©Mark Ollig
Driving
the daily commute on I-394 in and out of downtown Minneapolis, through
rush-hour traffic, is slow and frustrating.
Those
who endure this every workday understand it all too well.
Many
drivers speed up their commute by using MnPASS.
By
paying Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), drivers obtain an
express lane pass (MnPASS).
Physically,
MnPASS is an electronic wireless identification transponder tag which is attached
on the inside of a car’s windshield.
MnPass
allows one to drive in the faster moving, specially designated, far-left
express lane during peak-driving times.
“Overhead
antennas and readers located on structures such as bridges, detect the MnPASS
tag in the windshield. The reader records the tag ID and sends the information
back to MnDOT’s central system, known as IRIS, which is used to control field
devices, like toll signs and ramp meters, and to collect traffic data,”
according to MnDOT.
During
times of heavy traffic congestion, driving down the MnPASS express lane gets
you to your destination faster and without the bottlenecks.
At
times, the internet highway becomes congested; causing “bottlenecks” for users
receiving information over it.
On
a daily basis; police, firefighters, medical first responders, and other
emergency teams use technology and digital communications by way of radio,
cellular, and the internet for sending and receiving information.
When
they require the internet service, it needs to be available and working.
Weather
disasters and other emergencies can cause overloads in a cellular network
system’s ability to provide service.
When
these systems are handling enormous amounts of data, they can become congested
and slow down the processing of not only the publics’, but emergency services’
cellular/internet accessibility, as well.
During
emergencies, wireless networks often become overloaded with increased public
data usage, as folks seek information or knowledge of the condition of friends
or loved ones.
Severe
overloads in the network will result in slowdowns, and probable service
disruptions and breakdowns within communication routing links – the same links
used by emergency response personal.
Wireless
mobile/internet service providers do augment their networks by adding
redundancy, better-quality equipment, and updated software in order to provide
reliability and improved service.
Public
safety is paramount, and emergency first responders need to have priority over
regular internet traffic.
There
needs to be a reserved internet express-lane, if you will, in order for
emergency response personal to quickly and efficiently perform their duties
during times of disaster.
An
ongoing US government plan called First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)
is being designed for use as a national emergency responder network.
Signed
into law Feb. 22, 2012, FirstNet is an independent authority within the US
Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
“It’s
the first project of this magnitude for our country, and of this capability
nationwide. This is a very important infrastructure project for public safety,”
explained Sue Swenson, FirstNet chair and technology executive.
Under
federal law, FirstNet is required to consult with each state before beginning
construction within said state.
At
the end of the consultation process, FirstNet will submit a plan to each state
governor for approval.
The
governor will either approve the plan, thus permitting FirstNet to opt-in; or
disapprove and opt-out.
FirstNet
says their mission is to “ensure the building, deployment, operation, and
maintenance of the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network
dedicated to public safety.”
This
secure network will provide first responders with abundant bandwidth data
capacity, extended geographical coverage, interoperability among connected
response-team devices; uninterrupted service reliability, priority and
preventative maintenance, and assured quality-of-service.
FirstNet
divides the country into 10 regions; Minnesota is located in Region 5, along
with Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
As
of this writing, states which have already approved build-out plans and
opted-in for FirstNet include: Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky, Arkansas, Wyoming, Virginia,
West Virginia, and New Jersey.
Check
out the US government’s FirstNet website at http:/www.firstnet.gov.
Minnesota
is also involved with the FirstNet project.
The
Minnesota-FirstNet Consultation Project webpage is located on the Minnesota
Department of Public Safety’s website at http://bit.ly/1rJQO1E.
MnPASS
webpage can be found at http://www.dot.state.mn.us/mnpass.
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