Wireless Accuracy for 9-1-1

Wireless Accuracy for 9-1-1

2016 Florida NENA Spring Conference

Rolf Preuss, ENP, FPEM

Essential Management Solutions

Housekeeping

• Exits

• Restrooms

• Vending -> Starbucks

• Please silence your phones

• If you need to take a call, please respect others

Essential Management Solutions, LLC

We are a Public Safety Consulting Firm working with Federal, State, County and local agencies.

Some of our services:

• Software Solutions

• Radio System Design and Implementation

• Enhanced 9-1-1 System Development

• Regionalization of 9-1-1 Service and Technology

• 9-1-1 Strategic Planning Fiscal Support and Grant Management

• Next Generation Network Design

• Systems and Network Security Assessment

• Wireless 9-1-1 Post Deployment Solutions and Support

• Wireless Accuracy Testing


• 9-1-1 In the News

• 9-1-1 Systems and Technology

• Wireless Technology

• Wireless Accuracy

• Wireless Routing Sheets

• Wireless Network Testing

9-1-1 In the News

• Around 4:00 am a newspaper delivery woman drove into a residential retaining pond

• The 9-1-1 operator could not locate her (even though she provided her location)

• “Give me the address one more time. It’s not working.” … “I don’t have that.”

• She was trapped 100 yards from the county line and the call was picked up by a tower in the neighboring county

9-1-1 In the News

x

x

Call Handling Agency’s Jurisdiction

Call Handling Agency’s Jurisdiction

9-1-1 Systems and Technology

9-1-1 Systems were designed to work with this

Period.


Soon someone had a great idea


And technologies continue to evolve…

Wireless Accuracy

Wireless Accuracy is only as good as the carrier’s configuration allows

But the FCC says….

Wireless Accuracy levels vary by location technology utilized; handset vs. network (handset accuracy > network accuracy )

Benchmarks are increasing in favor of public safety; some concessions are given to the wireless providers

Benchmarks include certain exclusions

. . .

Wireless Accuracy

What do we need for a successful Wireless 9-1-1 call:

• Proper Call Routing

• Proper Cell Tower Locations

• Proper Cell Tower Information (Cell Sector Orientations, Cell Sector Center Points, Cell Sector Broadcast Footprint)

• Proper Network Performance – Always expected

• Specific Network Performance – Sometimes needed

. . . . .

Wireless Accuracy

How do we obtain (and verify) all this information?

Audit available information

-> In the Office:

-> Wireless Routing Sheets

Audit available performance

-> In the Field:

-> Wireless Network Testing

Wireless Routing Sheets

How much time have you spent with your Routing Sheets lately?

Wireless Routing Sheet

Great information, given away by Wireless Service Provider. Typically contains:

• Cell Site and Sector (Name, ID, Width and Radius)

• Cell Site Address (Street, City, County, Coordinates)

• Target PSAP and Wireless Emergency Services Zone

• Display Preference (Street, Intersection, Community)

• Carrier internal (Market ID, Switch ID, Technology, ESRK, Live Date, Testing Information, Notes, etc)

• Alternate Routing Information

What could go wrong?

. . . . . . .


Cell Site and Sector (Name, ID, Width and Radius)

• Cell Site ID rarely changes

• Sectors can change orientation

• Sectors can change width

• Sectors can change radius

• Cell sites can be turned down (“no longer active”)

. . . . .














Cell Site Address (Street, City, County, Coordinates)

• Cell Site Address can be stripped off

• Cell Site Street Address frequently wrong

• Cell Site Street Address flipped between adjoining towers

• Cell Site Coordinates can be wrong – from a few hundred feet to many miles

. . . .


Target PSAP and Wireless Emergency Services Zone

• Target PSAP might not be the one preferred

• Wireless Emergency Services Zone/Number needs to be verified

. .


Display Preference (Street, Intersection, Community)

• Display Preference should fit in local scheme

• Display Preference should be consistent

• Displayed information should be accurate

• Displayed information should be helpful to call taker

. . . .


Carrier internal (Market ID, Switch ID, Technology, ESRK, Live Date, Testing Information, Notes, etc.)

• Carrier internal mostly proprietary

• Carrier internal useful information (Live Date, Testing, etc.)

• Carrier internal important information (ESRK, Technology, etc.)

. . .


Alternate Routing Information

• Alternate Routing Information review by case (overflow, network congestion, maintenance, outage, etc.)

• Alternate Routing Information review for accuracy

• Alternate Routing Information review periodically

• Alternate Routing Information coordinated regionally -> Work with your Neighbors

. . . .

Wireless Network Testing

Considered proprietary information, not likely given away by Wireless Service Provider

• Statistical models can provide a baseline – site testing provides actual performance results

• Field testing of carrier cells and sectors is the most accurate way to test performance

• Collected key test metrics are the most accurate way to remediate carrier anomalies.

. . .


How do we get this information?

• Ask the service provider

• Field testing with cell phones and document results

• Call in the Professionals

. . .


General Drive Testing Layout


A few results from the field





Where do we go from here?

• Try to stay up to date with Routing Sheets

• Carefully review any additions

• Verify (and map) any changes

• Review all Routing Sheets regularly

• Perform Network Field Testing

• Test any reported trouble areas

• Plan on annual base line testing

• Work with your neighbors


• 9-1-1 In the News

• 9-1-1 Systems and Technology

• Wireless Technology

• Wireless Accuracy

• Wireless Routing Sheets

• Wireless Network Testing

Time for Questions

Thank you

Rolf Preuss ENP FPEM

Essential Management Solutions

407-205-4603

[email protected]

EMSolutionsllc.net

Documents

Wireless Accuracy for 9-1-1