DEPARTMENT: Information Technology Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Hugh Miller
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S) IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT: Public Safety Radio System and Equipment
SUMMARY: This item is a briefing on the upgrade and enhancement capabilities of the Public Safety Regional Radio System.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of San Antonio currently uses a Harris Corporation Enhanced Digital Access Communication System (EDACS) proprietary radio system, which was installed in 2004. The City's contract for the current system is with Dailey & Wells Communications, Inc., a local vendor, who provides maintenance and support to the system and is the authorized regional reseller of equipment for the Harris Corporation System. The System provides public safety grade two-way radio communications for the City of San Antonio and surrounding Bexar County. The System currently manages an average of over 300,000 individual radio calls a day from approximately 11,000 public safety and governmental agency users, which includes fifty-six (56) external multijurisdictional agencies.
The City of San Antonio represents approximately 82% of the usage on the System and it is a critical source of communications to the San Antonio Police and Fire Departments. A core project staff team comprised of members from the City Manager's Office, Information Technology Services Department, Police Department, and Fire Department along with advisory assistance from an outside consultant, Televate LLC, performed a comprehensive assessment of the current radio system and equipment. This assessment took into consideration items such as the condition of the equipment, performance of the system, regulatory changes, potential emerging technology, current investment in the system, and migration assumptions if a new system was selected and implemented.
Based on the aforementioned assessment, the core project staff team has developed a recommended approach to the Public Safety Radio System. These rec...
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