Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, U.S. Government State & Local Focus: First Responder IT and Telecom Markets, selected Cisco Systems as the recipient of the 2005 Award for Technology Leadership for its Metropolitan Mobile Network solution, which provides broadband wireless access to first responder agencies.

“Cisco’s Metropolitan Mobile Network solution, based on a unified, cost effective IP network foundation, place it in a strategic position to address the increasing demand from first responder agencies for real-time, mobile access to mission-critical data in the field,” says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Roopa Shree.

For instance, the company’s 3200 Series wireless and mobile routers are used along with integrated wireless mobile interface cards to create a network comprised of laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video surveillance cameras, and other devices that maintain connectivity even as a first responder vehicle moves between cellular and Wi-Fi coverage areas and across the community. The solution offers integrated IEEE 802.11 capabilities, and hence can also be deployed in fixed locations such as on light poles and on rooftops as a rugged outdoor wireless router to help provide wireless coverage across the city.

Wireless networking solutions are expected to sustain increased spending from agencies with the availability of the licensed 4.9 GHz band that is exclusively dedicated for public safety use. Agencies can use this band to implement wireless networks with advanced wireless data services for the transmission of mission critical information such as streaming video, geographic mapping data, images of missing people, GPS tracking, fingerprint verification, and others.

“Additionally, the recent focus on increased interoperability and Homeland Security is making the availability of the 700 MHz spectrum to public safety agencies nationwide critical,” notes Roopa Shree. “While this will help agencies implement emerging advanced wireless wide-band and broadband technologies in mission critical public safety applications, it will also create a huge market for wireless network solution vendors.”

Each year this Frost & Sullivan Award is given to a company that has demonstrated excellence in technology leadership within its industry. The award lauds excellence in all stages of the technology life cycle to encourage a continuous flow of improvements to meet clients' needs.