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ARL Comms urges you to vote for network of networks - UPDATE
As a result of voting procedure difficulties in the Cabinet Office's Innovation Launch Pad, ARL's Steve Cappa puts forward a method for people to vote for his suggestion, a 'network of networks'.
ARL’s entry reads as follows: ‘A common theme running through disasters in the UK from the Cumbria shootings, London Bombings, the Grayrigg train crash and all the way back to Hillsborough and beyond is a breakdown in communications between the Emergency Services and 1st and 2nd responder organisations. Billions of pounds and time has been spent over the last 25 years to try to remedy this but the fact remains that the UK still does not have a unified communications system which allows all the necessary organisations (currently 200+ blue and orange lights) to interoperate when required. Meanwhile the chaos and the body count continues to grow.
‘Against this backdrop and the statutory requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 a group of volunteers worked with Ribble Valley BC to develop EARL (Emergency Area Radio Link). EARL has been designed by Emergency Responders for Emergency Responders.
‘EARL is a secure, rapidly deployable, cost effective Voice and Radio over IP (VoIP and RoIP) system used to provide Interoperability between and within different organisations’ legacy two way radio infrastructures and equipment no matter what frequencies they use. No need to change over existing equipment or build a new network.
EARL can use current networks to create a network of networks that can be rolled out quickly and provide video and recordable voice and text communications suitable for everyday business usage and in the event of disasters provide a robust layer of strategic emergency communications and a simple method for Command and Control based upon current Bronze, Silver and Gold structures.
‘Connection for an authorised organisation or individual can be achieved anytime from anywhere the internet is available whether as GPRS; 3G; ADSL; Enterprise; Satellite thus bridging geographical and organisational boundaries.
‘In parallel to EARL, organisations that have been banking frequencies are returning them to Ofcom. Initially there was no apparent policy on what to do with these frequencies beyond reselling them to PMR users. ARL submitted a view that these frequencies should be ring-fenced to create a national 1st and 2nd responder network to link existing networks using EARL. Our understanding is that there may now be policy developments in that area.
‘In addition to the basic EARL communicator, work started in January this year with DSTL on Project Radiance (sponsored by the Cabinet Office and HOSDB) to show that it was practical to use Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) equipment to create a truly interoperable network using any existing equipment or network for Crisis Management. The EARL Command and Control system, a true COP (Common Operational Picture) platform, which allows Incident Commanders to have and share recordable information (voice, video, texts, maps etc) and decisions in a format suitable for evidential purposes was showcased at HOSDB exhibition, in March 2011, to wide acclaim.
‘Using EARL and the network of networks concept, it is now realistic, practical and economic to overcome the communications breakdowns mentioned above at local, regional, national and even international levels.’
Steve Cappa's letter reads as follows:
Some of you have contacted me to say that you have found it difficult to either join the site, find our proposal or vote.
I believe that this is a result of the way that the site and the process has been established and managed.
The organisers decided that although “No particular criteria have been suggested - voters have just been urged to support the proposals that they think are the best” they established a “Top Proposals” group consisting of 90+ ideas that they “considered” the “Top”. As a result, if your idea is not in that group it is very difficult to find it – even for those, such as myself, who actually published an idea.
Our proposal is not in the Top Group – neither are 260 other ideas – but even with that , due to some of your votes we are currently sitting 21st overall - ie out of 350 proposals – and in front of all but 8 of the “Top Ideas” based upon Approval Rating.
I thank you for that. But we still need more votes.
To assist anyone who has tried to vote for us and found it difficult, I have discovered a process that should help.
1) Follow this link
A 1st and 2nd Responders National Interoperable Communications Network of Networks. To Save Lives. To Save Money. To make the UK a safer place to be. <https://www.innovationlaunchpad.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/Page/ViewIdea?ideaid=673>
2) Register for the site on the right – this should take you to get a password.
3) Login in again – this should take you to the “Top Proposals” Group.
4) Go to the right of the screen and click on “All Proposals”.
5) Type “Responders” (without quote marks) in the Keywords box and click filter.
6) You should now be at Our proposal and you can vote for us.
Needless to say if your idea is in the “Top Group” the process is somewhat easier.
If you can follow this process and go through all this trouble to vote for our idea it would be greatly appreciated, as would any assistance you can give us by getting your colleagues involved by passing this email on.
Finally some of you have asked why, when this project was targeted at SME’s (either from the UK or International) there are proposals from Multi-million $ global businesses ( including some in the “Top Proposals”). I think that is a good question but also one that I am unable to answer.
Best Regards
Steve Cappa
Director
To find out more, click here.
