Live from CCW2015. Critical Communications World opened its doors to the press yesterday and formed the platform for three important announcements from Motorola Solutions. Our stand was absolutely buzzing with excitement as news spread about the launch of the transformational MTP8000Ex series of TETRA ATEX radios, the rugged LEX L10 mission-critical LTE handheld, and our new WAVE 5000 Work Group Communications Solution.

Let’s start with the MTP8000Ex Series. It’s nothing short of a new standard in ATEX TETRA radios. From their form, to their function – they’ve been engineered from the ground up to address the specific needs of workers in the world’s most hazardous environments. What struck me immediately was the ergonomics, with the exaggerated controls, textured PTT, and particularly the distinctive T-bar grip which makes the radio so much harder to drop, and easier to hold. Details such as a clear display panel on top of the radio, LED Coverage Indicator at the base of the antenna, and nameplate on the reverse of the device – are all evidence of the level of the knowledge and experience that’s gone into the development of this device.

But of course, it doesn’t stop there – as the only ATEX radio with powerful Class 3L transmission and enhanced receiver sensitivity, the MTP8000Ex Series radios deliver the best possible coverage in hazardous locations where other radios would struggle. And with an extended battery life of 16 hours – workers can be confident that their radios will be ready for a longer shift in the event of emergencies or unplanned situations. Integrated secure Bluetooth also means the radios can be paired with bio-monitors or gas sensors to automatically alert control and the workers to dangerous conditions.

With the drive in public safety for increased situational awareness, our new LEX L10 Mission Critical LTE Handheld has certainly raised the bar. The device has been purpose-designed to support the toughest mission-critical front-line Policing roles in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Australia and the majority of Asia too. Within the beautifully designed rugged hardware lies a secure, dedicated software platform and user interface that supports capabilities that are above and beyond consumer-grade smartphones. Many of the visitors to our stand have been drawn to the dedicated push-to-talk (PTT) button and enhanced audio that delivers outstanding PTT experience.

The LEX L10’s Public Safety Experience (PSX) provides a unique user experience that transforms the Android operating system so the power of broadband mobile data can be harnessed by smartly adapting and streamlining information. This means only the most relevant life-saving data is delivered to officers in a critical moment. Prioritising information is absolutely vital when you remember the number one priority in public safety - never distract the officer.

WAVE Work Group Communications extends the reach of the LEX L10 even further to provide instant voice interoperability with any broadband device or land mobile radio (LMR) system. Users can gain access to dynamic resource mapping with the Intelligent Data Portal, take control of a two-way radio, securely stream real-time video for situational awareness, or even fly a drone – and it won’t stop there, the options are continually expanding. In fact, it was also announced at the show that the Norwegian Directorate for Emergency Communication (DNK) has chosen WAVE 5000 Work Group Communications to deliver enhanced connectivity, interoperability, and collaboration for Nødnett – Norway’s nationwide TETRA public safety network.

As always, the Connected Patrol Vehicle has also been drawing in the crowds. Our fully operational, Police-spec BMW was driven to the event from the UK and features a vast array of the very latest integrated technology, including; wifi hotspot, automatic number plate recognition, live video streaming over LTE, covert cameras, four different transmitting devices wired through the speakers, LTE running WAVE 5000, and of course an MTP6750 TETRA radio. Then running on the PC, there’s also MVision CAD, internal facial recognition, and DragonForce.

The team on the stand are also particularly proud of the neat interfacing of the equipment into the vehicle’s CAN Bus system.

So in Barcelona today, the scene has been set. Tomorrow, I’ll be reporting from a roundtable discussion on Smart Public Safety with our Chief Innovation Officer, Eduardo Conrado. Stay tuned.

Jules Foster is Leader of the Motorola Solutions Community LinkedIn Group which has over 5,500 active members.

Jules is on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianfoster

Follow @MotSolsEMEA and #CCW2015 on Twitter.