Federal Insights

NIST plans future communications network for emergency responders

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is laying the foundation for what could eventually become a nationwide, interoperable network of emergency co...

Federal News Radio Custom Media@WTOPWFEDcustom

September 19, 2011 6:02 pm

< a min read

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is laying the foundation for what could eventually become a nationwide, interoperable network of emergency communications for the nation’s first responders. The 4G network would replace a hodgepodge of proprietary, local radio systems that can’t communicate with each other, and don’t have good data capabilities. NIST is asking for public comments on what the baseline features of the system should be, as they try to determine what capabilities are already available from commercial industry and which ones will have to be created through R&D efforts.