of air resources and network capacity
¬ Traffic prioritization, especially critical during incidents
¬ Enable quality of experience
Bandwidth flexibility — LTE can be flexibly deployed with a wide range of channel sizes,
or carrier bandwidths. These can range from 1.4 MHz wide up to 20 MHz. LTE works
well at any level within this range. In the future evolution of LTE (LTE-Advanced, first
defined in 3GPP Release 10), it will be possible to aggregate multiple bandwidths
to achieve transmission bandwidth in excess of 20 MHz (up to 100 MHz).

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Figure 3. Public safety LTE network delivers high-speed broadband mobile access
PUBLIC SAFETY
Information and
Application Access
Public Safety
TRANSPORTATION
Video, images, sharing/greater
interoperability, etc
Public Safety Transportation

Video surveillance remote sensors,
LTE Network traffic management, etc
Utilities
Manage distributed field assets,
inter-agency communications,
video etc
UTILITIES
• What it means for public safety and utilities: Flexibility and scalability
¬ Flexibility to fit in existing but disparate spectrum slices (e.g. at 400 MHz)
¬ System performance scalability as additional spectrum becomes available
How LTE Meets the Needs of Public Safety

Worldwide, governments are striving to protect their citizens and critical
infrastructures from threats that range from broad-scale terrorist activities or
natural disasters to a more localized incident like a fire, crime and medical crisis.
Public safety agencies must deal with a growing number and diversity of calls for
service while also faced with tight budgets, constrained workforces, and public
expectations of increasingly more rapid and effective action.
LTE offers relief for public safety and first responder organizations, enabling
high-speed broadband accessible over wide coverage areas, improved interoperability,
more effective use of multiple systems and applications (video, digital imagery, maps,
automatic vehicle location (AVL), Web access, remote reporting, biometric reporting,...).
Situational awareness and decision-making will be improved, which in turn will
increase the safety of the public and the first responders themselves.
Unified communications infrastructure — With LTE, public safety agencies

can provide voice, video and data all on the same network. This type of unified

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PUBLIC SAFETY LTE SOLUTIONS
400 MHz: Evercor®, the integrated LTE 400 PMR solution from Alcatel-Lucent and
Cassidian, provides an option for the existing PMR 380-470 MHz band. It offers
high data-rate capabilities for PMR networks that ensure the needed bandwidth
for reliable voice and easy-to-use data, video services – allowing PMR users to
operate effectively. As the world’s first commercial LTE PMR offer at 400 MHz,
the solution can also be integrated into existing TETRA and TETRAPOL networks.
700 MHz: The Alcatel-Lucent solution for the use of the 2x10 MHz of bandwidth
in the upper 700 MHz spectrum (band 14) was established to enable advanced
public safety wireless communications in the United States.
Additional Spectrum: Solutions for agencies with spectrum in standard LTE bands
communications has become increasingly popular in recent years, and LTE takes it
to the next level with technological advances.
With everything on one network, it is easy to add more capabilities as they are
needed, or as funding becomes available. This helps agencies manage their budgets.
That is why many public safety agencies are planning to first roll out data services on
LTE networks, and then add voice capabilities later. They can continue to use their
LMR/PMR systems for voice until the time is right to move voice to the LTE network.
When it is time to add voice, agencies don’t need to waste their investment in
LTE equipment. Instead, they just add the voice application to the LTE infrastructure,
and keep moving forward. This is much more economical than in the past, when
agencies would build a separate network to add a new capability, incurring extra
costs for both deployment and operations.
Ecosystem of devices — The public sector has a tremendous opportunity with

LTE to leverage commercially available equipment and devices. Applications,
devices and other equipment have been developed mostly in the private sector
for commercial purposes. It makes sense for public safety to take advantage of the
tremendous foundation that has been laid. It is easier to achieve interoperability
in a variety of situations when using devices that are available everywhere. USB
dongles, PC cards and vehicle modems are likely to be used when public safety
LTE networks are initially deployed. Cell phones, smartphones and other multime-
dia-capable devices (tablets, PC, etc.) are also available.

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Preparing
for LTE
Getting ready for LTE will take some work, but the effort will be well worth it. As
public safety agencies prepare to create LTE networks, there are many key steps
along the way.
Determine user requirements. Think ahead about what users will actually
want to do once LTE is in place. What are their requirements? They could be
different for each public safety agency. Will users need high-definition video all
the time? Will the agency want to do a lot of administrative or office work from
a mobile environment? What will the agency use text messages for, and how of-
ten? Which databases will people need to access while out in the field? This type
of application and user analysis is an important step in preparing for LTE. Talk
with actual users – police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel, for example
— and understand how they will use the LTE system.

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Determine which applications are needed. Once user requirements are known,
the agency can determine which kinds of applications are needed. Confirm the
throughput requirements for those applications. How much capacity will be
required to fulfill user needs? Think ahead; public safety agencies always want
more and more applications that require broadband. Consider applications that
improve situational awareness. Also look at those that improve communications
across different agencies and jurisdictions. Be aware that most of the commercial
service providers limit bandwidth per month, which can be a problem if video is
used frequently.
Consider solution requirements. Think about users, capacity, coverage, existing

infrastructure, device ecosystem and other factors in the overall solution.
Assess what the agency has. Early on, look at what the agency has, and how it
is being used. Then determine how much of it can be leveraged when creating the
LTE network. There may be extensive facilities that can be used, which will save
a lot of money. Conduct an in-depth assessment of existing network infrastruc-
ture and backhaul. What can be used from the LMR/PMR infrastructure? Does
the agency have microwave? Fiber? MPLS? How is everything connected to the
network? What is owned? What is leased?
Look at the agency’s physical infrastructure. If there are existing tower sites for
voice communications, it is likely these can be re-used for the LTE network. But the
agency should look closely. How many towers are there? Can they bear more weight?
Hold more antennas? Can an LTE base station (eNodeB) be added? Is there enough
power at the base of each tower to run more equipment? The agency should also con-
firm how it is currently connecting to those sites, and the capacity of those connections.
Identify system strengths and weaknesses. With LTE, there will be more data
traffic — and it needs enough network capacity to get from place to place. Where
does the agency’s system have room to grow? How can the agency achieve greater
capacity? Are there bottlenecks in the network that impede adding capacity?
Identify strengths and weaknesses, whether the agency has its own network or
is leasing from a commercial carrier. If leasing, can the agency’s carrier handle an
increase in data traffic once LTE is here?

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If the agency owns the
network, can the equipment BELL LABS SUPPORT
and infrastructure grow to With its expertise in both
meet future demands? Will the telecommunications and economic
network need more backhaul? analyses, Bell Labs Advisory Services
Sometimes, additional tech- provides extensive support for LTE
nologies can bridge the gaps. planning activities.
MPLS, for example, can help Examples of support may include:
the current backhaul network • Assess the viability and capacity
run more efficiently, so the of backhaul/backbone facilities
agency can expand capacity • Traffic modeling
that way rather than building • Study of multiple RF coverage
more backhaul. scenarios
• Reliability assessment of particular
Future-proof when buying. architectures based on potential
It is important to future-proof site locations
the network. The agency needs • Total cost of ownership analyses;
to think about LTE now, so it for example, to help spread costs
does not go down the wrong with secondary partners
path in planning or purchas-
ing. Ensure everything that
is done today will pay off later when LTE goes live — both for the agency and for
neighboring jurisdictions. The agency will make better purchases after it has done a
thorough assessment of what it has and where its weaknesses are. Choose technolo-
gies that will allow the agency to grow and get the most out of LTE. The agency can
upgrade its transport network, improve connectivity to towers or make other net-
work improvements as usual, but it should start to also factor LTE into its thinking.
Develop a device strategy. Identify which groups of users can use commercially
available devices. For users who need a ruggedized or hardened device, such as some
first responders, determine whether it is more economical for them to use a commer-
cial device or a specific cover which will make the device drop-resistant or water-repel-
lant. Assess whether the savings will offset the potential cost to replace the damaged
device, and whether a device failure will impact first responder safety or the mission.

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Partnering with other agencies. For many agencies, partnering is a sensible ar-
rangement. In the U.S., this will be a state-level decision. It may be advantageous early
in the network design and deployment process to consider the potential benefits and
requirements of a partnership with a utility and/or transportation agency. For example,
this might include a public-private partnership with a utility that provides the utility
with controlled use of the public safety LTE network. With this partnership, a speci-
fied amount of bandwidth and designated level of priority will be available for utility
communications. The utility has assets that include existing backhaul, right of way,
and funding that may enable a more rapid broadband deployment than feasible when
based solely on a public safety agency’s budget. In rural areas where public safety
LMR/PMR coverage may be limited and the cost for covering each citizen is higher,
it may be particularly advantageous to consider leveraging utility assets to accelerate
coverage. A partnership could provide additional benefits such as enhanced public
safety and the ability to interoperate and collaborate with utility first responders.
In determining whether to partner with others, consider the agency’s size and
network capabilities. Also consider core competencies. Are neighboring agencies
stronger in certain areas? Perhaps working together can shore up everyone’s weak-
nesses, and expand everyone’s strengths.
Establish governance and/or regional agreement. How will the new LTE net-
work be governed? If working with other agencies, it will take extra effort to create
a jurisdictional agreement everyone can support. If working alone, the agency will
still have some governance issues to sort out. Which of the users will have priority
access to the network, and in which situations? Policies should spell out the priori-
ties within the agency. Even if the agency covers a single jurisdiction, it will need
agreement between police, fire, EMS and possibly other agencies as well.
Partnering with other agencies gets more complicated. LTE provides an unprec-
edented opportunity to put together regional networks, but it can only work if
jurisdictions agree on a governance model. How will each of the agencies use the
network? What is one agency’s priority compared to other’s? How do the agencies
handle users who roam into each other’s regions?
“Jurisdictional priority” can be one way to address the issue. This gives each
agency control of a portion of the network (base stations within its jurisdiction, for
example). Thus each jurisdiction is truly part of the solution, while still retaining
some ownership and control.

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Governance also plays a part during a multi-agency response to a large incident.
Much is determined by the location of the incident, as the “home” agency will have
the most control. In all cases, the agency should ensure personnel have the band-
width and access to get the resources they need.
Create a business case. Whether the agency needs its own private LTE network or
wants to partner with others, it needs a strong business case to present to decision-
makers. A big part of this is financial. If the agency uses a commercial carrier, find
out what is spent with that carrier each month for broadband. Multiply that by the
number of users and the agency is probably paying a large sum each month. With
LTE lowering the cost of owning a network, it might be less expensive to build a
network than to continue paying for the use of someone else’s. Do a cost/benefit
analysis. What is the best investment value for the organization? What makes
sense? Sometimes partnering with another agency can dramatically lower costs. If
the agency moves away from commercial carriers to build its own network, keep
in mind that the agency will have to take on the maintenance and support of that
network as well. But it is like supporting an LMR/PMR network, and the overall
advantages could outweigh the new responsibility of maintenance and support.
An agency could opt to have its own network but pay someone else to manage it
and still come out ahead.
Decide on interoperability with LMR/PMR. An important decision to make is

whether to connect the agency’s LTE and LMR/PMR networks.
There are two schools of thought. One says an agency should connect them
because it will want as much interoperability and flexibility as possible. The other
says there is no real problem in keeping them separate; eventually the voice will
move over onto LTE anyway and LMR/PMR will fade out of the picture. At this point,
no one seems certain about whether LMR/PMR will stick around. There would be
advantages to converging voice and data onto one LTE network. For starters, the LTE
handsets would be much less expensive than LMR/PMR devices. But they would
likely have to be proven in the field before everyone in public safety migrates to them.
Meanwhile, the investment in LMR/PMR has already been made, so it might be hard
to move away from that anytime soon. People will have to wait and see. But eventu-
ally the decision will have to be made by each public safety agency.

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deploying
an LTE network
Providing Reliable, Secure Communications

A key requirement for a public safety network is that it must provide the capability
to first responders to communicate together while in the field and with command
and control centers from any place and under any circumstance. To achieve this
very demanding objective (which goes well beyond what commercial cellular net-
works can offer), a combination of specific network design and advanced solution
features is required.
Maximize communications reach and coverage. First, the public safety LTE
radio coverage must span both densely populated areas as well as remote and
sparsely populated areas (for example, in mountains/forested areas to fight forest
fires) where first responder operations are also needed. A common requirement is
95%-98% outdoor coverage of the area an agency serves. Although the require-
ment is set at a high level, it is not possible to cover all the difficult environments

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(like deep inside a building/basement or canyon). With existing LMR/PMR
technology, direct terminal-to-terminal communication is available to maintain
and extend continuity of communications between first responders where network
coverage is not available (for example, a fireman entering a basement to extin-
guish a fire).
A similar feature that will enable terminal-to-terminal communications for LTE
is being studied right now by the 3GPP under the name ”Proximity Services” in the
Release 12 timeframe (ProSe, TR22.803). Additionally, a Cell-on-Wheels (COW) can
be deployed in the vicinity of an incident to temporarily provide high quality and
high capacity local coverage. This COW can connect to the network with a conven-
tional backhaul solution such as microwave or it may be operated as a relay in the
future (as also defined by the 3GPP standards).
Ensure non-stop communications. Another aspect of the reliability and availability

of an LTE public safety network relies on the way the nodes of an end-to-end LTE
network are deployed and interconnected. The LTE core network can be deployed in a
geo-redundant configuration to enhance solution resiliency in the event of a disaster at
a core site. On top of this, LTE offers the inherent capability to connect each base station
(eNodeB) to multiple core network elements. This enables the load balancing of traffic
to maximize performance and network capacity use under normal operating conditions;
but more importantly it provides services continuity to the first responders if there is a
failure of a core network element. Also, LTE is an all-IP technology and all nodes can be
interconnected with a redundant/meshed packet-based backhaul network.
When IP/MPLS is used on the backhaul network, it can be designed so that any
transmission link or transmission equipment failure can automatically be resolved in less
than 50 ms by selecting an alternative transmission path using the Fast ReRoute feature.
The battery back-up design also has a key role in the overall availability and
resiliency of the solution. In the event of a major electricity blackout (caused, for ex-
ample, by a tornado knocking down electrical poles), public safety communications
must continue to operate to support the rescue of citizens and to maintain security
in the disaster area. Consequently, the battery back-up systems must be over-sized
compared to commercial networks practices, and may include backup generators to
handle prolonged power outages.
In the event the local communications infrastructure is destroyed by a major di-
saster (such as flooding or fire), it is always possible to deploy a COW equipped with
a back-up generator to provide emergency communications.

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Deliver quality of service. The last key element relates to QoS and the specific
management of QoS for public safety operations to deliver the required perfor-
mance. LTE is an all-IP radio network where all applications share the same radio
channel and IP infrastructure. The LTE standard defines a comprehensive toolbox
that enables a differentiated QoS for specific applications (such as voice, data and
video) and users. Rules can be defined for each application and user to determine
exactly how that particular traffic flow should be handled from end to end. The
parameters that can be set include such things as data rate (guaranteed or not),
latency, packet loss and priority.
Every single packet that enters the LTE network is inspected and mapped to the
appropriate bearer channel. Hence, when selecting an LTE packet core, it is of utmost
importance to choose a solution with a high performance Packet Data Gateway
(PGW) that is able to efficiently handle the deep packet inspection (DPI) and map-
ping process for all incoming packets. During deployment, the QoS parameters for
each application/user are provisioned so that each user experiences the appropriate
performance under any radio circumstances. It is also possible to control and modify
the QoS parameters of a particular (group of) user(s) or applications dynamically.
This means that in an emergency situation, for example, the situation commander
could temporarily provide higher priority to the team assigned to respond to the inci-
dent. A dedicated network will provide this level of control of these parameters.

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Building up
the Backhaul
Network
to Support
LTE Traffic
Data and video applications require much more bandwidth than voice services. As
public safety deploys LTE for faster, higher quality multimedia services, the growing
demand for bandwidth will put pressure on the backhaul network. Public safety net-
work operators need a more flexible and cost-effective way to quickly transform their
backhaul networks to carry this mobile data traffic. Existing backhaul networks based
on leased lines cannot deliver the required capacity in a cost-controlled manner.
Public safety agencies should leverage the optimal cost points of newer trans-
port technologies including Carrier Ethernet and MPLS to provide the high reliability,
performance and manageability of mission-critical packet and legacy traffic. An all-IP
backhaul will accommodate the new packet-based services while simultaneously
supporting traditional services because IP/MPLS is capable of supporting all traffic
types (data, voice and video) and protocols (TDM, ATM, Ethernet, IP, etc.).
Historically, organizations have built networks for a single purpose. This has
resulted in the operation and management of multiple siloed networks. With new

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Building up the Backhaul Network to Support LTE Traffic
IP/MPLS technology, an agency can converge all of these networks and start running
this traffic over a single network to gain efficiencies through load balancing, as well
as shared operating costs, management and security. For public service agencies, a
consolidated backhaul provides the additional advantage that they can leverage this
new digital foundation to combine storage of all of the data gathered.
To meet the stringent QoS requirements of real-time traffic, the mobile backhaul
network must integrate many of the qualities and attributes of switched networks
including predictability, reliability and manageability. Rather than using multiple
overlay backhaul networks, the solution should accommodate legacy access needs
and be optimized for next generation broadband services using Ethernet and MPLS,
based on multiservice routing and switching platforms. The use of Ethernet/ATM/
TDM-based pseudowires will bring mature and efficient functionality to the RAN and
enable the transition of the legacy RAN to packet.
When making the transformation to packet, there are some important require-
ments to keep in mind. The mobile backhaul network must:

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IP, MPLS AND LTE
IP/MPLS networks are perfectly suited for providing backhaul (transport)
in LTE networks. IP/MPLS can handle high bandwidth, media-rich services
that require end-to-end QoS. And while IP/MPLS can evolve with future
needs and LTE, it also integrates with multi-generational networks that need
to incorporate legacy technologies. The use of both IP and MPLS has been
growing consistently in recent years, and that growth is expected to continue.
Many public safety agencies have already transitioned to IP/MPLS networks
to converge multiple services — voice, data and video — onto a single platform.
Other agencies have at least started on this, by moving their LMR/PMR
communications to IP. With IP/MPLS, multiple types of data from numerous
agencies can be sent over the network, while keeping traffic separate and
secure. MPLS also provides better flexibility and performance than previous
technologies. MPLS can carry both mobile and fixed services simultaneously. It
is a mature technology that provides many options for the future.
• Support current LMR/PMR services while providing the scalability and

flexibility to support new LTE mobile services
• Enable scalable bandwidth at lower cost (leveraging Ethernet/IP over multiple
media: copper, fiber, microwave)
• Provide service assurance across all services (via carrier-grade Ethernet/MPLS)
• Deliver accurate clock synchronization mechanisms to converge rapidly
across the packet RAN
• Lower operational costs (via integrated management)
• Provide QoS support for all mobile services, efficiently allocating scarce
network resources in real time
• Increase network optimization and capacity, improving cost per bit
transported as leased lines are replaced
• Address infrastructure diversity via flexible backhaul alternatives, each
providing an evolution to all-IP

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SUpporting
Video on the
LTE Network
First responders and command center personnel can improve situational aware-
ness and decision-making with the ability to see what is happening before, during
and after an incident. There is a growing amount of video surveillance feeds from
fixed cameras and camera-equipped vehicles, first responders with tablets, and
helmet cameras which can all be shared with first responder teams.
Because LTE enables video to be rapidly shared and adapted, the frequency,
type and amount of video content will grow. For example, citizens will soon be able
to send video via 112/911 systems. In addition, camera systems with remote pan, tilt
and zoom capabilities are available, and they provide the ability to vary the frame-
rate to suit the particular application (for example, to detect an intrusion or identify
an intruder).
As a result, there are two significant factors that must be addressed:
• Equipping command/dispatch centers and first responders to effectively
manage video

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• Implementing procedures governing the use of video, including its
management for large incidents to maximize first responder and mobile
network performance
Effectively Managing Video

Within the dispatch and/or command center, an important element to implement
as part of the initial solution deployment is a capability to effectively manage the
video selection, distribution and storage. For many agencies this will be with a
management solution (available today) that integrates information from other
applications – such as license plate recognition and access control systems in a
police command center – to deliver a more comprehensive situational view. Using
remote camera management capabilities, the center can select the appropriate
feed(s) and push them to the first responder(s) and agencies with whom they are
collaborating at an incident. For example, this might include remotely accessing
the DVR in a vehicle that passed a store while on patrol just minutes prior to a
burglary to determine if the vehicle’s camera captured information on the suspect
and vehicle. The command center could remotely select the appropriate level of
picture resolution and provide this in real-time to responders, along with a local
street video surveillance feed to aid in the resolution.
First responders need the capability to quickly and easily move between differ-
ent live video feeds streamed to their device to effectively aid in increasing situational
awareness and faster, better decision-making. For example, they should be able to
easily move a video from their vehicle laptop to a ruggedized tablet or smartphone
when leaving their vehicle – without having to undertake time-consuming actions
like re-sizing and manipulating windows. The flexibility to view multiple video
streams and then select the relevant one is also needed, and is not always readily
available on every device.
Governance of Video Content

The use of video has legal and regulatory implications, which will become more
pressing as that use grows and videos are dynamically communicated at incidents.
It is extremely important that agencies develop and communicate procedures
for how video is to be captured, shared and stored, particularly between agen-
cies. Multiple video streams have the potential to consume a lot of bandwidth,
so when multiple agencies respond to a large incident, priorities must be clear.
Agencies should establish procedures that focus on the number of video streams,
their resolution, and so on, to maximize first responder and network performance.

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fiRst ResPOnDeR ViDeO
Alcatel-Lucent First Responder
Video enables the command/
dispatch center to tailor the
number of video and data
views as well as the screen
layout for each device type and
group of users, so information
is delivered in a way that is
appropriate to the situation as
well as meaningful in relation to
the size of the device.
innovative software
developed by Bell Labs makes the speedy delivery of this information possible
over a Public Safety Lte network and optimizes the use of network bandwidth. it
enables multiple video feeds and operational data to be mixed into a single stream
that is sent to mobile devices. the resulting stream provides significant bandwidth
gain (a ratio of at least the number of mixed flows to one) and efficient decoding
and display at the device since the complex manipulations are done in the First
Responder Video server in the command center.
First Responder Video offers two modes of operation. the dispatcher can select
the video mix to be transmitted to each specific group of users, and can change the mix
according to the mission needs. Also, users can directly share video with other users
that belong to their group by simply selecting a video from the mosaic and sharing it.
First Responder Video can also operate over commercial 3G and 4G networks.
this enables agencies today to start a pilot deployment to determine operational
procedures as well as benefit from enhanced safety and teamwork. then once their
Public Safety Lte network is deployed, support can evolve to this network which
offers additional control and a broader deployment.
Modeling of video use and key applications may be helpful inputs in developing
procedures on the use of video. If the applications used and/or number of first
responders at an incident varies significantly within the agency’s jurisdiction, it
might be helpful to develop separate models for each key area, such as urban,
suburban and rural.
A How-to Guide: PuBLic SAFety Lte - GLoBAL editioN 45

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Evolving Voice
Support on the
LTE Network
An LTE public safety network is primarily deployed to provide additional capa-

bilities to first responders that will improve operational effectiveness, including
broadband applications such as live video and high-speed sharing of information
such as maps and pictures. Initially, these capabilities will likely be available to a
subset of first responders, and then to an increasing number over time as budgets
and applications become available.
Voice (and especially group voice calls) on existing LMR/PMR networks will
continue to be an essential mode of communication for all first responders. However,
it is very important to also support voice on the LTE network. LTE can provide VoIP
services today and a new set of standard parameters has been already defined for
Voice over LTE (VoLTE), which provides VoIP interoperability for commercial
voice services.
Providing VoLTE on a public safety network initially enables agencies to replace
commercial wireless devices with devices that leverage the public safety network,

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MISSION CRITICAL VOICE: U.S. R&D
In the same legislative act that created FirstNet, the U.S. Congress also provided
up to $300 million to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to pursue
research and development on public safety communications needs, including
mission critical voice over broadband. The directives from Congress include:
• Document public safety requirements
• Accelerate deployment of capability for communications between narrowband
and broadband networks
• Research plan addressing wireless communications needs of public safety beyond
that provided by current generation of technology
• Accelerate deployment of mission critical voice, including “talkaround,” over
broadband networks, prioritization, authentication, and standard APIs for the
nationwide broadband network
• Accelerate deployment of technology and equipment that eventually facilitates
migration from narrowband to broadband network
thus reducing the total cost of ownership. However, the requirements for voice sup-
port go well beyond the standard VoLTE service. In fact, in the public safety context,
what is most important is for the LTE network to interwork with P25/TETRA voice
(and low data-rate services like short message). Over the short term, this interwork-
ing enables interoperability. It also provides the necessary migration path from P25/
TETRA with an LTE overlay to a mission-critical LTE network running all mission-
critical services (voice, video and data).
To achieve interoperability, a gateway that interconnects the narrowband sys-
tems with the LTE system is deployed. This gateway enables the extension of push to
talk (PTT) application with P25/TETRA to the LTE network. The same gateway may
also have the role of a full-blown PTT server for LTE. In the current approach for P25
interworking with LTE, all PTT messages (signaling, floor control, media) are trans-
ported over LTE and a PTT client is installed on the LTE terminal to emulate P25 ter-
minal behavior. As a consequence, the LTE terminal enabled with client software will
mimic and inherit all services available on P25. The interworking protocol is based
on the extension of the IP-based ISSI interface, which has previously been defined to
interconnect multiple P25 networks. Preliminary implementations are available that
enable a first level of interworking. Standardization of this mechanism for P25/LTE
interworking is on-going in the TIA TR8.8 group. Similar discussions are also starting
in the TETRA/TETRAPOL community. This will ensure full interoperability between
jurisdictions (and solutions from different suppliers).

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SPECTRUM FOR BROADBAND
In parallel, through the PUBLIC SAFETY IN EUROPE
addition of new 3GPP func- Spectrum for broadband public safety in Europe
tionalities such as Proximity is not available today. A radio regulation
Services (ProSe; providing group (CEPT FM 49) is working on identifying
talkaround or direct mode spectrum for broadband applications. This
of operations), evolved includes identification of potential new bands
Multimedia Broadcast below 1 GHz and an optimized use of the
Multicast Service (eMBMS) existing PMR 400 MHz band (380-470 MHz)
and GCSEL (Group Commu- for broadband use. Meanwhile, European public
nication System Enablers for safety organizations have similar needs to those
LTE), LTE public safety net- in the U.S. and a few of them are considering
works will be able to more using commercial networks to start. However,
efficiently handle large-scale commercial networks do not provide the same
group communications. level of availability, resiliency, security and
This will pave the way control that a private network would. So, it is
toward complete migra- envisaged that while a commercial operator
tion to a mission-critical may be relied on to provide RAN connectivity
LTE network. Preliminary now, when spectrum is available to deploy a
implementations are available private network, public safety organizations will
that enable a first level of opt to deploy a multi-agency private network.
interworking.
Supporting roaming out of jurisdiction

Public safety users need to connect not only in their own jurisdiction, but also
in other jurisdictions, for example, to provide mutual aid. In the U.S., the Na-
tional Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) will support seamless roaming
from one part of the network to another part, using the X2 and/or S1 handover
mechanisms defined in the 3GPP standards. To support roaming to other jurisdic-
tions within the NPSBN a “home APN” is defined that connects the user to their
home PGW to provide access to services in their home enterprise network. To
connect to the visiting jurisdiction’s enterprise network, a “common Access Point
Name (APN)” is used as defined in “PSCR Public Safety 700 MHz Demonstration
Network, Network Identifier Guidelines, Version 1.0”, dated January 2012. This
“common APN” dynamically connects the user to the visiting network for services
in that network; including a visiting portal that provides information on the visiting
network, such as incident information.

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Use of a commercial wireless carrier
The availability of dedicated bandwidth to support broadband public safety
services depends on the region or country. However, even when a dedicated
spectrum and network are deployed, it may also be desirable to take advantage
of the coverage provided by a commercial operator, particularly in regions where
the commercial network reaches areas the public safety network does not. If this
occurs, first responders will want to be able to roam to the commercial network to
maintain communications.
Some terminals (such as the vehicular routers) include multiple radio modems
(for example, both a dedicated public safety network LTE modem and a commercial
LTE network modem). This enables the public service agency to leverage the connec-
tivity to multiple networks and enhance the throughput of that terminal if needed.
When visiting a commercial LTE network, the network interfaces with the Home
Subscriber Server (HSS) in the user’s home network (NPSBN in the case of FirstNet)
to retrieve the specific subscriber information. This includes information about the
“home APN” and “common APN” as discussed above. To connect to the “home APN”
the home-routed model is used as defined in 3GPP TS 23.401 and shown below.
Figure 4. Connecting a public safety LTE network with a commercial LTE network
Operator’s
IP Services
Policy and Charging

Rules Function
(PCRF)
User’s Home Public Home Subscriber Packet Data Charging Data Billing Domain
Safety Broadband Server (HSS) Network Gateway Function/Charging (BD)
(PGW) Gateway Function
(In US, NPSBN) (CDF/CGF)
Internet Packet
Exchange Provider IPX Diameter Agent IPX BGP Routing Billing Mediation
(IPX)
Commercial LTE
Network
Domain Name
System (DNS)
Mobility
Management
LTE Entity (MME)
User
eNodeB Serving Gateway Visited Charging Data Billing Domain

(SGW) Function/Charging (BD)
Gateway Function
(V-CDF/CGF)

Alcatel-Lucent
Figure 5. Local traffic routing when roaming
Home Operator’s
IP Services
Home Policy
Rules Function
User’s Home Public Home Subscriber (H-PCRF) Billing Domain
Safety Broadband Server (HSS) (BD)
(In US, NPSBN)
Internet Packet
Exchange Provider IPX Diameter Agent Billing Mediation
(IPX)
Commercial LTE
Network Visited Operator’s
IP Services
Domain Name
Visited Policy and Packet Data
System (DNS)
Charging Rules Function Network Gateway
(V-PCRF) (PGW)
Mobility
Management
LTE Entity (MME)
User
eNodeB Serving Gateway Visited Charging Data Billing Domain

(SGW) Function/Charging (BD)
Gateway Function
(V-CDF/CGF)
In the US, as shown in Figure 4, it is expected that FirstNet will select an Internet
Packet Exchange (IPX) provider to handle the connectivity between the NPSBN and
the various commercial networks with whom NPBSN creates roaming agreements.
When roaming onto commercial networks, it may be desirable to route certain
traffic, such as Internet traffic, locally in the commercial LTE network. The standards
define a local breakout model to achieve this as illustrated in Figure 5. When using a
local breakout, a PGW in the commercial LTE network is used. The Policy and Charg-
ing Rules Function (PCRF) in the visiting network interacts with the PCRF in the home
network to determine QoS and priority of sessions established using this method.
Either or both home-routed and local-breakout APNs can be supported for a
user’s device. This depends on the user APN data configured in the HSS.
In addition to roaming to commercial LTE networks, roaming to commercial net-
works with different radio technologies such as HSPA, GERAN, 1xEV-Do, or eHRPD
is also supported.

Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent
rollout
strategy
Public safety agencies will clearly benefit from LTE, yet there are factors such as
budget, regulatory issues and internal resource constraints that stop deployment
from happening sooner – rather than later. As part of the deployment process it
is worth considering two significant factors – coverage and reliability – in mul-
tiple phases or budget cycles. This can reflect the availability of applications and
devices as well as incremental funding.
Specific coverage and reliability requirements associated with the RAN tech-
nology and frequency are two factors that drive the number of base stations, their
antenna design, backhaul requirements and cost. The initial macro network design
should focus on the long term requirements.
A deployment plan may specify coverage requirements that will be phased in
over time to reflect the available budget. For example, the RAN design might begin by
focusing on a goal of 95% outdoor coverage. If sufficient budget is not available, the
initial phase might focus on coverage for a subset of the overall area the agency serves.

Alcatel-Lucent
In a subsequent phase, the coverage may be extended to include more areas. In-
building coverage in key areas or a growing number of buildings might be included in
initial and/or subsequent phases. Coverage goals in urban and rural areas might vary.
For example, there might be a 95% coverage goal for vehicle routers in rural areas
and a 95% coverage goal for handheld and vehicle routers in urban areas.
As part of the deployment plan, in-building coverage might be provided in select
buildings. Small cells can also be included as part of the network design to efficiently
address in-building coverage. Whenever possible, a network design that places base
stations as close as possible to key buildings might be implemented to help maxi-
mize the possible in-building coverage. This approach might be desirable even in the
absence of a specific goal, due to budget constraints.
A phased rollout of LTE service to specific agencies and departments within
an organization can also be used to reflect budgets and minimize risk. For example,
smartphones might initially be deployed to a subset of the organization such as inspec-
tors and detectives in a police department. They might be provided with initial support
for only a subset of the possible applications while the agency’s communications team
Phased Public Safety LTE Deployment
First create a Public Safety LTE macro network design

that reflects long term requirements.
Phase 1
• Begin deploying a portion of LTE backhaul network that also
maximizes LMR/PMR coverage and performance
• Utilize utility/transportation backhaul in areas where public safety
lacks a presence for LMR/PMR–beginning of public/provate partner-
Multiple budget and grant cycles
ship with utility or transportation operator
Phase 2
• LTE outside coverage (95%) in subset of agency’s area
• Initial application support and rollout to subset of agency depart-
ments
Spectrum, regulations and
• Voice interworking with P25/TETRA for non-critical applications

• Initial shared utility/transportation access
resources enable LTE
Phase 3
• Expand LTE coverage and in-building coverage at select sites
• Expand agency department and application support
deployment
Subsequent Phase(s)
• Introduce new applications and evaluate voice support
• Fill in coverage holes and expand coverage into new areas with
lightRadio™ and continue expanding in-building coverage
This is an example of one of many possible phased approaches

Alcatel-Lucent
ramps up its network knowledge and support. Additional departments and applica-
tions could be added in subsequent phases.
Small cells might be used to fill in holes in coverage such as stadiums or to
expand coverage into new areas. Units could be mounted on light poles, power poles
and buildings – essentially disappearing into the environment. This greatly reduces
the expense and regulatory hurdles of building new towers.
For agencies facing regulatory uncertainty (either for availability of broadband
spectrum or for those in the U.S. awaiting more details on FirstNet), the initial de-
ployment phase might focus on backhaul. Besides development of new RAN sites,
backhaul has one of the longer timelines in the overall LTE deployment schedule. To
do this, agencies should begin by creating an LTE RF design with associated back-
haul today that also reflects P25/TETRA requirements. They can then begin install-
ing backhaul to improve today’s voice capabilities, using the design for tomorrow’s
broadband with LTE to help accelerate the availability of its benefits once regulatory
and budgets constraints permit. For public safety agencies in the U.S., the specific
backhaul resources and cost in support of LTE might be positioned as part of their
contribution to the FirstNet deployment in their state.
Best practices
Putting an LTE network on top of an LMR/PMR system will provide significant
broadband capabilities for the public safety agency. Solid preparation is crucial
before deploying (see previous section) and, once the prep work is done, manag-
ing the LTE deployment properly becomes extremely important. The deployment
needs to stay on track regarding timelines, budget, logistics and more. Strong
project management is a must. There are many steps along the way – purchas-
ing, installation, end-to-end integration and testing, to name a few. Following are
some key suggestions.
Choose the right system integrator. It is vital to have a good network integrator.
Often, the integrator is also the project manager, so there could be one company
designing, integrating, deploying and maintaining the system. An experienced inte-
grator can bring all the elements together to make the LTE project a success. Many
vendors will be required for the end-to-end implementation, so the agency needs an
integrator who can manage the contributions of all and, for example, one that can
leverage the broadband innovation and knowledge created in the ng Connect multi-
company ecosystem.

Alcatel-Lucent
ng Connect POINTS
TO THE FUTURE Choose an integrator who offers
A program called ng Connect (ng for “next
multiple types of technologies and is
generation”) brings together companies
familiar with the impacts of LTE on
that create infrastructure (including
backhaul. Systems integration and
Alcatel-Lucent), devices, applications and
configuration are very important in
content for broadband, to help develop
public safety because separate systems
the best possible uses of LTE and other
such as video surveillance or 112/911
broadband technologies. The goal is to
centers must be integrated into the
share knowledge, work together and help
LTE network. The new LTE network
create tomorrow’s end-to-end broadband
should be fully interoperable with oth-
ecosystem. For more information, visit
er systems, technologies and services.
www.ngconnect.org.
Be sure to select a system integrator
with extensive experience.
Hire a strong project manager. The project manager must be organized, able to
set priorities, manage risks and keep everyone aligned. Deploying an LTE net-
work is a large, complex endeavor. Many different components from a variety of
vendors need to come together. There are a lot of players involved, and the project
manager should help them work together.
Networks are more complicated than they used to be. Traditionally a network
would be built for a single purpose. Today they are built for multiple services. Today’s
networks must be service-aware, and able to monitor and manage themselves to truly
give public safety agencies what they need. A strong project manager is needed to
help with the complexity of today’s networks.
Deploy in phases. Implementing the LTE network in phases has several advantag-
es. By going slowly, the agency can learn as it goes, and users have time to adjust.
LTE can do many things better than previous technologies although it is best not to
introduce all the changes at once! A good approach is to implement the backhaul
and core LTE network first (in the U.S., the FirstNet core might be utilized), and then
follow a conservative, phased deployment model. Perhaps work with just a limited
number of base stations at first in a smaller area to gain experience. Manage that
small deployment as its own project. Take lessons learned and then expand on it.
The agency can continue to roll out services from there. This incremental knowl-
edge gained along the way benefits everyone as things move forward. If any adjust-
ments must be made during deployment, they are more easily made on a smaller scale.

Alcatel-Lucent
And the agency can get valuable feedback from users. Getting this feedback in small
deployments at the beginning helps ensure subsequent deployments go more smoothly.
Plan for quality assurance testing. Build time into the schedule for thorough test-
ing. Testing helps ensure the new LTE system meets the requirements of its public
safety users. Make sure all the devices, applications and individual components
within the system are working properly. Also test the entire LTE solution, from
end-to-end. Test internally, during the design stage and at later stages. Also test
everything later, with the users themselves, before full deployment.
Consider outsourcing for operations and maintenance. LTE is a different technol-

ogy from legacy LMR/PMR, and it will bring changes for public safety. Some agencies
may be more comfortable outsourcing operations and maintenance. In the U.S., this
decision may be made at a state level in conjunction with a decision to participate in
FirstNet. Outsourcing agreements can be cost effective, with the option to cover either
some or all aspects of the network, including operations and security. They can even
apply to multi-vendor networks. Even if the agency does not want to permanently
outsource network operation, it might want to have the system integrator operate the
LTE network for a while once it comes online to help get off to a good start.

Alcatel-Lucent
Invest Today to
Accelerate Benefits
Now that the agency has a better
MOBILE BROADBAND = understanding of LTE, it can begin to
IMPROVED PUBLIC SAFETY prepare for implementation. LTE will
With high speed, low latency and other be deployed over time, but now is the
features, LTE fulfills mission-critical time to assess what the agency has,
public safety needs: identify initial applications and begin
• Increased interoperability building a plan. Focus on partner-
• Improved situational awareness ships now so that the requirements
• Better security and benefits can be integrated early
• Support for high-speed, high-capacity into the network design. Designing
applications: and equipping backhaul today for
¬ High-definition video streaming tomorrow’s broadband with LTE
¬ High-speed data transmission will immediately improve LMR/
¬ High-resolution photos PMR voice capabilities and will help
¬ Detailed mapping accelerate availability of next genera-
¬ More accurate vehicle location tion benefits once spectrum, regula-
¬ Transfer of very large files tory and budget constraints permit.
¬ Faster Web, e-mail and text Deploy a First Responder Video pilot
messaging using commercial 4G/3G services to
¬ Better access to remote determine operational procedures as
databases well as benefit from enhanced safety
¬ Faster reporting and teamwork.
¬ Improved computer-aided Public Safety LTE will bring nu-
dispatch merous improvements to communica-
¬ Dependable telemetry/remote tions, greatly aiding all first responder
diagnostics personnel. There is much an agency
can do to prepare. And because public
safety communication is so important,
it is best to start now.

Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent is a leading LTE provider
globally and a trusted partner in building
public safety networks for state, regional
and local governments. Alcatel-Lucent
delivers complete, best-in-class communi-
cations solutions aligned with the most
challenging mission imperatives of public
safety networks, and tailored to meet the
needs and requirements of governments.
For more information, visit www.alcatel-lucent.com/publicsafety

© 2012 Alcatel-Lucent. All rights reserved.
Alcatel, Lucent, Alcatel-Lucent, and the Alcatel-Lucent logo are trademarks of Alcatel-Lucent.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel-Lucent assumes
no responsibility for the accuracy of the information presented, which is subject to change
without notice. Copyright 2012 Alcatel-Lucent. All rights reserved.
M2012104738 (November)

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Public safety LTE

A How-to Guide – GLOBAL EDITION

New Capabilities for Public Safety / 5

The Solution: Public Safety LTE / 11

The Utilities Advantage / 16

LTE: What It Is, What It Does / 19

How LTE Meets the Needs of Public Safety / 26

Preparing for LTE / 29

Deploying an LTE Network / 35

Building up the Backhaul Network to Support LTE Traffic / 39

Supporting Video on the LTE Network / 43

Governance of Video Content / 44

Evolving Voice Support on the LTE Network / 47

Use of a Commercial Wireless Carrier / 50

Invest Today to Accelerate Benefits / 58

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 3

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 5

Limitations of First Responder Communications

6 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

No interoperability: While efforts are underway to standardize LMR/PMR net-

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 7

8 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

Greater interoperability and enhanced inter-agency cooperation:

Unprecedented broadband capabilities:

High reliability and security:

Evolution to mission-critical network:

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 9

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 11

Canada is following the United States band plan.

Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa

devices (for example, “machine-to-machine” communication), operators are

12 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

Latin America and the Caribbean

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 13

14 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

$25,000 Device management

Coordination and monitoring

$20,000 Planning and engineering

$0 Site acquisition cost

TCO $21,371M $14,653M

CAPEX 55% 45%

10-year TCO savings 46 % = $6,718M

• Site acquisition cost is the biggest • Maintenance is the biggest

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 15

16 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 17

Better performance – The numerous technological advances of LTE bring better

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 19

Simplified, IP-based architecture – The all-IP architecture of an LTE network

20 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

Radio Backhaul Evolved Operations,

User Equipment Essential

automatically to mobile devices and analyzed remotely. As a result,

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 21

22 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition

Greater interoperability – LTE has a number of advantages related to interoper-

A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition 23

24 A How-To Guide: Public Safety LTE - Global Edition