Wireless Communications
Interoperability

Future Trends and Directions



Environmental Factors
• Radio congestion will increase 
• Spectrum will continue to be limited 
• Infrastructure development will remain costly 
• Federal funds will be limited 


Industry Factors 

• Competition is limited 

• Engineers listen to other engineers more 
than end users—they add functionality 
because they can 

• Designers often misunderstand or don’t 
inquire enough about user needs 

• Commercial products set expectations 



Future Ideas

• Fed govt and state/local govt should partner with
commercial companies to provide primary data
coverage; back up for voice 

• State and local govts need more experienced engineers
working for public safety—accurately assess needs;
communicate better with designers and vendors (or
require independent expert/university partner to help
them) 

• All levels of govt should mandate more training for end
users—learn functionality; certification testing, e.g., state
POSTs 

• Fed govt should clear the 700 band and reserve for PS



Future Ideas (cont)

• Local reqmts must force a holistic approach to
design—consider human engineering factors in
addition to technical and field operations 

• Fed govt should sponsor research into
developing a modular approach to radio
design—start with a “mainframe box” and add 
desirable features 

• Software defined radios—future solution; we
can’t wait for it 

• Fed govt directs the development of open
standards; states apply—will improve
competitiveness 



Future Ideas (cont)

• RFPs should include life cycle 
replacement; Fed govt should help by 
encouraging this in grants