The International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE), the premier event for communications technology, will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., from March 5 to 9, 2018. Participants can network, as well as learn about communications technologies, products, and policies. Come see the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Sridhar Kowdley (Program Manager), Cuong Luu (Program Manager), and John Merrill (Director) as they discuss their programs and present what they have been working on. We will also be in booth #3345; visit us there to learn how we are working to help mitigate risks, drive efficiencies, and improve decision-making for first responders.
Monday, March 5
Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) Foundations, Applications, and System Technology Updates for 2018
Gain a deeper understanding and updated awareness of the established Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) P25 standards, the matching equipment capabilities, and the continued evolution of system technologies and interfaces. Completed P25 Standards, recently published updates and future P25 work priorities will be covered. Content includes a basic P25 overview of interfaces including trunking and conventional systems, Phase 1 and Phase 2 systems and Wireline interfaces including the systems (ISSI), console (CSSI) and fixed station (FSI). New for 2018 are discussions on improved encryption key management standards, TDMA control channel, P25 link layer encryption, ISSI and CSSI interoperability, and new RCATs for P25 testing. Best practices for P25 application of encryption, manual and automatic roaming will be included, a P25 LMR and the LTE data interface will be explored, and presentation on DHS S&T's Project 25 CAP testing will be included.
EVENT INFO
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Room: N320GH | Session Number: M115
DHS S&T First Responders Group, Speaker
Sridhar Kowdley
Program Manager
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP): Updates, Upgrades, and Up Next
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Project 25 Compliance Assessment Program (P25 CAP) is the only formal, independent process for enduring communications equipment declared by the supplier actually is P25 compliant and tested against the standards with publicly published results. P25 CAP will be holding a panel to discuss program updates, upgrades, and what’s on the horizon. DHS S&T wants to hear feedback from public safety, industry, and other P25 stakeholders on how the program can continue to grow and innovate. Topics to be discussed include inclusion of Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) and Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) testing within the P25 CAP. Share your ideas with the panel and join the discussion. Note that IWCE conference badging is required to attend.
EVENT INFO
11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Room: N320GH | Session Number: M125
DHS S&T First Responders Group, Speaker
Sridhar Kowdley
Program Manager
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
Tuesday, March 6
P25 CAP Advisory Meeting
The next Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) P25 CAP AP meeting will be held in conjunction with the upcoming 2018 International Wireless Communications Expo. P25 CAP AP members, industry, public safety, and interested IWCE attendees will have the opportunity to discuss various topics during the open Q&A. Among the expected topics for discussion is the addition of Inter RF Subsystem Interface (ISSI) and Console Subsystem Interface (CSSI) testing to the P25 CAP. In addition, we have a guest speaker to tell us about how the National Association of State Procurement Officers (NASPO) leverages the P25 CAP. NASPO is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence and integrity. An agenda including all logistical information is forthcoming. For those who cannot attend in person, note the following conference bridge will be available: Dial-In: 866-951-1151 and Call ID: 7492054#. No special IWCE conference badging is required.
EVENT INFO
2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Room: N320CD
DHS’s Industry Playbook Open House: Give Your Feedback!
DHS's Science and Technology Directorate is your trusted partner for technology development, adoption, and integration. Think of us as a conduit for transitioning your bold ideas. This open house will focus on S&T’s newly released Next Generation First Responder Integration Handbook, which details technical specifications that are needed to develop interoperable solutions to the first responder market. The handbook, developed by S&T’s Next Generation First Responder Program (NGFR), describes standards, interfaces, and data flows to assist IWCE systems developers and vendors. To keep pace with rapid innovation cycles, S&T seeks industry and end-user feedback to improve the Handbook, which also identifies how data is aggregated and sent to communication networks. S&T recognizes how established operating systems are being challenged by disruptive tech, which is changing your hometown security landscape. Take a few minutes to join our discussion and review a copy of our new handbook. We want to hear from you!
EVENT INFO
3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Room: N312 | Session Number: TMDHS
Wednesday, March 7
Got Comms? Recognizing and Mitigating Interference (Electronic Jamming)
Reliable communications are a lifeline -- so what happens when they are taken away? Radio frequency interference can degrade or block communications -- and while some might be unintentional interference from faulty equipment or natural sources, some incidents may be caused by intentional use of a jamming device. DHS S&T and partners across the Homeland Security Enterprise are researching interference and working on solutions. S&T has hosted the 2016 and 2017 First Responder Electronic Jamming Exercises to assess the impact of illegal jammers on first responder communications and mission response. The 2017 exercise also tested technologies and tactics that could help public safety organizations identify, locate and mitigate the impact of jamming threats. Hear the results of this assessment, and focus on the sources of interference and how public safety organizations can recognize and mitigate both intentional and unintentional threats. Recognize spectrum interference patterns on spectrum analyzers, and identify key recommendations to improve communications resiliency that you can implement in your organization.
EVENT INFO
2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Room: N220E | Session Number: W24
DHS S&T First Responders Group, Speaker
Sridhar Kowdley
Program Manager
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
Ball of Confusion: Untangling the Growing Mass of Video Data Through Analytic Applications
Availability of video imagery is increasing exponentially. Public video programs, use by private organizations and even video captured by individuals with mobile devices like tablets and smartphones all contribute to an avalanche of data for law enforcement organizations to access. While this mass of data may contain critical nuggets of information for situational awareness or forensic analysis, in the aggregate it presents a ball of confusion. Analytics offer a path forward to extract the critical information form a ponderous mass of data. In real-time, analytics can pull out information required for proactive and predictive law enforcement and security effort. In the forensic context analytics can sift through mountains of data to find key pieces of evidence. However powerful analytic tools present significant challenges for privacy and civil liberties. Examine current research in all these issues.
EVENT INFO
4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Room: N220C | Session Number: W35
DHS S&T First Responders Group, Panelist
Cuong Luu
Program Manager
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
Thursday, March 8
Join the Conversation -- Designing the Architecture for the Next Generation First Responder
How often do you have a chance to change the future? Or to write the rules of your own future? DHS S&T seeks to equip the first responder of the future with cutting-edge tools and technologies that make them better protected, connected and fully aware through its Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) program. The NGFR program is working with responders and industry to change the game, rewriting the rules of how public safety technology integrates to provide relevant, cost-effective and life-saving capabilities to our nation’s first responders. Why this matters? In today’s environment, mobile devices and applications are critical for mission accomplishment. However, as the use of mobility rises, who ensures comms is secure or, alternatively, isn’t vulnerable to cyberattacks? By designing a plug-and-play system built on open standards, NGFR invites industry to adapt these technologies -- from IoT sensors to networking solutions -- for inclusion into an on-body architecture for the next generation first responder. This presentation will also discuss the need for security evaluation for all mobile applications, the common pitfalls of mobile app developers, the need for clear and transparent evaluation criteria, and a strategy for improving mobile application security for the first responder community.
EVENT INFO
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Room: Keynote Theater | Session Number: TM6
DHS S&T First Responders Group, Moderator
John Merrill
Director, Office for Interoperability and Compatibility
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate