Only a small percentage of problems with digital trunked radio systems are reported by the news media, however there are a sufficient number of stories to establish reasonable doubt as to the suitability of these systems. In fact, there is a clear pattern that would cause a reasonable and prudent person to entertain a strong and honest suspicion as to the suitability of this technology for mission-critical public safety radio communication.
How widespread are these problems? I would like to hear your story if you are a first responder and rely on a digital trunked radio system for essential communication. Click here to send me e-mail.
In some cases, public-safety executives issue gag orders that bar employees and contractors from discussing system shortcomings. Employees face disciplinary action for talking about the communications systems that they rely on for personal safety. Sometimes it’s best to call the baby ugly.
Your e-mail and periodic Internet searches have revealed numerous stories about digital trunked radio system problems and related topics. Here are links to a some of the stories.
- Niagra Regional Police Digital Radio Problems – 06/24/2012
- $23M Chicago digital radio system still not used after 5 years – 09/23/2011
- Security researchers crack APCO P25 encryption – 09/10/2011
- Firefighters (still) balk at new digital radios – 09/06/2011
- Oakland officers sound of on new police radios – 08/22/2011
- Military radios that don’t work – 05/18/2011
- Pennsylvania statewide radio network proves a bust – 05/14/2011
- Costly PA radio system for law enforcement agencies isn’t working as planned – 04/28/2011
- House committee concerned about Motorola’s dominance – 04/21/2011
- Steuben County Indiana – Sheriff squawking at (digital) radio service – 04/17/2011
- Digital radio system has more reception glitches in York County PA – 04/16/2011
- Steuben County Indiana – Radio system taken offline after failure – 04/07/2011
- Report criticizes Oregon State radio network planning – 03/24/2011
- Milwaukee – Police OpenSky records sought – 03/22/2011
- Naperville, IL – Concern about digital radio system – 03/17/2011
- Naperville & Aurora Illinois digital radio problems – 03/15/2011
- The Great APCO Project 25 Boondoggle – 02/2011
- Oakland, California – Ongoing problems with analog trunked system (w/ video) – 01/27/2011
- DuPage, Illinois – No bid contract in shambles – 01/26/2011
- Digital trunked radio failure in West Manheim, PA jeopardizes firefighters – 01/04/2011
- Charleston SC – County’s emergency radios are not reliable -11/21/2010
- Charlotte NC – Police radio blackout 2nd time on 1 week – 11/08/2010
- Hamilton County Ohio – County can’t pay $2M 2011 communications system payment – 10/18/2011
- Milwaukee – OpenSky System Down – 10/07/2010
- NextGov.com – Slow development of radio standards frustrates first responders – 09/24/2010
- Pennsylvania STARNet reported to be unreliable – 04/19/2010
- Philadelphia – Another Digital Radio System Glitch – 04/13/2010
- Washington DC – Digital trunked radio system failure – 03/29/2010
- Milwaukee – Panel recommends borrowing for troubled police radio system – 03/19/2010
- Cincinnati fire radio problems must be resolved quickly – 01/21/2010
- Hamilton County Ohio – Radio tweaks not a solution – 01/20/2010
- York County – Police survey says digital radio is total failure – 01/08/2010
- York County PA Commissioners react to survey – 12/13/2009
- Cumberland County TN – P25 problems – 12/03/2009
- Milwaukee $17.5M digital radio system problems continue – 11/26/2009
- Maine firefighters seek return to analog radios – 11/18/2009
- Scandal in Chicago over $2.25M Motorola contract – 11/10/2009
- Milwaukee – Police suffering from communications breakdown – 10/28/2009
- West Palm Beach Florida digital trunked radio system fails – 10/09/2009
- Digital trunked radio problems in New Zealand – 09/24/2009
- Pennsylvania State radio system not working properly – 09/16/2009
- Indianapolis – Problems persist with fire radios – 09/18/2009
- PA Evening Sun – Radio issues reported nationwide – 09/06/2009
- 4 Fire departments go back to analog radios – 08/20/2009
- York County PA Fire Chiefs may dump digital radios – 08/17/2009
- Lancaster County PA gets stuck with obsolete digital radios – 06/13/2009
- Philadelphia – Digital radio system out for two hours (06/2009)
- Virginia – Auditor critical of work on statewide radio system (06/2009)
- York County PA – Tyco failures (05/24/2009)
- Cleveland bought $2 million radio equipment that can’t be used unless it buys rest of system (04/13/2009)
- State of New York – M/A-Com system worked as contracted (03/30/2009)
- Radio controversy continues in San Mateo County (02/19/2009)
- York County PA – Police union files suit over digital trunked radio system (02/02/2009)
- Milwaukee digital trunked system still offline (02/01/2009)
- Kansas City MO digital radio system needs to be replaced (01/29/2009)
- Pittsburgh PA – Digital trunked radio system overdue, overbudget and obsolete (01/18/2009)
- State of New York cancels $2 Billion digital trunked radio contract with M/A-Com. (01/15/2009)
- State of New York is close to canceling digital trunked radio contract. M/A-Com threatens to sue. (01/10/2009)
- York County PA prepares to turn off new digital trunked radio system (01/10/2009)
- York County’s (YCDES) new digital trunked radio system has problems (12/20/2008)
- Philadelphia gives $36M to Motorola to upgrade obsolete 6 year old digital radio system (12/11/2008)
- Philadelphia – July crash of radio system laid to faulty maintenance (12/11/2008)
- Philadelphia police radio system will cost $40 million to upgrade (12/11/2008)
- KTVU-TV2 report on digital police radio problems in the San Francisco Bay Area (11/20/2008)
- Milwaukee – TMJ4 reports that OpenSky radio system doesn’t work (11/14/2008) (Video)
- Milwaukee – TMJ4 reports that OpenSky radio system doesn’t work (11/14/2008) (PDF)
- WSLS-TV10 story on digital radio problems in Roanoke VA (10/30/2008)
- APB – Can we have our old radios back (09/2008)
- Leesburg Virginia (Loudoun County) Fire Dept Significant Injury Investigation Report (9/2008)
- New York State Wireless Network – Compliance report by Federal Engineering (08/2008)
- N.Y. network doesn’t make grade (Urgent Comm magazine) (Sept 2008)
- State of New York notice of default to M/A-Com on $2B digital trunked radio system (08/29/2008)
- Kanawha County WV – Digital radio outage (08/28/2008)
- West Virginia WSAZ – New digital radio system goes down (08/28/2008)
- Charleston WV – 5 hour outage latest problem with digital radios (08/27/2008)
- P25 Task Group to Investigate Fireground Noise Issues Mission Critical Comm (08/18/2008)
- Jefferson County W. Virginia – Police chiefs report problems with digital radios (07/28/08)
- New York State’s $2 billion emergency comm system in jeopardy (07/28/08)
- Link to TV news video of Philadelphia Police statement of no confidence in Motorola digital trunked radio system (07/23/08)
- Philadephia digital trunked radio system fails again (PDF) (07/23/08)
- West Virginia -State to look at digital radio problems (07/28/08)
- Charleston West Virginia police report problems with digital radios (07/23/2008)
- Link to TV news video about Indianapolis FOP threatening to sue over digital radio issues (07/15/08)
- Indianapolis FOP threatens to sue over digital radio problems (07/15/08)
- Charleston West Virginal concerns about digital trunked radio (07/10/2008)
- Link to TV news video about more radio and telephone problems with the Indianapolis comm center and digital trunked radio system – 07/09/2008
- Philly’s police radio system fails at crucial times (04/09/2008)
- Motorola P25 problems in Indiana (2008)
- Indianapolis firefighters, police union decry move to new radio system (2008)
- MECA – Fire chiefs question new digital radio system (2008)
- Problems with digital radios when background noise is present (2008)
- IAFC and NIST tests confirm problems with digital radios (2008)
- Marion County Indiana fire chiefs won’t use new digital trunked radio system (2008)
- Orlando Florida firefighters refuse to use digital trunked radio system (2008)
- Colerain Ohio – Radio problems during fatal fire (2008)
- Indianapolis firefighters say new digital radio system is flawed (2008)
- Philadelphia needs multi-million dollar radio system upgrades (2008)
- Philadelphia – Police radio system fails (2008)
- Philadelphia Fire – We buried guys because of faulty radios (2008)
- Lancaster County PA stops digital radio project (2008)
- KGO-TV follow-up story on San Mateo County digital trunked radio problems (2008) (video)
- San Mateo County Sheriff’s Deputy comments on digital trunked radio problems (2008) (PDF)
- KGO-TV news story on San Mateo County and Redwood City Police Dept digital trunked radio problems (2008) (video)
- ABC7 news report on Redwood City Police Department problems with San Mateo County digital trunked radio system (2008) (PDF)
- Erie County NY pulls out of statewide digital radio network (2008)
- Reliability of $2.1B statewide communications system in doubt (2008)
- Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! I’m trapped inside. (2008)
- Lansing MI problems with EDACS-Provoice (2008)
- New Miami Beach Police Radios May Be The Problem (2008)
- Boise Fire Says No to 700 MHz Digital Radios (2007)
- Anonymous police department walks away from digital trunked radio (2007)
- Canadian CREST system would cost millions to fix (2007)
- Miami Beach police forgo new radio system for old (2007)
- Battle Creek Michigan police grievance over trunked radio (2007)
- Philadelphia firefighters want faulty radio system fixed (2006)
- Sacramento Fire Chief says digital radios put lives at risk (2006)
- Aurora Colorado trunked radio problems (2005)
- San Mateo County’s digital radio network taken offline (2005)
- San Mateo County’s multi-million dollar failure (2005)
- Philadelphia digital trunked radio system failure (2004)
- Radio Silence – FDNY (2003)
- FDNY Union Chief calls for digital radio replacement (2002)
Click here to learn about the real difference between digital and analog.
