[TrunkCom] Michigan State Police To Upgrade MPSCS TRS

[Ron Wilbanks]

     On Sept., 16, 2002, Michigan State Police Communications Division
staff and Motorola will begin upgrading MPSCS tower sites in the Lower
Peninsula to the new ASTRO 25 6.0 IP Voice Platform.  The process of
upgrading the tower sites will begin in Zones 4 and 5 and will be
completed statewide in Zone 1 by Oct., 8 2002.


     Motorola will be the project leader with several teams moving
across the state performing what is known as a "hot cut-over."  This
means the radio technicians will be working on the tower sites while
they are in fully powered.


     During this project, the towers which are currently running version
5.0 will be taken off-line while the system upgrades take place from 8
p.m. to 8 a.m.  When each site is reactivated they will be fully 6.0
compliant.  Each tower should take roughly two hours to complete.


     Because version 5.0 is not compatible with the 6.0 platform, users
will not be able to communicate from zone-to-zone until the system
upgrade is completed.  However, as each zone is switched over to the new
platform, interzone communications can resume again.


     The decision to switch over to the new ASTRO 25 6.0 platform was
made on Nov., 6, 2001.  The new tower sites in the Upper Peninsula are
already version 6.0 compliant and were the first in the state to receive
the new upgraded system enhancements from Motorola.


     The number of enhancements that are included with the new ASTRO 25,
version 6.0 include:


   * More user capacity with up to 64,000 user IDs vs. 48,000 on the old
     platform.
   * 16,000 talkgroups vs. 4096 on the old platform.
   * Greatly improved dispatch console capacity, supporting wire-line
     connections allowing for more county 9-1-1 dispatch centers to join
     the system.
   * Simulcast improvements that allow for more sites to be added to the
     MPSCS TRS, without the need for more radio frequencies.  This
     upgrade will allow greater coverage with in-building portable
     users.
   * Improved interzone bandwidth, that will use microwave connections
     more efficiently.
   * Redundant zone controllers that will provide additional failure
     protecting compared to the present fault-tollerant "fallback"
     design.
   * Allows for full integration of 700 MHz frequencies into the system
     that will fully support 700/800 MHz dual-band capable trunking
     radios from vendors.
   * Supports advanced encryption, packet based programs for MDTs,
     alphanumeric text-service, and full CAD interface features for
     subscribers.

     The price tag for the systemwide upgrade is $20 million.  However,
state police officials say the benefits outweigh the cost, as this will
make the MPSCS one of the most advanced public safety communications
systems available anywhere.  Likewise, this will make Michigan,
compatible with other statewide Project 25 TRSs being implemented in
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Arizona.


73's
--
=========================================================================

Ron Wilbanks

Freelance Photographer, Writer, Historian, Railfan, Roadgeek, and
Michigan State Editor, for "Monitor America"

"Enjoy and explore our Nation's U.S. Highway System:
  you'll be richer for the endless experiences that await you!!!!" :)
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