CCW 2022 speaker interview: Tom Cooper

Avari Wireless's Tom Cooper explains the role of digital technology development in enhancing public safety
CCW 2022 speaker interview: Tom Cooper
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What will you be speaking about at CCW 2022? Why is that an important topic?

I'll be speaking about how digital technology development has helped speed up the evolution of public safety in building radio coverage - an important topic in today’s ever-changing complex world to provide seamless coverage and ensure that first responders have high reliability voice and data communications and situational awareness.

What are the key messages that you would like people to take away after attending your conference session? 

It may be a cliché that “everything is going digital”, but today’s technology provides practical, real-world benefits with higher system availability – it is not merely some nebulous concept in a widely romanticized future artificial metaverse. Proper communications between first line responders and support personnel in all types of environments are paramount. The goal of any communication is to always be connected, everywhere, and today’s digital DAS technology provides the backbone for this with tangible and measurable real-world benefits.

What do you see as being the big issues and challenges for the sector over the next five years?

Technology transformation, the introduction of new RF bands and the migration from narrowband to broadband LTE systems. Also, the need to continue to support both current well-proven narrowband systems like TETRA, as well as LTE and 5G. Buildings keep getting bigger, subways push further out from city centres, and multi-building campuses require a cohesive integrated indoor radio network.

What will be the most transformative development in terms of the technology? What will that development mean for user operations, as well as the broader market? 

Digital technology provides flexible network architecture and higher performance, overcoming challenges provided by large and complex system deployments. Broadband technology allows the two-way exchange of both voice commands and data imagery and video, providing quicker insight into response requirements. Quicker resolution plans should result in more efficient response measures and the broader market should benefit from safer buildings.

What should be the number one priority for the sector going into the future?

Seeing the big picture, in terms of supporting both today’s and tomorrow’s emerging technologies in a coexisting, scalable, highly reliable ecosystem.

What are you most looking forward to at CCW 2022 in Vienna? Are there any conference sessions in particular that have caught your attention?

I am looking forward to hearing from peers about recent industry developments and new use-case applications. I am, of course, also looking forward to renewing existing acquaintances and making new ones, as the world slowly re-emerges from the global pandemic.

Critical Communications World 2022 takes place between 21-23 June at the Messe Vienna, Austria

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