WIDENS

- user's perspective

- technologies

- architectures and standards

From the different presentations it appears that one single communications system will not meet all public safety users' needs. When users have already deployed a narrow band digital Private Mobile Radio network (such as TETRA or Tetrapol, …), new technologies that provide new services need to be integrated to the deployed systems. For example, a WIDENS hotspot is seen as a complementary broadband access network and interoperability studies are carried out for its integration into TETRA and Tetrapol infrastructures. In the cases where no such network is available, either because it has been destroyed by an earthquake or the region where the disaster relief forces need to operate is not equipped - as is the case for rural areas in India where floods occur (S. Bandhyopadhyay)-, there is also a need for different technologies. Indeed, to support large scale deployment a complementary use of high bandwidth hotspots (with one technology such as WIDENS would provide) needs to be complemented by a long range backhaul (satellite, wimax, HAPS, …).

This has lead the MESA project, the joint project between European ETSI and US TIA on broadband public safety communications, to focus their work on these integration and interoperability issues and to adopt a 'System of Systems' approach.