In an environment of technology uncertainty and limited budgets, many agencies are waiting as long as possible to upgrade their radios and networks. In response, some manufacturers and dealers are offering trade-in programs to incentivize agencies to refresh their equipment.

VDC Research released a report that indicates public-safety agency budgets have increased during the past year, enabling organizations to invest in new technologies. The investments could take many forms, but VDC predicts that video and mobile hardware and software will experience the most robust growth during the next five years.

Market research firm IHS forecasted market growth of more than 13 percent in the installed base of active narrowband radios in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

The use of Long Term Evolution (LTE) in private cellular networks is projected to grow tenfold between 2014 and 2019, according to a new report from IHS on the broadband market in critical communications for the next five years. However, lack of spectrum and budget remain the two major barriers for growth.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took to Twitter to explain and discuss its System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) program.

A commercial broadband solution offers the best way forward for public-safety agencies (PSAs) in Australia, a draft report from the country’s Productivity Commission said.The draft report cited lower costs, faster launches, and a higher likelihood of adopting technology upgrades as the main benefits of a commercial approach. A commercial approach carries higher risk of supplier lock in but good procurement processes and careful contracting can reduce the risk, the report said.

A high-level business analysis of the nationwide public-safety broadband network for the five states comprising the Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Interoperable Nationwide Advanced Communications (MACINAC) found a sustainable business model if state and local government users join public-safety users on the network in the region. However, with only public-safety users on the network, MACINAC would lose more than $7.5 million a year using current assumptions and information from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).

ABI Research estimated the total number of public-safety Long Term Evolution (LTE) user subscriptions to reach 11 million worldwide by 2020, with a market size of US$5.1 billion.

Market research firm IHS released data on the Middle East and Africa region, projecting the installed base of narrowband active radios in the region to increase from around 3 million in 2014 to 3.4 million in 2019.

Body-worn cameras (62.3 percent) and radio communications (52.6 percent) were the top two technology priorities facing local government law enforcement officials, according to the results of a survey conducted by the Public Technology Institute (PTI) and Deltek.