APX NEXT Ownership Experience

Public safety two-way radio systems traditionally require complex, manual maintenance and programming activities to ensure effective operation of subscriber devices.The APX Next Ownership Experience initiative challenged developers to: -Identify opportunities to re-imagine and simplify radio system operations through cloud based solutions. -Unify software tools used in various aspects of the process including initial solution exploration, ordering, provisioning, and device usage and management. -Create an “out of box” experience which simplifies device onboarding. -Apply analytics tools to provide a window into device usage and troubleshooting. -Improve safety, efficiency, and readiness of two-way radios through an effective digital transformation.

The APX NEXT Ownership Experience team explored and identified the goals of organizations and stakeholders to create a service strategy and vision. They examined the tasks required by administrators and technicians to field and maintain radio fleets. Traditional methods required technicians to manually touch each device when programming or troubleshooting was needed. This new solution relies on over the air delivery of software, updates, and troubleshooting. It is enabled by the integration of LTE capability into the associated subscriber devices. This cloud based migration reduces service time by replacing manual operations and programming with automated delivery of software and features.

The APX NEXT Ownership Experience changes the emphasis for radio system managers and technicians from reactive to proactive. Programming and update tasks that previously required six months can now be accomplished in a few hours. Devices are configured over the cloud programming before they are physically received. Radios stay in the field and updates are immediate with the push of a button. Devices can be managed from any location keeping technology up-to-date, and data secure. Analytics Dashboards provide diagnostic and predictive information to eliminate manual troubleshooting. This frees workers to optimize and monitor systems and assure a robust communications lifeline.

The APX NEXT Ownership Experience addresses the following conditions that were identified as user pain points: -Scattered information sources. -Unrelated tools. -Multiple touch points and device handling. -Fragmented digital experience. These issues are addressed by implementation of the following: -Unified software tools and interfaces. -Cloud based collaborative programming of devices. -A touchless programming out-of-box experience for onboarding new devices. -Automatic updates pushed from the manufacturer. -Device analytics conveyed in a clear and actionable format.