Nick Falgiatore (Senior Technology Specialist and Engineering Lead, Mission Critical Partners)
Brad Barber (VP, Special Projects, Federal Engineering Inc.)
John Bramfeld (Vice President of Infrastructure Development, Public Safety Towers)
Chris Godwin (Chief Technology Officer, RF Solutions LLC)
Location: N255
Date: Monday, March 27
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Pass Type:
All Access, Quick Pass Monday
Track:
System Resiliency, Policy and Governance
Format:
Panel Session
Vault Recording: TBD
Choosing an area where you need a new communications site is the easy part! You know you have a coverage gap that you want to fill, or coverage you need to expand, or a microwave hop is needed to connect new sites. But the process of evaluating existing sites versus greenfield sites can be quite daunting, and rural and urban sites have very different considerations.
Urban environments present one of the most challenging environments for constructing LMR systems. They require the greatest number of radio sites to provide the required levels of in-building penetration, yet also receive the greatest pushback for constructing radio sites due to the visible impact and other issues. Rural sites may also be impacted by environmental concerns, endangered species habitats, and state, local and tribal rules and regulations, and the availability of backhaul. And both may have open space and coverage impediments (too much or too little), and historical precedents to worry about.
Evaluating co-location opportunities versus building a new site also requires a realistic cost/benefit analysis. In this session, a leading public safety consultant will review some of the key factors to consider when evaluating sites for short-, medium-, or long-term viability. This discussion will address the challenges that can be expected, and strategies to mitigate them.