Radio over Internet Protocol, or RoIP, is radio interoperability enabled through hardware devices and software that leverage the universal language of Internet Protocol (IP) to bridge voice communications media. RoIP enables interoperable communications among existing radios, between new and legacy radio systems, across frequencies, and with any other connected communications device.

THE NEED

The inability to communicate effectively has been highlighted repeatedly in after action reports from long before 9/11, to 9/11, to the recent hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. Communities have tried to solve the problem by swapping radios, applying unwieldy “patches”, or buying new digital radio systems for all the first responder agencies within a given community or region.  Unfortunately, these solutions do not solve the whole interoperability problem, leaving communications gaps with responders and others that are off site or those using cell phones or landlines. In addition, these types of solutions are expensive, especially for emergency response agencies with limited funds, so they can exacerbate the disparities between the haves and have nots in emergency response.  When agencies are not able to buy into these expensive new radio systems, the responders are left with their old communications capabilities, and are not interoperable with responders and others using the new equipment (and vice versa).

COMCARE’S APPROACH

COMCARE supports the advancement of Radio over IP because it provides a number of benefits to emergency response organizations. These include:

• Complete interoperability with current communications equipment, from P25 radios to legacy systems, across multiple frequencies. 
• Secure talk group connections between radios and any other communications device including land line phones and computers.
• Dynamically scalable communications platforms allowing users to control who is on talk groups, assign listen-only privileges, monitor conversations and users present, and remove users from a talk group, all in real time.
• Geographically independent communications, with remote control over interoperable talk groups and the ability to join physically distributed users.
• Enriched media - such as images, and maps - delivered through IP enabled devices.
• Compatibility with the E-Safety Vision. 

FROM VISION TO REALITY

COMCARE understands that education in the key to the proliferation of RoIP technology.  Those making communications decision and those able to utilize RoIP need to know that RoIP is a viable solution that can and should be incorporated into their interoperability plans.  COMCARE, is dedicated to educating those who could benefit from RoIP about the technology itself as well as the availability of federal funding that can help states and communities purchase RoIP solutions. COMCARE has included RoIP providers in its demonstrations of advanced interoperability solutions.

In addition, COMCARE’s Public Policy Committee formed an ad hoc RoIP subcommittee to discuss policy issues dealing with RoIP. 

Back to Top