Satellite Technology Feature Article
September 25, 2008
MSV Intros Southeastern U.S. Regional Public Safety Communications Network
By Niladri Sekhar Nath, TMCnet Contributor
Mobile Satellite Ventures (News - Alert) (MSV) has teamed with the Fairfax County, Virginia’s Office of Emergency Management and Department of Public Safety Communications to develop the South East Satellite Mutual Aid Radio Talkgroup (SE-SMART) operating on the MSV satellite communications network.
SE-SMART is the eighth, multi-state, regionally-focused and managed talk group provided by MSV to facilitate rapid, reliable and interoperable communications over satellite for public safety operations and emergency responders.
Working with national, state and local public safety agencies, MSV has already helped establish SMART talkgroups serving 42 states across the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In coordination with MSV, the Fairfax County OEM and DPCS will manage, provide 24x7 monitoring, and approve participation in SE-SMART by federal, state, tribal, and local public safety agencies - and appropriate private sector users with a public safety mission - located in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
This new southeastern regional talk group enables critical and interoperable communications at all levels of public safety agencies and facilities in this 12-state region and the District of Columbia. For those agencies already using MSV’s technology, these talk groups represent a major step forward in public safety interoperability, particularly when terrestrial networks are damaged or congested.
“Enhancing public safety and emergency response communication interoperability is at the core of MSV’s satellite mutual aid radio talkgroup program,” said Susan Miller, senior vice president for satellite services for MSV. “Working with the Fairfax County OEM and DPSC, we have found a proactive communications partner focused on implementing solutions, such as SE-SMART, to improve interoperability during emergencies as well as for day-to-day operations.”
SE-SMART is the latest in a rapidly growing family of nationwide and regionally-focused talk groups, provided by MSV but managed and controlled by the organizing federal, tribal, state or local agency. These include nationwide public safety and national security/emergency preparedness talk groups managed by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security’s National Communications System (NCS).
MSV develops integrated satellite-terrestrial communications network, based on MSV’s patented ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) technology. The company hopes its next-generation network will provide seamless, transparent and ubiquitous wireless coverage of the United States and Canada to conventional handsets. Mobile Satellite Ventures is a joint venture between Mobile Satellite Ventures LP and Mobile Satellite Ventures.
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Niladri Sekhar Nath is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Niladri’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Michelle Robart
