What will you be speaking about at CCW 2022? Why is that an important topic?
I will be chairing the discussion on the future of control rooms. This is a particularly important topic right now, as control rooms are facing a triple threat from digital, data and technology evolution, impacting current ways of operating.
I think it’s also a topic that is important for the wider industry beyond the control room. It strikes me that MC-X capabilities are unlikely to be fully embraced without control rooms being a fundamental, functional part [of the equation].
What are the key messages that you would like people to take away after attending the panel discussion?
There is an increasing reliance on control rooms to work more dynamically, utilising a larger amount of information upon which to base decision making. However, these challenges should not be faced by control rooms alone. National organisations, control rooms, and equipment/solution vendors need to align, to ensure top-down support from government organisations, as well as bottom-up support from vendors and customers.
What do you see as being the big issues and challenges for the sector over the next five years?
Data, interoperability, and spectrum. Data issues within control rooms are rife and are multiplying.
What will be the most transformative development in terms of the technology? What will that mean for user operations, as well as the broader market?
Automatic, intelligent aggregation of data to present operators a single view will become a necessity in modern control rooms. This intelligent aggregation breaks down information silos, while also reducing operator stress and preventing call handlers from being overwhelmed by too much information.
What should be the number one priority for the sector going into the future?
Address the issue of interoperability by supporting open, well-documented APIs and common data standards.
Critical Communications World 2022 takes place between 21-23 June at the Messe Vienna, Austria.
