The LMR portion of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications Systems (LA-RICS) network is picking up pace in 2018, according to an e-mail from the public-safety communications entity.
The uptick in construction spending is expected to remain constant through the second quarter because a large batch of sites is eligible for buildout and weather has not been a constraining factor. “Construction activities over the last month have picked up significantly since quarter four 2017,” said Deputy Program Manager Justin Delfino.
The overall buildout plan for the LMR network entails completion of 60 sites by 2020. When fully deployed, the network will provide coverage to public-safety users in all of Los Angeles County, including the Los Angeles Basin, the Los Angeles coastline, the Angeles National Forest and Santa Catalina Island.
The LA-RICS email said the LMR RF design and backhaul engineering teams have undergone the final stages of planning and completed the network design for all system sites. Path surveys have been completed on all microwave links, verifying line-of-sight connectivity between LMR towers. Procurement of radio equipment is a process that will span the duration of the site construction phase. The LMR project team plans to test and turn up equipment for initial testing as sites draw to completion and will test the network regionally prior to testing the system as a whole.
The LMR system will provide interoperable radio communications between Los Angeles County regional emergency responders and all member agencies and is designed to work seamlessly with the existing public-safety broadband network. AT&T agreed to pay $14.5 million for that network last year.
Source: rrmediagroup.com