Harris Launches Comprehensive Broadband Managed Services
Sponsored by Harris Corporation.
Much like the consumer marketplace, public safety communications are moving toward broadband services. Building on feedback from first responders, Harris Corporation has launched a single-source broadband solution, making it easier for law enforcement customers to take advantage of Harris’ converged LTE Land Mobile Radios. With the new offering, it is now possible for any law enforcement agency’s XL-200P, XL-185P and Harris Unified Vehicle radios to get nationwide broadband access from Harris.
“We’re trying to make it easier for our customers to get all of their needs met in one package,” says James Teel, Director of Product Line Management for Applications and Services at Harris. “Right now, law enforcement has to go to the carrier to choose their data plan, and get the SIM card and the device activated. They will continue to have this option, but now they can buy the radio and the service directly from Harris, providing LTE out-of-the-box capability.”
Three Key Differentiators
Before now, when law enforcement agencies purchased radios with LTE capabilities, they also needed to purchase a subscription on the carrier network, says Teel. This process can get complicated, and it can also cost agencies additional money and take away some of the control managers have over their devices. There is a value proposition above and beyond what agencies can get from the carrier today. In fact, there are three key differentiators:
First: It’s an easier solution – Harris’ broadband managed services is a simple prepaid data offering. In addition, for the XL portables, the SIM card is pre-installed in the LTE module already. If the customer wants to activate the service, it’s a simple call to Harris to activate.
Second: It’s a cost-effective offering with no overage charges, under-utilization losses, or data throttling—and the data is shared across all users within the group or department, meaning they don’t have to buy a data plan per device.
Third: It enables and provides administrators with additional insight and management capability – managers have access to analytics reports and can control, should they choose to, where their devices can go in terms of specific applications or specific URLs.
“They can put time-of-day policies in place or give specific megabytes per day and per month,” says Teel. “So, they are controlling the consumption side of the equation, which will save on costs and enhance the productivity of users if they are prevented from going to places online they don’t need to go.”
With this Harris solution, there is a higher level of control for management that isn’t available from carriers today. “Administrators know how many devices they have and what their average data consumption per device is so that gives them a better understanding of how much data they need,” says Teel. “If law enforcement administrators can’t reign in the devices, their costs may spiral out of control. The longer you use this service, the better you will be at predicting usage in the future, giving you more certainty going into budget cycles understanding exactly how much data will cost.”
Teel notes that they are not replacing the carrier network—coverage won’t change for officers, as the carrier is still providing that service on the back end. “We are not providing the network alternative; we are providing a unique way of buying and utilizing the data over the carrier’s network,” he says. “We know public safety communications are moving toward broadband. We want to be cognizant of how they use it and be ahead of the curve helping them make the products they've already purchased even better.”
This solution is currently available with Harris’ LTE-enabled XL-200P, XL-185P and Harris Unified Vehicle. To learn more about Harris Broadband Managed Services offering, visit the Public Safety page on Harris.com.
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Law enforcement officers rely on communications to get the job done – whether it’s calling for backup or receiving information during an on-going situation. The need for hardened, reliable and interoperable devices that remain connected at all times is of utmost importance. Going forward, broadband technologies are enabling the next generation of mission-critical applications for public safety and first responders require communication devices that can live up to the demands of the thin blue line.
