The Northern California Bay Area
The Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) was established because of the events of 9/11. A significant criticism that came out after those tragic events was the lack of ability for first responders to communicate effectively. The nation has since focused on the importance of interoperable communications and how it effectively enables first responders to combat terrorism, and respond and recover from disasters.
Bay Area Regional Interoperable Communications System (BayRICS) vision was established by the 10 Bay Area Counties and three core cities, of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose in 2006 through the creation of a strategic plan with the goal of providing voice and data interoperability throughout the Bay Area region.
BayRICS is a state of the art communications system-of-systems comprised of four major components:
BayRICS will provide first responders with mission critical interoperable communications, enabling them to proactively respond and recover more efficiently and effectively to major intentional or natural events.
BayComm is the 700MHz Project 25 (P25) voice component of BayRICS. In the past, the Bay Area agencies have traditionally utilized frequency disparate and antiquated legacy analog systems. Interoperability required cache radios and gateways for agencies to team together effectively during multi-jurisdictional events and disasters.
The BayComm “system of systems” voice initiative seeks to alleviate these issues by providing Bay Area first responders with a common frequency band and a common open digital standard in P25. P25 is supported and recognized nationwide as the voice standard for public safety by APCO and the Federal Government through the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and general Federal grant requirements.
Since the UASI’s inception, BayComm has been primarily funded through various regional Federal grant funding and local general funds. In 2010, the Bay Area, through a large planning project, intends to map out completion of the voice systems from both a technology and financial standpoint.
Bay Area Wireless Enhanced Broadband (BayWEB) is the broadband component of BayRICS. There are two main system components to BayWEB:
700MHz PSST Channels
Next Generation Cellular Technology built for Public Safety
LTE standards based
WISPs – Wireless Internet Service Provider
Private Consumer
Municipal and Anchor Institutions
For the Public Safety sub-system, 4G LTE will allow first responders to use incredible applications that are not currently possible on today’s available public safety networks. The standards based system will interoperate with other LTE public safety systems such as the planned National Broadband Network and can expand into regions throughout California and the West Coast. The Bay Area is working closely with the FCC, Emergency Responders Interoperability Center (ERIC), NIST, and other groups to ensure interoperability with other systems.
The Public Access sub-system is a robust wireless broadband middle mile network for public consumption. Last mile providers, such as WISPs and even municipalities, can utilize the network to provide broadband access to their users. The network is compliments wired broadband infrastructure and allows a level of mobility. Ultimately, the sub-system will create jobs and a broadband economic system in the Bay Area, benefitting the general public and municipalities through competition and additional available broadband providers.
As a whole, BayWEB is an innovative and cutting edge self-sustaining and self-improving system. Through any revenues generated from the entire system, BayWEB will be managed, operated, maintained, and can be expanded further to improve coverage and capacity.
Under the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP), Motorola has submitted an application on behalf of the Bay Area. BayWEB, utilizing existing public safety radio system assets, will be built, owned, operated and maintained by Motorola. The application is currently being reviewed by the NTIA and there is positive momentum moving forward.
The Regional Information Sharing sub-system in BayRICS utilizes common applications for vital information exchange between agencies, jurisdictions, and our fusion center partners. This initiative is coordinated and funded by the Bay Area UASI region grants. The applications share critical data such as criminal records, mug shots, vehicle and related data for real time and investigative law enforcement throughout the Bay Area and expansion throughout California.
BayLoop is the Digital Microwave backbone which circles the Bay Area Region providing connectivity to the 10 Bay Area
counties and approximately 100 Bay Area cities. BayLoop’s design includes hot switchover radios at each site as well as loop protection. The dual OC3 design provides sufficient capacity to support all of the BayRICS components. BayLoop will allow the sharing of information, data & voice, and the interoperability connectivity across the Bay Area not only during events requiring mutual aid but also the operability of day to day public safety operation.