North Carolina tests ATSC 3.0 for statewide public safety paging
North Carolina's Wireless Research Center, Device Solutions, PBS North Carolina, and N.C. Department of Information Technology are developing a new statewide digital paging system, Paging Plus, for public safety using NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) technology. This initiative, supported by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant, aims to upgrade traditional analog paging systems for first responders by leveraging the high-power broadcast signals of public television networks to provide improved coverage and capabilities like maps and videos.
Key Takeaways
- Paging Plus is being developed by the Wireless Research Center, Device Solutions, PBS North Carolina, and the N.C. Department of Information Technology.
- The project is funded by a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SBIR grant awarded to Device Solutions.
- PBS North Carolina has already launched Next Gen TV in Raleigh-Durham with Capital Broadcasting Company and in the Greenville area over WUNK TV.
- New devices include a stand-alone pager and smartphone software that can handle live audio streaming, video, data files, maps, and sensor data.
- The system is designed to improve pager coverage, dispatch speed, and public alerts for weather, fire, earthquake, and Amber Alerts.
Why It Matters
For public safety agencies, the immediate implication is a potential replacement for county-based analog paging with a statewide broadcast system that uses PBS North Carolina’s high-power TV transmitters. The ecosystem angle is that ATSC 3.0 is being tested as more than a television standard: the article ties it to first-responder messaging, public alerts, and data delivery through one-to-many broadcasting. What to watch next is whether the WRC and project team secure a commercial partner to bring Paging Plus to market in North Carolina and beyond.
Read full article at wrc-nc.org
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