When considering how to establish a national broadband capability for public safety and emergency services, I commonly see governments and emergency services agencies starting with a technology presentation and a need for a proof of concept.
This is usually reinforced by network operators, equipment vendors and potential delivery partners, whose focus will understandably be on architecture, spectrum, networks, devices and applications because those are the areas in which they can sell you something.
The technology is important but I do not think it should come first.
Before a programme enters serious discussions about technology, I think it should establish who is accountable for the outcomes, who has the authority to make decisions, how national and regional interests will be represented how funding will be apportioned, and most importantly what operational outcomes the capability is expected to deliver.
Without these foundations, it becomes difficult to judge whether one technology option is genuinely better than another because there is no agreement what success looks like.
In my experience, successful national programmes tend to establish governance, operating models, funding and operational outcomes before selecting technology. The exact structure will vary between jurisdictions, but these foundations provide the context for better technology decisions.
As the programme develops, the workstreams focussing on these outcomes can expand into the broader areas needed to establish a national capability, including procurement, service operations, agency transition and assurance. The purpose of these workstreams is not to delay technology decisions but to ensure they are guided by agreed governance, operational priorities and funding principles, rather than trying to define them.
I appreciate that technology proof of concepts and trials are a good way to show progress and garner stakeholder buy in but understanding the priority of user needs may result benefits being realised earlier. For example this might involve a tender for temporary coverage solutions or remote vehicle connectivity before a prioritised cellular capability or MCx deployment.
A national public safety broadband capability should not be simply a telecommunications project. It should be an institutional, operational and service transformation programme that develops a capability for multiple emergency services agencies that they could not have achieved on their own. The telecommunications aspect is one important component.
I think the biggest risk is not choosing the wrong technology but choosing technology solutions before establishing the framework needed to make good decisions.
