The document discusses the existing issues with PPDR networks in India including lack of security, interoperability, and support for high bandwidth applications. It then outlines the ideal characteristics of PPDR communication networks such as availability, coverage, interoperability, quality of service, and security. TRAI recommendations are for India to establish a pan-India integrated broadband PPDR communication network based on LTE technology with dedicated networks in major cities and sensitive areas.

1. Bottlenecks of existing PPDR
Network in India
•Security: Systems do not provide the level of secure communication required by India’s
security forces resulting in easy leak of information to unwanted entities.
•Interoperability: Such systems suffer from problems like interoperability among different
Networks running in silos.
•No support for Higher Bandwidth Applications:
•Inefficient use of spectrum,
•Higher costs
• Chances of Technology becoming obsolete since major economies of world are shifting to
LTE based network.

2. Characteristics of PPDR Communication
Networks
• The ideal characteristics of PPDR communication networks are:
• Availability: PPDR Networks should be available at least 99.99% of the time.
• Capacity: Should have sufficient capacity and redundancy to handle large traffic.
• Coverage: Should provide coverage in the whole geographic area of the mission
including Indoor coverage. Easily and Rapidly Deployable.
• Interoperability: Interoperability of operation amongst PPDR agencies and are able
to continuously share information with each other at all times.
• Mobility: Are generally wireless to provide enhanced mobility.
• Performance: The response in PPDR networks should be real-time.
• Quality of service: High QoS standards required, since most of the
communications are mission critical in nature.
• Reliable: Should be reliable as these networks operate in hostile environments.
• Security: Should be a secured Network.
• Scalability and Reconfiguration: Should be easily reconfigurable and scalable to
accommodate different type of disasters or unforeseen events.

3. Advantages of LTE for BB-PPDR
Network
• Better coverage and capacity, and more reliable services
• Simplified, IP (internet protocol)-based architecture
• Low latency and low packet loss, relevant for real time
applications
• Greater interoperability due to commercially standardized
protocols and interfaces
• Better security features and capabilities
• Quality of service and prioritization
• Can be flexibly deployed with a wide range of channel
sizes/carrier bandwidths

4. Salient Features of TRAI
Recommendations
• TRAI suo – moto issued recommendations on “Next Generation Public
Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) Communication Networks” dated 4th
June,2018 to DoT and MHA together.
• The salient features of TRAI Recommendations are as follow:
• Government to setup Pan-India integrated Broad-Band PPDR(BB-PPDR)
Communication Network based on 3GPP PS-LTE technology.
• Hybrid model of BB-PPDR Network having dedicated network in Metro
cities, Border districts, Disaster prone areas (to be identified by NDMA)
and Sensitive areas like J&K and North East to bee stablished by PSU like
BSNL/MTNL.
• Existing commercial network to be leveraged in other regions through any
TSP to be selected through tendering process.
• Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV) to be formed under MHA to plan, co-
ordinate, and steer the project and its subsequent operation.
•

5. Additional Features of TRAI
Recommendations
• 2x10 MHz of the dedicated spectrum in band of 814-824/859-869MHz to
be allocated to SPV on no-cost basis. Also 20MHz of spectrum in the
frequency range 440-470MHz should be allocated for future evolution of
BB-PPDR. At Present 814-819/859-864MHz is being used by Mobile Trunk
Radio for captive networks and 811-8- 14/856-859MHz is being used by
Digital PMRTS.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the proposed network, a pilot project to be
carried out in 5-Zones i.e. Metrocities, NE, J&K, Disaster prone
areas(identified by NDMA), and border areas through BSNL/MTNL prior to
implementation of BB-PPDR network.
• DoT to study the feasibility of doing away with CMRTS license. The SPV
shall be the nodal agency to coordinate with DoT for allocation of
spectrum and other issues.
• DoT to workout timelines to phase out existing analog networks in PPDR in
a phased manner. New spectrum assignments may be done only for Digital
Equipment.