Critical Communications Conference: Sydney, May 2024

Presented by: Simon Lardner | Head of Wireless business—Vocus, Vocus
This course will provide students with the skills to be able to outline the key elements and components of a typical wireless broadband communication system. Students will be able to develop the block diagrams and system elements for designing a basic system and demonstrate the expected requirements and outcomes of such a system, both in basic and extended formats.

On completion students will be able to understand and identify the various elements associated with system design, including the relevant spectrum sectors that are associated with wireless broadband and understand the potential outcomes that a relevant to all options that are applicable.

The course will cover:

• History of LTE and 5G technology developments
• Private LTE/5G and the mobile market segments.
• The benefits of industrial LTE/5G systems
• Towards the future and 5G and more
• Basic system design & building blocks
• Public safety applications of LTE/5G

Sydney 2024 conference stream

ARCIA Market Update: Global trends, challenges and opportunities

Presented by: Hamish Duff | President ARCIA
During this session, Hamish Duff, President ARCIA, will consider local and international trends in the radio and critical communications sector, with particular focus on the following areas:

• Market response to the needs of customers and the availability of new technologies
• New terminals, new connectivity options and new collaborative tools
• The challenge of modern vehicle fit outs with new technology to integrate
• Satellite continues to provide new options
• Modern control rooms – increasing levels of video and new technologies: Managing these environments and looking after operators
• ARCIA work to review Broadband spectrum and the impact of new ACMA licencing
• ARCIA MoU with 450 Alliance – aiming to understand potential future impacts for Sub 500 MHz

Innovative Collaborations Solving Complex Connectivity Challenges

Presented by: Daniel Wright | Director of Product Management, NSW Telco Authority

Inadequate connectivity remains a significant hurdle impacting essential services and the overall quality of life for residents and businesses across NSW. The NSW Government is committed to narrowing the digital divide, particularly in regional communities where insufficient fixed and mobile network coverage poses a considerable challenge. Recognising the critical role of telecommunications in ensuring community safety during natural disasters, the government aims to address these challenges collaboratively.

This presentation will delve into the joint efforts spearheaded by NSW Telco Authority (NSWTA) in partnership with industry stakeholders to design and implement groundbreaking solutions to enhance statewide connectivity. Through co-design and experimentation, NSWTA explores emerging technologies that can support Emergency Services Organisations (ESOs), government agencies, and local communities by uplifting poor regional connectivity and effectively delivering digital government services. These experiments, conducted across diverse geographic terrains, simulate real-life scenarios and include technologies such as Long-Term Evolution, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite, mesh wi-fi, and aerial hosts like drones.

The data and insights gathered have helped identify the most suitable technologies and informed recommendations for government investments in innovative and scalable solutions that will shape the future of connectivity across NSW. The outcomes of the experiments have helped shape the LEO satellite reseller market in NSW and redefine how the NSW Government adopts these products .

This approach not only provides a model for addressing connectivity challenges with an all-of-government approach but also  exemplifies how public sector agencies can effectively collaborate with private sector partners to drive innovation and excellence in public service. This work underscores the importance of partnerships in overcoming complex challenges and highlights the potential of collective problem-solving for the benefit of emergency services, government agencies, and communities at large.

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What is TAK and Why Aren’t We Using It?

Presented by: Matt Franks | Senior Solutions Engineer, Hypha

TAK, short for Tactical Assault Kit, is a software application primarily utilised by military and law enforcement agencies for enhanced situational awareness and mission planning. 

TAK provides users with tools for communication, collaboration, and decision-making in dynamic and often high-pressure operational environments. It integrates various data sources such as maps, imagery, video streaming, GPS tracking and tactical information into a single, user-friendly interface. 

The versatility of TAK extends beyond traditional military operations, with applications in response to natural disasters, search and rescue, law enforcement and broader public safety. Its ability to integrate with existing hardware and software systems makes it adaptable to a wide range of scenarios and operational needs, improving the effectiveness and safety of mission-critical operations.

Considerations for the Transition to Hybrid PoC and Narrowband Operations

Presented by: David Deacon | CEO, Etherstack

Interworking between the narrowband and broadband communications domains has now arrived and is now actively being deployed world-wide using standards-based technologies.

Yet, the technology is still in its infancy and important differences exist in standards development approaches as well as between implementations being seen deployed in enterprise (eg resources and transportation industries) as compared to public safety grade networks.

In this talk, David Deacon CEO of Etherstack (ESK:ASX) will discuss real-world deployments of LMR-LTE interworking at ATT FirstNET in the US, as well as trials undertaken in Australia and elsewhere, and will give insights into what the future looks like for both narrow- and broadband communications solutions and the options for transitioning to Hybrid PTToC and broadband, whilst still recognising the unique challenges presented in Australia.

Etherstack is a wireless communications technology specialist that has developed and licensed APCO P25, TETRA and DMR standards-based technologies to over 20 radio equipment manufacturers world-wide.

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Advancing Interoperability in Emergency Response Communications

Presented by: Dr Paul Elmes | Managing Director (Asia-Pacific), Tait Communications

The foremost challenge facing first responders, as it has been for the past five decades, is the issue of interoperability, or more precisely, the lack of interoperability. Interoperability is the ability for different agencies, from different jurisdictions, to exchange voice communication on demand and in real-time – usually to coordinate the response to an accident or natural disaster.

This challenge has been a known issue in Australia since the time of Cyclone Tracy’s devastation of Darwin in 1974. Subsequently, it has been repeatedly cited in inquiries and Royal Commission reports following natural disasters, particularly during the 2019-2020 bushfire season, as a significant impediment to coordinated response efforts. 

The transition from analogue to digital technology has brought the adoption of open standard protocols. In Australia and New Zealand, public safety organisations opted for the North American P25 standard, while non-public safety entities turned to the European Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) standard as a more cost-effective alternative to P25. This divergence has led to a diverse array of user groups, including utilities, Local Government Authorities, transportation organisations, and mining operations, embracing DMR technology for their critical communications.

This presentation will explore how the issue of interoperability is being addressed by manufacturers and how recent advances in technology are permitting devices that bridge the interoperability requirements of both P25 and DMR users, who need to exchange voice communication.  Such devices are expected to significantly enhance inter-agency and inter-state radio communication, potentially rendering moot the recurrent recommendations for interoperability in the inquiry and commission reports.

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Spectrum for Wireless Broadband – An Update

Presented by: Andrew May | Executive Manager, Spectrum Engineering

An update on ACMA’s progress in the “3 GHz” band, where services are licensed under the new AWL type – i.e. “Area Wide Licence”. ACMA have already granted AWLs in remote parts of Australia, and are now processing applications received in the recent metro-rural licensing window.

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The Future of Australian PSMB

Presented by: Kylie De Courteney | Managing Director, NSW Telco Authority

The Commonwealth and Australian state and territory governments are working together through the National PSMB taskforce to build the foundations for Australian Public Safety Mobile Broadband capability.

PSMB will deliver a mission-critical, national mobile broadband capability for exclusive and prioritised use by Emergency Services Organisations. This will enable greater use of data-heavy technologies, improve situational awareness, and provide a standardised environment for coordination of multi-agency responses.

In this presentation, NSW Telco Authority Managing Director Kylie De Courteney will outline the need for and benefits that the PSMB will bring to our first responders, providing a glimpse into the future uses of PSMB and current examples from around the globe. 

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Improving Radio and Accessory Design for Firefighters – A Challenge from the End user

Presented by: Tony Hine | Assistant Operational Communications & System Officer for Fire & Rescue NSW

Fire & Rescue NSW are the fourth largest fire service globally, covering 800 000 sq km and attending in excess of 250 000 calls annually. Fire & Rescue NSW are one of the largest providers of rescue services globally, supporting 80 General Land Rescue stations and an Internationally deployable Urban Search & Rescue capability. Further, Fire & Rescue NSW is now operating in support of off-shore marine HAZMAT operations in support of AMSA.

This session will explore how FRNSW currently utilise their existing radio technologies to work in multiple domains outside of traditional firefighting, and the technological gaps that remain to make radios a ubiquitous communications path in all situations.

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International Critical Communications Directions and Progress Towards MCX Broadband

Presented by: Bidar Homsey | Principal Consultant and Head of Business Development, Public Safety for FREQUENTIS AUSTRALASIA PTY LTD and Board Director Australasian Critical Communications Forum (ACCF)

The presentation will provide an update on global collaborations shaping open broadband standards, spectrum discussions, testing, interoperability and certification, security, industry innovation and real-world deployment progress in critical industry sectors including government, public safety/civil defense, transport and utilities.

The presentation will cover some of the priority areas where the global community is cooperating and prioritising efforts to ensure solutions evolve to meet operational capability for business- and mission-critical end users.

Hear what have been some of the key topics making headlines at major global events such as MWC Barcelona and CCW2024 Dubai, and why this is important in an Australian context and why Australia is important to global efforts.

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Human-centred design of control centres

Presented by: Russell Ockendon | Executive Director, Control Centres Australia

“Without radio communications, no plane takes off, no ship sails, and no train leaves the station.”

Neither do these things happen effectively if the humans who are doing them are not effectively supported to do their jobs to the very best of their abilities.

And we must therefore recognise and implement human-centred design, in the very earliest phases of the project – VESDA: Very Early Schematic Design & Advice. 

Control Centre stakeholders can be certain that no control room operator, or manager, or supervisor, can be effective in their job if they are not supported by an effective process of discovering, defining and delivering operational and built environments, which in turn support them.

This is human factors, ergonomics and built environment integration, and at the centre of the process of design is the human. Systems must be designed for the human to inhabit. The human must not be expected to adapt to inhabit the design. The control centre must also work at its best under duress. It is not a successful design which supports seamless operation under business-as-usual, but struggles under pressure.

To successfully achieve this a CRIOP Analysis must be undertaken – Crisis Intervention & Operability Analysis – mocking up scenarios, observing behaviours and performances, logging outcomes and learning from these lessons.

In this session Russell will present, with case studies, a system-based approach to the ergonomic design of control centres, based upon the International Standard ISO 11064 which, among other things, requires stakeholders to participate, and record, an integrated, collaborative and iterative process of design.

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Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@jamie_davies