Case Study: Cumberland County, Tennessee

By Tami Timperio, VP Global Marketing Communications

Tami Timperio

“Cumberland County is very important to us and EADS is going to showcase this system. We will be bringing people here to see this radio system”
-Chuck Sackley, VP of Operations for EADS Secure Networks

County Seat: Crossville
Service Area: 685 square miles
Population: 51,346

Site
Located in the picturesque Cumberland Mountains, Cumberland County, Tennessee presents challenging terrain for radio communications. The same peaks and valleys that make the area so inviting to vacationers, golf enthusiasts and residents provide a challenge to old-fashioned analog radio waves.

When Cumberland County's Emergency Services Committee began searching to find a replacement for their old communications system, they knew that the solution they selected would have to overcome some steep obstacles. In particular, the Committee wanted a solution that would provide interoperability along with expanded coverage throughout the entire region, and would also be capable of resolving the County's portable radio inventory issues.

Solution
Selected as the solution provider, EADS designed and deployed a single 5-site 4-channel (1 control and 3 voice) COR^P25 digital trunked system to replace the multiple VHF systems the County had been using.   The EADS COR^P25 system, unanimously accepted by the County's Emergency Services Committee in July, delivered the interoperability and flexibility the County required and increased service coverage from 80% to >95%, reaching nearly every corner of the County.

In addition to the P25 compliant radio system, the EADS solution also included an interface to the County's existing analog Zetron console system, SNMP network management, as well as subscriber units from Kenwood. Dispatchers now have radio access to UHF P25, VHF conventional or both and all County agencies are supported with over 90 talk groups.  EADS further committed to a three-year technology development plan for the system.

"Cumberland County is very important to us and EADS is going to showcase this system," said Chuck Sackley, Vice President of Operations for EADS Secure Networks. "We will be bringing people here to see this radio system."

"If they (EADS) can make a system work here, they can make it work anywhere," said Cumberland County Sheriff Butch Burgess in discussing how impressed he was with the solution.

"Incorporating the legacy VHF Conventional network, the multi-vendor product integration, and the unique coverage issues of Cumberland County were all significant challenges for EADS, as they would have been for any systems integrator," said Bruce Rhoades, Director of Public Safety & Municipal Networks for WATERFORD Consultants. "My hats off to EADS, as they addressed all of these challenges and demonstrated a phenomenal commitment to the ultimate satisfaction of the County."

The multi-site system is designed to optimize coverage across the varied terrain of the County for the following users:
Sheriff's Department
Correctional Facility
Fire Department
Rescue Squad
Emergency Management Agency
Emergency Medical Services

The EADS CORP25 system is an open, standards compliant digital trunked radio system that fully embraces the P25 goals of vendor and network interoperability, lower cost of ownership and a migration path to new technologies. The software-driven nature of the COR^P25 provides exceptional flexibility, enabling the addition of new features and capabilities without the use of a forklift; the fully IP core provides unparalleled reliability by eliminating single points of failure; and, together they make it possible for COR^P25 to scale from a single site to a system of systems without changing platforms.

COR^P25 Key Benefits:

• EADS COR^P25 is Adaptable; its open, standards-compliant nature enables Public Safety Agencies to select components from multiple vendors, including subscriber units, creating a "best in class" network that is tailored to address the specific needs of the agency at a cost the community can afford.
• EADS COR^P25 is Flexible; a single site system can be employed, with additional sites added later, a single EADS COR^P25 system can be configured to support subscriber units in all public safety frequency bands and its repeaters can be configured for simulcast and voting configurations.
• EADS COR^P25 is Simple; its software-centric, native IP architecture enables a straightforward migration to the next-generation communication requirements.

COR^P25 Key Features:

• Cost effective P25 "System of Systems" architecture for city, county, & regional/statewide networks
• Reliable multi-site, simulcast, and multi-agency configurations
• Autonomy and control of your system within an interoperable framework
• Enhanced coverage through a reliable IP simulcast solution
• Redundant architecture that enables a graceful degradation of service, as opposed to system failure

About EADS Secure Networks North America, a division of PlantCML (www.eads-ps.com)

EADS Secure Networks North America, a division of industry leader PlantCML (a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS North America), provides interoperable, land mobile radio communications solutions to the mission-critical environment. Today, PlantCML is pioneering the next generation of public safety and secure network communications through Voice over IP-enabled applications, interoperable P25 radio systems and advanced emergency notification technologies.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. As a leader in all sectors of defense and homeland security, EADS North America and its parent company, EADS, contribute over $11 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 200,000 American jobs through its network of suppliers and services. Operating in 17 states, EADS North America offers a broad array of advanced solutions to its customers in the commercial, homeland security, aerospace and defense markets. Internationally, more than 180 public networks in 65 countries utilize EADS digital radio systems for fully interoperable communications between agencies, across regions and throughout nations.

As Vice President of Global Marketing Communications of PlantCML®, an EADS North America company, Tami Timperio oversees all aspects of corporate marketing for the organization and its subsidiaries, including DCC (Dialogic Communications Corp.). She is also responsible for promoting the land mobile radio offering (CORP25) of EADS Secure Networks North America. With over 18 years in sales and marketing for technology and telecom companies, Timperio is a vibrant communicator with experience leading teams, planning and executing product and solution promotion, expanding customer bases, developing markets, maximizing profit and optimizing procedures. Timperio previously served as Director, Global Event Marketing Operations & Strategic Planning and Director, Carrier and Enterprise Marketing Communications at Nortel Networks, Inc. Prior to Nortel, she worked as Senior Director, Field Marketing for BEA (now Oracle), Secure Computing (now McAfee) and 3Com Corporation. She was also an award-winning Sales Manager with MCI (now Verizon). Ms. Timperio joined PlantCML in March 2009.