The considerations in question include what APIs would need to be present for “efficient integration,” as well as key mission critical requirements. It also “sets out the benefits to the mission critical ecosystem of supporting such an approach”.
Going into further detail, a spokesperson for the organisation said: “Across the ecosystem, operating system providers, manufacturers, operators and end-user organisations need to be aware of these considerations in the evolution of their product roadmaps, business planning and purchasing strategies.
“[New broadband based devices and applications] will significantly enhance the capabilities and productivity of first responders. However, the mission critical broadband ecosystem is much more complex than the existing narrowband market."
The task force which produced the white paper was led by Sepura’s Kit Kilgour, who is a member of TCCAs Critical Communications Broadband Group.
Kilgour said: “With the introduction of broadband products based on commercial chipsets, hardware platforms and common operating systems, there is an opportunity for users to choose the particular mission critical application that best suits their needs. [That is] regardless of the device they are using.
“Therefore, there is not just a need for interoperability at a system level, but also portability across devices to enable cost-effective deployment. Without this, the choice will become severely limited.”
The white paper is aimed at mission critical network operators, and mission critical software and hardware developers. It is also intended for “all stakeholders looking to familiarise themselves with technical integration issues and related business impacts”.
The white paper ‘APIs to facilitate mission critical client device integration’ is available from TCCA’s website.
