NexGen City has received user acceptance from the City of Garland now that deployment of its NexLink wireless broadband mobile network is complete. First system users are the 290 officers of Garland's Police Department. Conversion from the Department's Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) network was made within one week, during which mobile data terminals in the City's 80 squad cars were outfitted with NexGen City's NexCard wireless interface and software.

In parallel, NexGen City's 46,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art Network Operations Center (NOC) was brought online to monitor network performance of the 500 mobile and fixed wireless devices that comprise the City of Garland's NexLink system.

"We're taking this one step at a time," said Darrell McClanahan, Garland's Telecommunications Manager. "Our initial implementation focuses on data," he explained. "We started with applications that Garland police officers use everyday, such as our Computer Automated Dispatch system. Everything is the same as before, including the user interface, but with one big exception -- the 20-fold transmission speed increase with which we can push 9-1-1 calls, alarms, report management, graphics, and mug shots to our patrol cars throughout the City's 57-square-mile area," McClanahan continued. "Then, we'll phase in new productivity-enhancing public safety applications which we could never send before over the 19.2 Kbps CDPD network.

"This is an important milestone in fulfilling our City's communications vision for a fully converged high-speed data, voice, and video network over which police, fire, medical personnel and, eventually, all City employees will be inter-connected in real time," said McClanahan. "We're confident that this system will enhance the overall effectiveness of our public safety teams as well as that of our City employees in managing Garland's daily business."

Prior to the NexGen City NexLink system deployment, Garland police mapped the City's CDPD network to measure existing coverage gaps and downtime. The team found large areas with no coverage. "The difference in our new network operations is striking," said Officer Bernie Lawrence, Mobile Systems Administrator. "With the new system, we can quickly and easily eliminate any coverage gaps, and our downloads are significantly faster than before," he said. "This means more time on the streets for us to ensure the safety of our 221,000 residents because we can complete more of our reports and other paperwork in the car and out of the station."

"We're fortunate to be working with the City of Garland as the first major user of our NexLink system," said Richard Dwelle, NexGen City President. "The telecommunications team's forward-looking strategy and common-sense approach to implementation has created a proven and repeatable template for other municipalities to test, deploy, and use our public safety systems and technologies."

NexGen City's mesh-based communications system combines data, Voice over IP (VoIP) calls, and streaming video at broadband connection throughput speeds of 1.5 Mbps (with bursts up to 6 Mbps) all while traveling at highway speeds in excess of 100 mph. The mobile components and fixed intelligent wireless routers and access gateways are "network nodes" acting as repeaters and routers. This creates a self-forming and self-healing network with ad hoc peer-to-peer networking capabilities. With an embedded wireless router in every device, each unit can extend the network, determine optimum paths for data transmission, and provide additional paths for connectivity.

NexGen City's carrier-class NOC integrates best-of-breed alarm processing, trouble ticketing, and network monitoring software applications. The NOC offers a full array of service levels including 24x7x365. The fully redundant center includes battery and generator backup. As an added measure of protection, a complete, off-site backup facility was built.

NexGen City develops, manufactures, and markets wireless broadband communications systems for cities' first responders and municipal workers. The company's integrated solutions for high-speed data, voice, streaming video, and geolocation applications include field-tested mobile devices and intelligent wireless infrastructure components. Deployment of NexGen City's NexLink wireless broadband mobile network covering the City of Garland's 57 square miles, is the first and geographically largest deployment of mobile mesh-based technology for use by a public safety organization.