07 September 2017

Ericsson’s Jason Johur (pictured left) says BIG will focus on ensuring 3GPP-compliant products and services meet the evolving needs of all critical comm users. Also pictured is the group’s chair, Philippe Agard. Photo: Erillisverkot

The TCCA has formed a new working group to encourage broadband vendor cooperation in the development of common global critical communications solutions.

The Broadband Industry Group (BIG) will drive market adoption of standardised critical communications LTE and subsequent 5G technologies for the benefit of critical communications users and organisations.

It also aims to promote an evolutionary approach towards future solutions. 

The TCCA says this work will build on its achievements of driving and supporting open standards and interoperability, and ongoing research into professional users’ requirements to protect customer investments for the long term.

“With the formation of the BIG, TCCA has provided industry a home to advance critical service based on broadband, including migration to 3GPP LTE and 5G standard technologies,” says TCCA chief executive Tony Gray.

“In parallel, we will continue to recognise the importance of narrowband PMR, and model our broadband activities on the success of those technologies in supporting professional users worldwide. This success will be further strengthened by the evolution of interworking between critical narrowband and broadband technologies.”

Philippe Agard, Nokia’s global public safety and defence segment leader, will chair BIG.

He will be supported by Jason Johur, Ericsson’s market development director for mission-critical communications, as vice-chair.

According to Nokia, organisations across key vertical markets have been expressing the need for an evolution from narrowband PMR towards broadband.

It says that as the first networks are rolled out, BIG will help open up a broader worldwide ecosystem.”