The State will assist in developing cost estimates if requested. The digital signal works extremely well and in most cases better than the analog. Voice recognition is very good and those agencies that have been using the system are very pleased with the quality. There is adequate capacity for the system and a significant growth capacity as well. Most of the digital microwave system is capable of carrying a minimum of 728 simultaneous voice channels.
Nothing is required, participation is voluntary.
One of the primary goals of DTRS is to provide a common platform for inter operability between various governmental entities. The existing 150 VHF system owned and operated by the State will be taken out of service as soon as it is feasible once DTRS has been implemented in each phase. For local government owned systems, the State does not dictate when they will or must turn their VHF systems off. Most of the State fleet will keep a VHF radio until the entire State system is completed. This will provide a method for direct communications with VHF users.