Cisco Goes Tactical at APCO

APCO 2016, APCO International’s Annual Conference & Expo, is the premier event for public safety communications officials, from frontline telecommunicators to comm center managers to public safety communications equipment and services vendors, was held August 14 – 17, 2016. It provided four days of educational sessions, committee meetings and special events, paired with two full days of exhibits.  Over 5,600 attendees from 22 countries representing a wide range of organizations, including law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services, and government agencies, along with service providers and commercial vendors attended.

Cisco was proud to participate and demonstrate how we are focused on creating safer communities and countries through helping organizations modernize their existing networks to prepare for digital transformation.

In a very distinctive setup at the event’s Expo Hall, Cisco and a number of our partners provided a live demonstration of a tactical field station integrating Cisco and various supporting partner solutions. The integrated tactical demonstration was based on a number of updated and next-generation products leveraging digital technology and included the following key components.

Cisco’s new IP-based, next generation Instant Connect solution, established on open standards, secure networks, and IoT technologies with enhanced video and dialing capabilities along with dispatch console improvements which can use any radio, desktop, or mobile device.  Ideally suited for public safety applications, it delivers highly secure communications with full-featured group collaboration and provides enhance productivity by connecting workgroups with robust push-to-talk (PTT) functionality from any device, any network, anywhere. As a platform for Instant Connect, Cisco offers Sonim ultra rugged, intrinsically safe and WiFi only phones on Band Class 14. Our offerings also include Verizon compatible phones.

Klas telecommunications demonstrated the Voyager networking system, a product which allows customers to deploy a complete private mobile broadband LTE system in the field. This can be crucial during natural disasters or for large events where temporary coverage is needed.

Etherstack displayed their “Go Box”- a small form factor, portable P25 system for field deployment. The Go Box is a tactical repeater that provides portable public safety RF coverage when Land Mobile Radios are wiped out or in areas without coverage.

Persistent Systems, exhibited how the MPU5 smart radio could be used as a portable secure network node.  The MPU5’s is a small, personal deployable radio which can serve as a mobile computing platform, and through the Wave Relay MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Networking) multicast server, as a true peer-to-peer network.

Parallel Wireless provided their Hetnet gateway, which dynamically re-configures coverage based on proximity of the other mobile LTE RF tactical base stations. This was demonstrated by the gateway connection established with the HigherGround booth located across the Expo Hall. Meanwhile in their booth, HigherGround exhibited their Unified Recording solutions for recording Instant Connect conversations.

Rollts revealed their smart Gun Holster which connects to Cisco Instant Connect through blue tooth and allows public safety agencies to monitor officers when they have a live weapon in use.

Optio Labs showed how their Military Grade Smart Phone Encryption helps public safety agencies protect their communications through the LTE network including managing users, applications, and preventing attacks on the critical communications network.

If you were able to stop by our booth at APCO 2016, we demonstrated firsthand how our technology and solutions work together to solve a potential real-world public safety scenario.  If you were not in Orlando, or would still like to learn more, please follow up with your local Cisco representative or visit the Public Safety and Security area on the Cisco website.

Thank you,

Cisco Public Safety and Cisco Instant Connect Teams