October 27, 2023 Implementation of FY2023 Verification Experiments to Promote the Introduction of Public Safety LTE

Since fiscal 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has been examining about public safety LTE (hereafter referred to as “PS-LTE”) . Specifically, MIC has been conducted verification experiments, assuming that PS-LTE will be utilized at disaster sites and similar scenarios, and has carried out the functional requirements of PS-LTE and technical studies to enhance its stability and reliability.
Based on the findings of the studies, a series of verification experiments will be conducted from the end of October this year through January 2024 to review the operation plan of PS-LTE in scenarios requiring communication and information sharing with multiple organizations.

1. Background

(1) PS-LTE is a communications system for public organizations responsible for public safety (hereafter referred to as “public organizations”). It uses LTE, a communications technology used for cell phones, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of the equipment. In addition to voice, the system enables high-speed data communications, including image and video transmission. There are already examples of PS-LTE being introduced in other countries (e.g., the United States and South Korea).
(2) On the other hand, the radio systems used by public organizations in Japan are maintained and operated individually by each organization, making intercommunication across organizational boundaries challenging. These systems are primarily voice-based.
(3) To address these issues, MIC, in collaboration with related ministries and agencies, has been exploring the implementation of PS-LTE since fiscal year 2019. The system aims to ensure intercommunication among public organizations and support rescue operations during disasters and similar events.
(4) Based on the findings thus far, a series of verification experiments will be conducted from the end of October this year through January 2024. These experiments aim to assess the operation of PS-LTE in scenarios that require communication and information sharing among multiple public organizations.

2. Areas where the verification experiments will be conducted (examples)

Region/event name	Content	Implementation period (tentatively scheduled)
Yokohama City/Yokohama Marathon, etc.	PS-LTE’s push-to-talk (PTT, i.e., a transceiver function) and chat application will be utilized between the Yokohama City Office and local bases to prevent accidents arising from crowd movements.	E.g., Sunday, October 29, 2023
Yamanashi Prefecture/FY2023 Emergency Fire Response Teams’ Kanto Block Joint Drill	PS-LTE’s video transmission, PTT, map application, etc., will be used to link information between disaster sites and command headquarters during drills involving fire departments, emergency fire response teams, disaster medical assistance teams (DMATs), etc., in the prefecture.	Tuesday, November 14, and Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Kurashiki City/FY2023 Kurashiki City Disaster Prevention Drill	During the drill focusing on the initial response after a Nankai Trough earthquake, entities such as the City Disaster Response Headquarters, Fire Department, and Chugoku Electric Power Network will utilize PS-LTE’s chat application and video transmission to coordinate and share information regarding the damage situation and other matters.	Saturday, November 18, 2023
Kochi Prefecture/FY2023 Central East Disaster Countermeasures Branch’s Supply Delivery Drill	PS-LTE will be used for information communication and video sharing between the Prefectural Disaster Response Headquarters and local General Disaster Prevention Centers and Municipal Supply Centers (warehouses) during an operational supply delivery drill to respond to national supply assistance in the event of a Nankai Trough earthquake.	Monday, October 30, 2023
Okinawa Prefecture/FY2023 Okinawa Prefecture Disaster Prevention Drill	During the disaster prevention drill, PS-LTE will be utilized for video transmission to establish communication and coordination with various disaster prevention organizations within the prefecture, aiming for prompt and precise disaster response.	Sunday, October 29, 2023

(The verification is intended for disaster drills and similar events that involve multiple organizations. Additional locations might be considered in the future. Please note that the schedule can change based on weather conditions and other unforeseen factors.)

3. Future plans

Based on the results from this verification experiments, MIC plans to compile and subsequently publish use cases for PS-LTE.

*The published material is in Japanese only.