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Association of Public-Safety

Communications Officials International

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APCO INTERNATIONAL'S COMMITMENT TO ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

As public safety agencies evaluate their two-way radio needs for the future, many are reaching some similar conclusions:

  • Radio spectrum is becoming more congested
  • The demand for data transmission is more pronounced
  • Systems need increased functionality
  • Secure communication is a growing necessity
  • Improved voice quality is essential over more of the coverage area.

Of course, upgrading a communications network is a major undertaking in terms of time, energy and expense. A number of possible solutions are available, including the digital technologies that will become, and are now becoming, available. They offer the potential to address many or all major concerns, and they can provide a true platform for the future.

However, the decision to go digital is only the first step. There are several different digital technologies on the market, making the selection difficult. Each one has its own set of features that may or may not suit public safety organizations.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials - International, Inc. (APCO International) is committed to making the selection process easier through APCO 25, an industry-wide effort to set the recommended voluntary standards of uniform digital two-way radio technology for public safety organizations. By working together with APCO International, public safety agencies can take this opportunity to move technology along a common path that benefits the greatest number of users.

Project 16 Documents (zip) (9.9MB)

Project 16 was an effort to establish the basic requirements for a typical public safety communications system.  The result was an operational/functional (non-technical) de facto standard to which many manufacturers have responded.  It was the foundation for the further efforts of Project 25, which continued beyond Project 16 to define technical standards.

Project 25 Discussion Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/project25
An open membership technical discussion group related to the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials' (APCO) and the Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA) "Project 25" technical standards for narrow-band 12.5 kHz Phase I, and 6.25 kHz Phase II radio communications technology. Participants would typically be in the private or public-sector land-mobile radio communications trade.

Project 25/34 New Technology Standards Project Statement of Requirements Wide band Aeronautical and Terrestrial Mobile Digital Radio Technology Standards For the Wireless Transport of Rate Intensive Information June 1, 1999 Revision 4.00
(Note: that Section V, Subsection H on Federal Govt. specific requirements is not completed awaiting the specific input of federal sources.)

Motorola Announces Details of its Licensing Agreements For Project 25 Technology