NZ Police

• • • • • • •

BRIEFING FOR E-GIF WORKING

GROUP ON INCORPORATING THE
APCO P25 STANDARDS INTO THE E-
GOVERNMENT INTEROPERABILITY
FRAMEWORK

PREPARED BY
ADDED VALUE APPLICATIONS

Bill Deverall
Added Value Applications

19 September 2006

Added Value Applications Page 1

8/2/2009
CONTENTS
CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................2
1.0 Introduction..............................................................................................................3
2.0 The e-Government Interoperability Framework......................................................3
2.1 Relevant objectives of the e-Government Initiative.............................................4
3.0 Operational interoperability for PPDR agencies......................................................5
3.1PPDR land mobile radio networks .......................................................................6
3.2Call and dispatch centres.......................................................................................6
3.3A national PPDR strategic plan and command structure......................................6
3.4Communications between PPDR agencies............................................................8
4.0 Technical interoperability between PPDR agencies.................................................8
5.0 The APCO P25 standards suite...............................................................................11
5.1RF sub-system.....................................................................................................11
5.2Common air interface..........................................................................................12
5.3Intersystem interface...........................................................................................12
5.4Telephone interconnect interface ........................................................................12
5.5Network management interface ..........................................................................13
5.6 Data host or network interface ..........................................................................13
5.7Data peripheral interface ....................................................................................13
5.8Fixed station interface.........................................................................................13
5.9Console sub-system interface..............................................................................14
5.10Security..............................................................................................................14
6.0 APCO 25 standards and technical interoperability for PPDR networks in New
Zealand.........................................................................................................................14
6.1 Mechanisms for technical interoperability using the common air interface......15
6.2Mechanisms for technical interoperability other than at the common air interface
..................................................................................................................................16
6.3Interoperability between APCO P25 networks...................................................17
6.4Technical interoperability with an initial deployment of an APCO 25 standard
network.....................................................................................................................17
6.5Technical interoperability with the ultimate deployment of the APCO 25
standard in PPDR networks......................................................................................19
6.6The requirements of call and dispatch centres, and other related organisations. 20
6.7The differing technical capabilities required for urban, rural and remote
environments............................................................................................................21
6.7 International technical interoperability..............................................................22
7.0 Radio spectrum requirements for APCO 25 based PPDR networks......................22
7.1 Forecast capacity................................................................................................23
7.2 VHF Spectrum requirement and its availability.................................................23
7.3UHF Spectrum and its availability......................................................................24

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This report is provided exclusively for the New Zealand Police. No part of this report may be distributed to any third parties,
without the prior written consent of Added Value Applications Ltd.

While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, Added Value Applications Ltd - its
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conclusions drawn from this report.

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8/2/2009
1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to brief the Working Party tasked with ensuring that the
adoption of the APCO P25 standards suite for national Public Preparedness and Disaster
Recovery (PPDR) Land Mobile Radio Networks (LMRN) meets the requirements of the
e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF). This paper should be read in
conjunction with the Terms of reference for the Working Party and contains
:
• a brief introduction to e-GIF and its objectives
• an overview of the APCO 25 standards,
• a view of the state of current interoperability between PPDR agencies and their
LMRN networks and
• a view of the mechanisms by which the adoption of the APCO 25 standards
initially for an LMRN for Police, Fire and Customs would enhance Government’s
attainment of its e-GIF objectives

The paper aims to assist with the identification of any issues so that they can be resolved.

2.0 The e-Government Interoperability Framework

As part of its digital strategy the New Zealand Government intends to be a leader in e-
Government and has adopted that intention as a Vision Statement for its e-Government
initiative, with the following Mission:

• By June 2004 the Internet will be the dominant means of enabling ready access to
government information, services and processes.
• By June 2007, networks and Internet technologies will be integral to the delivery
of government information, services and processes.
• By June 2010, the operation of government will have been transformed through
its use of the Internet.

The goals expressed for the Mission are:

• Better services - more convenient and reliable, with lower compliance costs,
higher quality and value;
• Cost effectiveness and efficiency - cheaper, better information and services for
customers, and better value for taxpayers;
• Improved reputation - building an image of New Zealand as a modern nation, an
attractive location for people and business;
• Greater participation by people in government - making it easier for those who
wish to contribute; and
• Leadership - supporting the knowledge society through public sector innovation.
Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

The Government has identified three broad characteristics that mark out successful e-
government:

Convenience and
Satisfaction People will have a choice of channels to government
Services provided information and services that are convenient, easy to use and
anytime, anyhow, deliver what is wanted.
anywhere

Integration and
Efficiency
Information and services will be integrated, packaged, and
Services that are
presented to minimise cost and improve results for people,
integrated,
businesses, and providers.
customer-centric and
efficient

Participation
People will be better informed and better able to participate in
Participation in
government.
government

2.1 Relevant objectives of the e-Government Initiative

Relevant objectives for the e-Government Project are:

Ready Access by 2004 Delivery by 2007

Front-office integration will be well
Agencies will begin to developed - many services will have
Integration and integrate services through use been redesigned and bundled
Efficiency of common e-government together in ways that meet customers'
"foundations" (technology, needs better.
Services that are standards and policies).
integrated, Back-office integration will be
customer-centric Agencies will be more advancing through adoption of the
and efficient citizen- and results-oriented in interoperability framework, and
the way they design services. progressive build of components of
the service delivery architecture.

What is relevant to PPDR agencies with the e-Government Initiative is the ongoing
development of a framework for interoperability (e-GIF) which incorporates the use of
common technology, standards and policies. The purpose of the Working Party is to
ensure that the APCO 25 Standards adopted for PPDR land mobile networks are
incorporated into the e-GIF Framework.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

3.0 Operational interoperability for PPDR agencies

The term “interoperability” has been defined in the USA by the Department of Homeland
Security as covering elements "that include governance, standard operating procedures,
technology, training/exercises, and usage of interoperable communications".

They have also defined communications interoperability as the “ability of public safety
agencies to talk across disciplines and jurisdictions via radio communications systems,
exchanging voice and/or data with one another on demand, in real time, when needed,
and as authorised".

Further the term “interoperability” is described as a continuum covering levels of

interoperability between “minimal” and “optimum” in the fields of Governance,
Standards & Operating Procedures, Technology, Training & Exercises and Usage.

A view of how the New Zealand PPDR agencies fit into this continuum follows in Figure
1 below.

C o m m it m e n t t o a n d In v e s t m e n t in S u s t a in a b ilit y o f S y s t e m s a n d D o c u m e n t a tio n
Regional Committee
L im ite d L e a d e r s h ip , P la n n in g , a n d C o lla b o r a tio n A m o n g A r e a s w ith M in im a l

H ig h D e g r e e o f L e a d e r s h ip , P la n n in g , a n d C o lla b o r a tio n A m o n g A r e a s w ith

Individual Informal
KeyMultidiscipline Workingwitha
Agencies Coordination
Governance Staff Collaborationona Statewide
Working Between
I n v e s tm e n t in t h e S u s ta in a b ilit y o f S y s t e m s a n d D o c u m e n t a t io n .

Regular Basis Interoperability

Independently Agencies
Committee

National Incident
Standard Regional Set of
Individual Joint SOPsfor Joint SOPsfor Management
Operating Communicatiosn
AgencySOPs PlannedEvents Energencies SystemIntegrated
Procedures SOPs
SOPs

Shared Proprietary StandardsBased

Technology SwapRadios Gateway
Channels SharedSystems SharedSystems

SingleAgency Multiagency
MultiagencyFull Regular
General Tabletop Tabletop
Training& Functional Comprehensive
Orientationon Exercisesfor Exercisesfor
Exercises Exercise Regional Training
Equipment KeyField& KeyField&
InvolvingAll Staff andExercises
Support Staff Support Staff

Localised Regional
DailyUse
Usage PlannedEvents Emergency Incident
Throughout Region
Incidents Management

Minimal Optimal
Level
InteroperabilityContinuum Level

Partially Not Yet

Key Interoperable
Interoperable Interoperable

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

It can be seen that to although there is already a high level of interoperability between
agencies, this can be substantially improved in the technology domain through the
adoption of a standards based shared system. The adoption of the APCO P25 Standards
for PPDR LMRNs will address this issue, although it is not intended to address the issue
of an interoperable gateway between control systems. That need is currently addressed
through the maintenance of operational agreements and memoranda of understanding
between organisations and it is not intended that these be affected by the introduction of
the APCO P25 LMRN Standards. A commentary on the PPDR LMRN and its degree of
interoperability follows:

3.1 PPDR land mobile radio networks

These networks provide instant voice communications to and between operatives in the
field. Temporary radio repeaters may also be established to provide coverage in remote
areas of NZ or overseas during overseas deployments.

Land Mobile Radio services may be purchased from telecommunications service

providers (as in the case of Ambulance, Fisheries and Maritime NZ) or provided and
operated by each agency as required to suit their business needs (as in the case of Police/
Fire, Civil Defence, DOC, Customs and NZ Defence Force).

LMRN services are used everyday in tactical situations. The lack of encryption on the
present Police LMRN continues to compromise operations and has been highlighted as
the top concern in the NZ Police ICT Strategy. Other PPDR users that require encryption
include Customs, Fisheries and Defence.

The present NZ Police LMRN has been operating for more than 15 years, is already
operating beyond its economic life and is approaching the end of its serviceable life. It
needs to be replaced.

3.2 Call and dispatch centres

Each agency has its own call and dispatch facilities which have been developed to cover
its own specific requirements.

Police, Fire and Ambulance all use a common dispatch technology platform.

Police and Fire share the same communications centres.

Other agencies that do not need a centralised call and dispatch centre establish forward
command posts as required for specific operations.

3.3 A national PPDR strategic plan and command structure

Each PPDR agency generally remains responsible for its own activities and has its own
command structure to reflect this. However, there are a number of interdepartmental

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

strategies, protocols and memoranda of understanding which define a fit for purpose
common command structure for various types of event.

The command structures and relationship between organisations for many routine
operations which involve a number of PPDR agencies is as shown in Figure 2. This
model was devised by the PSRFMG.

Other Services
NZDefence
PoliceControl FireControl Am bulance,
Force Inter-service Inter-service DO C, CD&EM
Link Link
Com m on
Communications
Centres
Police
Defence FireRadio
Radio ESB
Radio Network
Network Channels
Network ESA
ESA

Key:
Incident
SceneLiaison
ESA
Channel
Em ergencyServicesA
ESB
Band(75M Hz)

ESB
Em ergencyServicesB
Band(138-144M Hz)
DefenceScene PoliceScene FireScene Other Services
Scene UHF
Com m ander Com mander Com mander Com manders/EO Cs MED“F” Band(480MHz)
ESB/Defence ESB/UHF ESA/ESB ESB
AG A
Air-Ground-Air (118-
136M HZAM )

Marine
SAR O ther MarineBand(170MHz)
Police Fire
Network Services
Network Network
ESB/AG A/ Networks
ESA/UHF ESB
M arine ESB

Police/SAR Other Services

DefenceUnits FireUnits
Units Units

Figure 2: Inter-agency Operational Model

For extraordinary events the routine model may not apply. There are established
procedures for each type of extraordinary event. The type of event will determine the
response, the agencies involved and the command structure required to manage the
operation. Examples of these types of event are:

For a Civil Defence Emergency and disaster recovery the strategy and command
structures are based on the recommendations which resulted from a Review of
Emergency Services which was carried out in 1995 by a Task Force headed by Sir
Somerford Teagle (refer Report of the Emergency Services Review Task Force). During a
national Civil Defence Emergency, command defaults to the Ministry of Civil Defence

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

and Emergency Management. For a local Civil Defence Emergency, command would
default to the local CD&EM group controller.

For Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR) operations there are a number of classes. The
type of response and command structure will be determined by the class of operation. The
protocols for LandSAR operations are well established and have been in place for many
years.

For maritime SAR operations, the event is managed at a national level by the Rescue Co-
ordination Centre (RCC).

The Chemical, Biological and Radiological Management (CBRM) group manages events
relating to contamination threats from chemical, biological and radiological sources. The
type of threat determines which agency will lead the operation. For a bio-security
operation, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will become the lead agency. For a
chemical threat, Fire will become the lead agency.

Operations relating to terrorist activities are handled by the Terrorist Emergency Group
(TEG) which is a national group comprising of high-level representatives from all
relevant PPDR agencies.

Although there is not a unified strategic plan and command structure covering PPDR
agencies and all the different types of operation, there are already strategies and
command structures in place which operate as and when required to account for all PPDR
activities, both routine and extraordinary. These strategies continue to be developed as is
evident by the preparations undertaken to deal with a possible pandemic resulting from
“bird ‘flu”.

3.4 Communications between PPDR agencies

At the scene of an incident, the incident commanders for each agency interact locally and
direct their operatives individually according the agency’s command structure.

If necessary, and where technology is compatible, members of one agency may be given
authorisation to operate on the channel of another agency.

Relationships between Police, Fire, CD&EM and Ambulance are being continually
developed through the Emergency Services Agencies Partnership (ESAP).

4.0 Technical interoperability between PPDR agencies

There are a number of examples where IT systems are already compliant with e-GIF at
the dispatch centres. These include mapping, inter CAD messaging, Call Line
Identification (CLI) and territorial boundaries.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Although not yet specifically covered by e-GIF, radio communications between PPDR
agencies do follow its principles and the purpose of this Working Party is to ensure that
the APCO 25 Standard is incorporated into e-GIF.

Details of current technical interoperability between each type of PPDR radio

communications system are as follows:

• Police/Fire/Customs currently have interoperable UHF terminals.

• Police/Fire share the same VHF network and have interoperable VHF terminals in
the ESA Band.

• CD&EM, Ambulance, DOC, Defence, Fisheries all have interoperable VHF

terminals in the ESB Band.

Current technical interoperability is depicted in Figure 3 below:

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Call &DispatchFacilities RadioNetworks RadioTerminals

DefenceVHF
DefenceUnits
(ESB)

DOCVHF
DOCUnits
(ESB)

CD&EMVHF
CD&EMUnits
(ESB)

Ambulance AmbulanceVHF
AmbulanceUnits
Comm and (ESB)

FireVHF
FireCommand FireUnits
(ESA)

PoliceVHF
PoliceCommand PoliceVHFUnits
(ESA)

PoliceUHF PoliceUHF
(FBand) Units

CustomsUHF
CustomsUnits
(460MHz)

Fisheries FisheriesUHF
FisheriesUnits
Com m and (Team talk)

Key:

Comm onCall &Dispatch

CommonRadioNetworks
Platform(Ericsson)

Co-locatedCall &Dispatch CompatibleRadio

Centres Term inals

CompatibleRadioRadio
Networks

Figure 3: Current Technical Interoperability

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

5.0 The APCO P25 standards suite

The APCO P 25 standards suite has been developed to address the needs of public safety
communications, originally in the USA and now globally. The standard has been
developed in two phases, Phase 1 aimed at a 12.5 KHz channel bandwidth and Phase 11
aiming at a channel bandwidth of 6.25 KHz.

The APCO P25 general system model is depicted below in Figure 4. Within the RF
Subsystem (RFSS) all equipment is unique to a single manufacturer. However each of the
open interfaces shown is defined in the APCO P 25 Standards.

The Inter Subsystem Interface (ISSI), Network Management Interface, Console Interface
and Fixed Station interface are still under development and have yet to be finalized.
These interfaces are based on the Internet Protocol.

Other
RF
Data Subsystems
Peripheral
G
A ISSI = InterSubsystem Interface
Um
PSTN
Subscriber Et
Repeater
Radio
En
Network
Um Management
RFSS
CAI = Common Air Interface
Ed

Fixed Station Er Data Host

Ec
Or Network

Er
Fixed Station Console
Subsystem

Figure 4: P25 General System Model

5.1 RF sub-system
The RF Sub-systems are the building blocks for wide area system construction and will
connect with any other configuration of equipment or RF Sub-system. The RF Sub-
system can be made from any collection of site equipment (single station / site or
multiple station / site) whose only requirement is that the equipment supports the

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Common Air Interface, and contains all the necessary control logic to support the
intersystem interfaces and call-processing.

5.2 Common air interface

The Common Air Interface (Um or CAI) defines a standard at which communications
between P25 radios can occur. The CAI is the core element of the P25 Standard that
assures the ability of one agency’s P25 radio to communicate with another agency’s P25
radio in either trunked or conventional mode.

This interface has been finalized and is believed to be reasonably stable. However it is
known that there is some further work in process where the interface documents are
being made more explicit in response to issues encountered as new manufacturers enter
the market with particular interpretations of some aspects of the standard.

5.3 Intersystem interface

The Inter-System Interface (G) has only recently been finalized and published for
trunked services. It is being extended to cover conventional services.

The ISSI permits multiple RF Sub-systems to be interconnected together into wide area
networks. It provides a common meeting place for RF Sub-systems of different
technologies (TDMA, FDMA, micro cell) and different RF bands. The interface is
optional and need only be supported when interconnection between RFSS’s of LMRN
systems is desired.

Although a P25 subscriber radio may only operate freely among systems with the
standard P25 common air interface, the P25 ISSI has the potential to connect between
different radio or telecommunications networks as long as they support the ISSI
interface.

5.4 Telephone interconnect interface

The Telephone Interconnect Interface (Et) supports both analogue and ISDN telephone
interfaces, providing for selective use of proven standard telephone interfaces currently
in use. This interface defines a 2-wire loop start and a 2-wire ground start connection
between the RF Sub-system and the PSTN or a PABX. The interface deals only with
voice services as it is assumed that circuit connected data services would access a
telephone network via a modem and connect to a data port on the radio system.

This interface was originally envisaged as providing connectivity between fixed line and
land mobile services. Since its original inception however the use of mobile phones has
greatly increased and data based applications and functions such as dispatch use some of
the other interfaces. Consequently the demand for continuing development of this
interface has fallen. The interface has not been developed to accommodate IP based
telephony and it does not appear to be the target of any other current work.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

5.5 Network management interface

The Network Management Interface (En) is under development. The overview of this
interface has been published but none of the other documents have been.However
provided that any proposed network management systems can support commonly
recognised network management capabilities, it is anticipated that they could generally
be expected to encompass APCO 25 standard radio systems.

5.6 Data host or network interface

The Data Host or Network Interface (Ed) is under development. It defines four different
types of data connectivity. These include a native open interface for connecting host
computers, as well as the requirement to support three different types of existing
computer network interfacing (TCP/IP, SNA, X.25).

5.7 Data peripheral interface

The Data Peripheral Interface (A) is under development. It defines protocols by which
mobile and portable subscriber units will support a port through which laptops,
terminals, or subscriber unit peripherals may be connected. It is a requirement for the
supported open interface protocols to be passed transparently into X.25, SNA or TCP/IP
computer networks at another interface on the fixed equipment side.

5.8 Fixed station interface

The Fixed Station Interface (Ef) has recently been finalised, and work is proceeding on
further documention for completion. The messages and procedures documents have been
published, while the testing and compliance documents are still being developed. The
first production of equipment to this standard is expected early in 2007. It will provide for
communication between a Fixed Station (FS) and an RF Sub-System (RFSS) operating in
the following modes:
• Conventional analogue
• Conventional digital
• Trunked digital
• Digital telephone interconnect
• Circuit and packet data

The Fixed Station Interface defines a set of mandatory messages supporting digital voice;
data, encryption and telephone interconnect.

The analogue configuration for the fixed station interface is a 4 wire audio configuration.

The digital configuration for the fixed station interface is an IP based interface. The
physical interface is an Ethernet 100 base-T or 10 Base-T with an RJ-45 connector.

The Fixed Station Interface can also provide several optional analog interfaces as well:

• 2 wire circuits using a balanced 600 ohm termination

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

• Standard E&M Control circuits

• Tone Control providing for remote control using industry standard tone remote
control equipment.

5.9 Console sub-system interface

The Console Sub-System Interface is under development. It defines a multi-channel
digital interface capable of supporting standard protocols to enable interoperable support
functions including dispatch. Note that this interface could be integrated into the RF
Subsystem in the future.

5.10 Security
The vocoder in an APCO 25 radio produces a digital bit stream that is relatively easy to
encrypt. Encryption is an optional feature selectable for each radio. The CAI supports
any of the four types of encryption available in the USA;
• Type 1 for classified US material (national security)
• Type 2 for general US federal interagency security
• Type 3 interoperable between US Federal, State and Local agencies
• Type 4 for proprietary systems exportable as determined by vendors and the US
State Department.

There are two different Type 3 encryption processes standardized in the P25 documents
• The US Data Encryption Standard (DES Algorithm which uses 64 bit Output
Feedback (DES-OFB)
• Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) which uses a 256 bit algorithm.

The AES standard meets with the requirements of the GCSB.

The APCO P 25 Standard includes an Over The Air Rekeying (OTAR) function which
allows the transfer of encryption keys via radio. OTAR signaling is sent via Packet Data
Units over the Common Air Interface.

6.0 APCO 25 standards and technical interoperability

for PPDR networks in New Zealand
The basic requirement for APCO P 25 standard radio equipment is for backward
compatibility with standard analog FM radios. Also the radios can operate in either digital
or analog mode thus creating the conditions for an orderly migration to the APCO 25
standard. As an LMRN for Police is built, those agencies (Fire, Ambulance, Fisheries and
Customs) that have indicated that they would join the Police P25 digital network will be
able to migrate their operations to it while retaining the capability to communicate with
older analog radios.

A national P25 network can also operate in either analog or digital mode so that the
present VHF and UHF terminals used by CD&EM, Ambulance, DOC, Defence, and

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Fisheries would all immediately be able to use the network in a basic analog conventional
mode if required and if authorized to do so. If they subsequently decided to change to
digital technology, the process would be relatively straight forward with minimum impact
on their day to day operations. If necessary the migration could be phased over a number
of years if necessary.

Other PPDR agencies will also have communications between their mobiles and
portables and the APCO 25 mobiles, portables and fixed stations provided their
frequencies are compatible and they are authorized to do so.

6.1 Mechanisms for technical interoperability using the

common air interface
A basic compatibility framework is depicted in Figure 5 below:

Analog or Digital
Mode Analog Mode

Analog Mode

P 25 Repeater

Analog or Digital
Analog Portable Mode

Analog Base

P 25 Portable

P 25 Mobile

More specifically the use of a standardized common air interface means that any APCO
25 compliant portable or mobile radio can communicate in the following modes:

• APCO 25 mobile or portable (regardless of manufacturer) to and from a standard

analog FM radio provided they use compatible frequencies and can tune to the
same frequencies

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

• APCO 25 mobile or portable (regardless of manufacturer) to and from any APCO

25 Repeater in either analog or digital mode provided they use compatible
frequencies and can tune to the same frequencies

• APCO 25 Repeater (regardless of manufacturer) to any APCO 25 Fixed Station

provided they use compatible frequencies

Other key APCO P25 interfaces have yet to be standardized, or have only recently been
standardized.. The impact of this is that the Common Air Interface will provide the
primary means of interoperability in New Zealand until such time as further interfaces are
standardized, and equipment conforming to the more recent standards becomes
commonly available. Until such time, equipment compatibility with interfaces other than
the CAI should primarily be ensured by sourcing from common vendors.

6.2 Mechanisms for technical interoperability other than at the

common air interface
Should it be required the Police APCO 25 LMRN could interconnect a repeater to another
agency’s analog control system using the 4 wire analog mode Fixed Station Interface.
This would be an alternative to the use of the CAI between fixed stations. This
mechanism could be used if the other agency required interoperability with the Police and
its own mobiles where it did not have coverage, the Police PPDR did, and appropriate
operational agreements were in place. This is depicted in Figure 6 below:

Analog mode

Other agency mobile Police P 25 mobile

Analog mode
Digital mode

Er Fixed station interface

PPDR
Repeater PPDR APCO 25
RFSS

Analog
4 wire interface Other agency
with E&M signaling analog Er digital interface
console system

Figure 6: Fixed Station Interoperability

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

6.3 Interoperability between APCO P25 networks

Should agencies decide that in order to meet their requirements they need to build their
own APCO P 25 standard networks they could be interconnected to the Police / Fire
PPDR APCO P25 network via the recently published Inter Sub System Interface (ISSI).
This is depicted in Figure 7 below:

Agency 1
Mobiles

Er Fixed
Er Fixed Station Er Fixed
Station Interface Station
Interface Interface
Police/Fire
ISSI PPDR ISSI
RF Subsystem

Agency 1 Agency 2
PPDR PPDR
RF Subsystem RF Subsystem
Inter Subsystem Interface (ISSI)

Figure 7: Interconnected APCO PPDR Networks

6.4 Technical interoperability with an initial deployment of an

APCO 25 standard network
Police, Fire, and Customs have all indicated that they would be willing to share a PPDR
P25 network as soon as it is available. Ambulance and Fisheries will also join once their
respective contractual arrangements with other network service providers have expired.
Other agencies have also indicated that they may also join the network in due course.

Figure 8 below depicts a view of the degree of interoperability provided by a proposed

initial implementation of an APCO P25 LMRN for Police, Fire, Customs and Fisheries.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

An initial APCO P 25 PPDR network would allow all of the above agencies to migrate to
the same network. Police and Fire VHF terminals on the PPDR network would have
interoperability in either analogue or digital mode provided the terminals are tuneable to
the same frequencies. The APCO P 25 terminals will be chosen so that they have that
capability.

The Police, Customs and Fisheries UHF terminals on the PPDR network would also be
interoperable in digital mode where they are tuneable to the same frequencies, which they
will be.

Other agencies remaining for the time being on their existing VHF networks and
frequency bands will be interoperable with the Police and Fire VHF terminals and fixed
stations operating in analog mode through the common air interface. Currently the
agencies shown as staying with their current RF Bands and networks all use the ESB
Band, and all of their terminals operate in simplex mode. The APCO P 25 mobiles and
portables will need to be selected so that they have sufficient frequencies to enable the
selection of different transmit and receive channels compatible with the ESB terminals.
Encryption can be applied to each APCO P25 terminal as required.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Call &DispatchFacilities RadioNetworks RadioTerminals

DefenceV HF
DefenceUnits
(ESB)

DOCVH F
DOCUnits
(ESB)

CD&EMVH F
CD&EMUnits
(ESB)

Ambulance AmbulanceVHF
AmbulanceUnits
Comm and (ESB )

FireCommand FireUnits
PPDRP 25VHF
(ESB)
PoliceCommand PoliceVHFUnits

PoliceU HF
U nits
PPDRP 25U HF
(ESC- 494-502MHz)
CustomsUnits

Fisheries
FisheriesUnits
Com m and

Key:

Comm onC all &D ispatch

CommonRadioNetworks
Platform(E ricsson)

Co-locatedC all &Dispatch CompatibleR adio

Centres Term inals

CompatibleR adioRadio
N etworks
(ESBA nalogueFM )

Figure 8: Technical interoperability with an initial APCO P 25 LMRN

6.5 Technical interoperability with the ultimate deployment of

the APCO 25 standard in PPDR networks
Ultimately an APCO P 25 PPDR network covering all agencies would provide the best
level of technical interoperability. This situation is depicted in Figure 9 below:

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

Call & Dispatch Facilities Radio Networks Radio Terminals

Defence Units

DOC Units

CD&EM Units

PPDR P25 VHF

Ambulance Networks Ambulance Units
Command (ESB)

Fire Command Fire Units

Police Command Police VHF Units

Police UHF
Units
PPDR P25 UHF
(ESC - 494-502MHz)
Customs Units

Fisheries
Fisheries Units
Command

Key:

Common Call & Dispatch

Common Radio Networks
Platform (Ericsson)

Co-located Call & Dispatch Compatible Radio

Centres Terminals

Figure 9: Full technical interoperability with PPDR P 25 network.

6.6 The requirements of call and dispatch centres, and other

related organisations

Each agency has developed its own call and dispatch facilities, employing specialised
staff trained for the delivery of services to suit its own business requirements. However,

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

there are some significant commonalities between the Police, Fire and Ambulance
systems.

Police and Fire share common dispatch systems at common locations. The dispatch
systems are based on an Ericsson platform.

Ambulance also uses an Ericsson platform in its own dispatch centres which can provide
radio communications to every public hospital in the country.

Police, Fire and Ambulance dispatch systems are backed up at multiple levels:

• If one of the 3 regional Communications Centre is unable to operate, dispatch will

be taken over by one of the other two communications centres.

• For a major disruption affecting multiple communications centres, dispatch

operations will be transferred to the local command facilities at each
district/regional operations centre.

In addition to providing radio communications to their own operatives, Police, Fire and
Ambulance are all able to communicate with rescue helicopters.

Other organisations which do not have a need for centralised dispatch facilities have their
own arrangements where they set up an incident office as and when required. Access to
radio networks may be via a telephone line or desk-top radio.

There is no plan to amalgamate call and dispatch centres.

6.7 The differing technical capabilities required for urban, rural

and remote environments
Voice and narrowband data can be accommodated on a national P25 network. Most
PPDR agencies require geographic coverage rather than population-based coverage.
Good coverage for voice and narrowband data can be provided nationwide by a P25
network with UHF coverage of the urban areas and VHF coverage of the rest of the
country.

Some organisations such as Police and Customs require instant access to voice
communications whilst others can wait a few seconds to set up a call.

A P25 network can be designed as:

• a conventional network - where fixed resources are available all the time (similar
to the Police /Fire analogue FM network);
• a trunked network - where a pool of resources exist and are allocated as and when
they are required (similar to the Teamtalk network, or a telephone exchange);
• or a combination of both conventional and trunked services.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

The higher the number of users on the network, the more economic it becomes to use a
trunked network. If the number of users is initially relatively small a conventional
network can be installed. It can then be upgraded to a trunked network as the number of
users increases to the point where trunking is more economic.

P25 systems are capable of operating in both digital and analogue FM mode. This means
that existing ESB Band users such as CD, DOC will be able to operate on a conventional
ESB Band P25 network in analogue mode with their current equipment.

It typically takes 1 to 2 seconds to set up a call on an encrypted trunked network. This is

obviously too slow in some situations (e.g. during a vehicle pursuit) but is adequate in
many routine situations. Another drawback for trunked systems is that there may be
congestion in times of extraordinary use – e.g. during a disaster or major operation –
which is exactly the occasion when the network needs to be at its most available. Priority
calls can be made which will lock out other users but determining which users should
have priority on a multi agency network may prove contentious. It is therefore very likely
that trunking networks will be required when the number of users reaches the breakpoint
for economy but some conventional facilities will be retained for users that need instant
access to the network and for use in an emergency when the trunking network becomes
overloaded. The conventional elements of the network will be compatible with the
analogue ESB band radios and most of the analogue UHF radios currently used by all
PPDR agencies.

6.7 International technical interoperability

A national P 25 network would allow international interoperability provided suitable
frequencies were assigned within the appropriate band in accordance with international
agreements on public safety frequency assignments. This requirement can be catered for
through the assignment of some of the channels required in the UHF DNX band.

The fact that some APCO P 25 terminals have already been deployed by Police because
of the need for encryption has already proven useful internationally. The APCO terminals
deployed with the NZ Police in East Timor worked well on the APCO network
established there by the UN.

7.0 Radio spectrum requirements for APCO 25 based

PPDR networks
Forecasts of PPDR capacity requirements have been commissioned by Police and
validated and updated by the PSRFMG.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

7.1 Forecast capacity

The forecast long term voice and narrowband data capacity requirements are given in
Table 1 below:
Channels
Agency UHF Duplex UHF Simplex VHF Duplex VHF Simplex

Police 150 42 100 10

Fire 39 29
Ambulance & 40 12 14 5
DHB
DOC 18
Customs 10 10 5
CD&EM 46 40 40
Defence 5 10
Maritime 5
Fisheries 7 7 3 3

Totals 292 71 219 68

Table 1: Summary of PPDR Channel Requirements

7.2 VHF Spectrum requirement and its availability

Characteristics of the Phase 1 APCO P25 LMRN spectrum mask are that:
• Each channel spectrum width is 12.5KHz
• The duplex spacing between transmit and receive channels is relatively flexible
although the choice of the spacing will affect the cost of equipment.

There is insufficient spectrum available in the ESB Band to allow the long term spectrum
requirements for PPDR networks to be met.

The agencies which remain on the ESB Band after the initial PPDR network is developed
will be able to communicate in analog mode with P 25 radios since the current ESB
terminals operate in simplex mode and the P25 terminals will be able to operate in
simplex analog mode at ESB frequencies.

There needs to be a new VHF band created to cater for the long term capacity
requirements shown in Table 1 above. This spectrum requirement is depicted in Figure 10
below. It has been suggested that sufficient spectrum (7.25MHz) can be made available.
In order to meet interoperability objectives and to facilitate a smooth migration path to
the PPDR network(s), the selection of the frequency band will need to accommodate the
switching range of presently available equipment.

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Draft Overview of the APCO 25 Standards Suite and its Relationship to e-GIF V 0.1

New Mobile TX Band – 220 channels 140 simplex

New Base TX Band – 220 channels
Assigned to PPDR agencies Channels in
Assigned to PPDR agencies
1.75MHz

2.75MHz 2.75 MHz

Figure 10: New VHF PPDR spectrum requirement:

7.3 UHF Spectrum and its availability

With the UHF channel requirements shown in Table 1 and a channel width of 12.5 KHz
the total duplex spectrum requirements for UHF spectrum are depicted below in Figure
11.

292 * 12.5 KHz channels 71 * 12.5 KHz 292 * 12.5KHz channels

Mobile TX simplex Base TX
channels

3.650 MHz 0.8875 MHz 3.650MHz

Figure 11: UHF PPDR Spectrum

There is insufficient spectrum available within existing UHF Bands to accommodate the
total long term requirements and it has been suggested that this spectrum could be made
available in the range 494 to 502 MHz.

The diagram shows how a gap between the base and mobile duplex channels can be used
to provide simplex requirements. The extent of this gap will depend on the duplex
spacing between Base and Mobile Transmit frequencies and any current use of spectrum.
It is possible for some of the simplex requirements to be met through the use of
frequencies between the duplex frequencies, and the remainder to be met elsewhere. It
may be possible for the remainder of the simplex channels to be provided for in the
existing DNX Band (458.34375 MHz to 466.99375MHz) which contains 100 simplex
channels. Use of this band would allow for the deployment of simplex PPDR capability
in the 450-470 MHZ Band for international operability and co-operation.

Added Value Applications 24