5_1new.qxp 10/27/2005 9:19 AM Page 2 Volume 5 • Issue 1 The magazine for IP-based voice, data & interoperability solutions NEW LOOK, NEW FOCUS– MORE ABOUT CHANNELS NEW EMPHASIS ON IP NETWORK SOLUTIONS INSIDE CHANGES IN PUBLIC SAFETY ARENA DEMAND NEW SOLUTIONS M/A-COM P.O. BOX 2000 LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24501 U.S.A. M/A-COM INTRODUCES PHONE: + 1 800 528 7711 A NEW CONCEPT IN CRITICAL COM- FAX: +1 434 455 6656 MUNICATIONS: www.macom-wireless.com THE VIDA NETWORK CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT SELECTS MUMBAI POLICE EXTEND COM- A NETWORK SOLUTION FOR MUNICATIONS ITS CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK Product and service names used in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks. Other products or services are trade- marks of their respective owners. 5_1new.qxp 10/27/2005 9:20 AM Page 4 ContentsCHANNELS volume 5, issue 1 CHANNELS 2 IP communications take center stage is published by M/A-COM Long a hot topic,Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has suddenly IP Communications take center stage 221 Jefferson Ridge Pkwy. burst from the pack. We tell you why, and what it means for you in Lynchburg, VA 24501 this issue. Contributing Editors: As shown in our lead article on the Central Arizona Project Ronald Bender, Greg Farmer, 3 Central Arizona Project targets increased safety with OpenSky Steve Frackleton, Rick (next page) and the announcement of M/A-COM’s VIDA net- Hundstad, John Kimmons, Charged with responsibility for ensuring an uninterrupted flow of John Locatelli and Joan Tinsley. water along 336 miles of aqueduct in rugged, often remote terrain, work on page 11, the transition to IP technology for critical Consulting, design the Central Arizona Project selected TDMA and an IP backbone to and production: communications is accelerating rapidly. The reasons for this Sturdza & Agee help keep workers safe. Marketing Communications Phone:1-703-768-6624 are threefold: first, it's the most efficient way to provide the [email protected] 7 Mumbai Police expand communications network India's largest and busiest seaport began the first-phase rollout of its highest levels of interoperability and access to information Customer Support: EDACS system in 1997, and continues to expand the network users need today. Second, it is the most flexible way to For all questions pertaining throughout the region. to Parts, Technical Assistance, achieve these ends, regardless of the size and mission of the Warranty Administration, Technical Publications and 9 New technology helps public safety cope with change Software Services: agency. And third, it protects users’ investment by greatly For many reasons, critical communications for public safety agencies In the United States – extending the life of their communications infrastructure. Phone: 1-800-528-7711 have been changing dramatically. In this interview with M/A-COM’s Fax: 1-800-833-7592 Director and Market Manager for Public Safety, we learn why. Email: As you’ll see on the following pages, the gains made possi- [email protected] 11 New VIDA network revolutionizes critical communications ble by the power of IP are available to all M/A-COM Customer Care/Service Parts: customer care@ Announced in March, M/A-COM's new VIDA network concept delivers customers: past; current; and future. tycoelectronics.com voice, interoperability,data, and access with an overarching IP backbone 1 In Canada – and a Unified Network Architecture for unparalleled communications 2 Phone: 1-800-368-3277 Fax: 1-800-833-7582 now,and in the future. Email: [email protected] Voice. Interoperability. Data. Access. 15 New IP-based products and upgrades Customer Care/Service Parts: customer care@ M/A-COM continues its rollout of IP-based solutions for Project 25 radios tycoelectronics.com and systems, OpenSky,EDACS and NetworkFirst. International – Contact your Regional Sales 18 News Bites Support Representatives: Europe/Latin America: The latest on who’s buying M/A-COM +1-434-455-9238 communications systems. On the Cover: Mid East/Africa: +1-434-455-9229 Administrators at the Central 18 Asia Pacific: Training Center Schedule Arizona Project headquarters moni- +1-434-455-9223 A listing of all classroom and online training tor 336 miles of aqueduct snaking Fax: +1-434-455-6684 across the desert. Email: intl.sales@ center classes scheduled for the second and tycoelectronics.com third quarters of 2004. Photos: Central Arizona Project How to contact our editors: Channels welcomes your views! We want to hear from you, so please address any suggestions for articles, comments or questions to: Joan Tinsley, 1-434-455-9423; email: [email protected]. 5_1new.qxp 10/27/2005 9:20 AM Page 4 ContentsCHANNELS volume 5, issue 1 CHANNELS 2 IP communications take center stage is published by M/A-COM Long a hot topic,Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has suddenly IP Communications take center stage 221 Jefferson Ridge Pkwy. burst from the pack. We tell you why, and what it means for you in Lynchburg, VA 24501 this issue. Contributing Editors: As shown in our lead article on the Central Arizona Project Ronald Bender, Greg Farmer, 3 Central Arizona Project targets increased safety with OpenSky Steve Frackleton, Rick (next page) and the announcement of M/A-COM’s VIDA net- Hundstad, John Kimmons, Charged with responsibility for ensuring an uninterrupted flow of John Locatelli and Joan Tinsley. water along 336 miles of aqueduct in rugged, often remote terrain, work on page 11, the transition to IP technology for critical Consulting, design the Central Arizona Project selected TDMA and an IP backbone to and production: communications is accelerating rapidly. The reasons for this Sturdza & Agee help keep workers safe. Marketing Communications Phone:1-703-768-6624 are threefold: first, it's the most efficient way to provide the [email protected] 7 Mumbai Police expand communications network India's largest and busiest seaport began the first-phase rollout of its highest levels of interoperability and access to information Customer Support: EDACS system in 1997, and continues to expand the network users need today. Second, it is the most flexible way to For all questions pertaining throughout the region. to Parts, Technical Assistance, achieve these ends, regardless of the size and mission of the Warranty Administration, Technical Publications and 9 New technology helps public safety cope with change Software Services: agency. And third, it protects users’ investment by greatly For many reasons, critical communications for public safety agencies In the United States – extending the life of their communications infrastructure. Phone: 1-800-528-7711 have been changing dramatically. In this interview with M/A-COM’s Fax: 1-800-833-7592 Director and Market Manager for Public Safety, we learn why. Email: As you’ll see on the following pages, the gains made possi- [email protected] 11 New VIDA network revolutionizes critical communications ble by the power of IP are available to all M/A-COM Customer Care/Service Parts: customer care@ Announced in March, M/A-COM's new VIDA network concept delivers customers: past; current; and future. tycoelectronics.com voice, interoperability,data, and access with an overarching IP backbone 1 In Canada – and a Unified Network Architecture for unparalleled communications 2 Phone: 1-800-368-3277 Fax: 1-800-833-7582 now,and in the future. Email: [email protected] Voice. Interoperability. Data. Access. 15 New IP-based products and upgrades Customer Care/Service Parts: customer care@ M/A-COM continues its rollout of IP-based solutions for Project 25 radios tycoelectronics.com and systems, OpenSky,EDACS and NetworkFirst. International – Contact your Regional Sales 18 News Bites Support Representatives: Europe/Latin America: The latest on who’s buying M/A-COM +1-434-455-9238 communications systems. On the Cover: Mid East/Africa: +1-434-455-9229 Administrators at the Central 18 Asia Pacific: Training Center Schedule Arizona Project headquarters moni- +1-434-455-9223 A listing of all classroom and online training tor 336 miles of aqueduct snaking Fax: +1-434-455-6684 across the desert. Email: intl.sales@ center classes scheduled for the second and tycoelectronics.com third quarters of 2004. Photos: Central Arizona Project How to contact our editors: Channels welcomes your views! We want to hear from you, so please address any suggestions for articles, comments or questions to: Joan Tinsley, 1-434-455-9423; email: [email protected]. 5_1new.qxp 10/27/2005 9:21 AM Page 6 key supervisors to perform routine management 12 years, they were already familiar with “The beauty of OpenSky Spectral efficiency, integrated voice & data functions from their vehicles, allowing them to M/A-COM’s products and were happy with is that it’s an IP-based their system’s performance. In discussions spend more time in the field with their teams. computer and radio net- Of the two, AVL was an understandable pri- with M/A-COM about how they might solve FEATURE STORY work all in one.” to increased safety for Arizona water project ority. “We wanted to add AVL to our communi- the problem of limited frequencies, Cook cations network as soon as possible,”says and Wilcox realized that they could gain the Bruce Wilcox Cook. Wilcox agrees, adding,“When our main- spectral efficiency and enhanced data func- tenance people are trying to find one of our tionalities they needed by transitioning to remote desert facilities, we want them to know an OpenSky network. exactly where they are, especially in the mid- OpenSky offers the more spectrally efficient THINKING “OUTSIDE THE BOX” IN ITS SEARCH FOR A NEW COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM dle of the night during a bad storm. And, no Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) air inter- SYSTEM OVERVIEW HELPED THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT (CAP) IDENTIFY A NEW WAY TO ACHIEVE AN matter where we have an emergency break- face rather than the traditional Frequency Mod- PRIMARY USE: IMPORTANT GOAL: INCREASED SAFETY FOR THE PERSONNEL WHO MUST WORK AT down, we want our supervisors to be able to ulation (FM) used in early land mobile radio Voice and data communica- REMOTE SITES.