Georgia State Patrol, a key public safety agency, has revolutionized its emergency communication strategy by adopting Southern Linc’s LTE system with mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT). This transition from the traditional VHF land mobile radio (LMR) system marks a significant step toward more reliable voice communications during critical situations.
In a recent Urgent Communications article by Donny Jackson, titled “Georgia State Patrol Turns to Southern Linc LTE System for Mission-Critical Voice Comms,” Captain Brian Screws, Chief Information Officer for the Georgia State Patrol, emphasized that Southern Linc’s LTE network has proven more dependable than their previous VHF system. “We started realizing that, more and more, we are having to rely on Southern Linc’s LTE network because it is more reliable than our VHF network.”
The agency now uses L3Harris’ XL Series devices, which combine P25 radios with 3GPP-standard public-safety LTE capabilities, providing a robust and versatile communication solution.
Challenges During Extreme Weather Events
Over the past 18 months, the Georgia State Patrol successfully navigated a series of challenging events, including snowstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes. During these critical moments, Captain Screws observed that there were opportunities to improve their VHF system to ensure even better support for responders. While state-owned assets occasionally faced challenges, it highlighted the importance of seeking out a more reliable solution to enhance communication and ensure that responders are always well-equipped for any situation.
Seamless Integration of Converged Communications
The agency turned to Southern Linc’s MCPTT service, leveraging an impressive LTE network that outperformed their existing VHF system. This transition was facilitated by L3Harris’ XL Series devices, which support both P25 and 3GPP standard public safety LTE communications. Captain Screws explained, “When we saw the marriage of both worlds — connecting XL Series radios with LTE and broadband — we found our silver bullet.”
Key Benefits
- Enhanced Communication: Provides broadband for sharing high-bandwidth videos, images and data in the field.
- Interoperability: Provides seamless communication for agencies and jurisdictions to effectively coordinate and share information.
- Extended Coverage: MCPTT solutions provide extensive coverage and enable agencies to operate beyond their existing Land Mobile Radio (LMR) footprint.
- Cost Efficiency: Utilize existing networks and platforms and transition from a capital expenditure model to an operational expenditure model, reducing costs and streamlining communication.
