Upgrading Ireland’s Mission-Critical Communications Lifeline: TETRA Ireland’s Network Investment

• Makes Ireland's MNDRS Network one of the most advanced TETRA mission-critical communications systems in Europe following long-term investment strategy.
• Brings additional resiliency and functionality to all 26,000 emergency service users.
• Extends TETRA Ireland’s contract to run the network to December 2029.

When an emergency unfolds across Ireland, whether a severe Atlantic storm striking rural coastal communities or a complex multi-agency response in Dublin, the coordination of resources hinges on an invisible foundation – reliable communication. 

Radios are used by police officers to call for backup, firefighters to communicate in the midst of a blaze and paramedics to alert hospitals to incoming patients needing urgent care.

In Ireland, all of these calls are delivered via the Managed National Digital Radio Service (MNDRS), the mission-critical communications network operated by TETRA Ireland, a Motorola Solutions company, and used by Ireland’s public safety organisations, including An Garda Síochána, the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Fire Service.

Investing for the long-term

MNDRS provides mission-critical connectivity across the country, including the most rural and remote areas and extending up to 20 kilometers offshore. 

Meeting increasingly complex public safety demands requires continuous evolution, and mission-critical networks must be proactively hardened and modernised to anticipate future communication challenges. 

In response, TETRA Ireland has invested to further enhance the network’s strong reliability, security and performance as part of a long-term strategy, giving Ireland one of the most advanced TETRA mission-critical communications systems in Europe.

Delivering enhanced security, capacity and interoperability

The upgrades to the MNDRS network have been a multi-stage process to enhance the security, capacity and interoperability between government agencies. 

Key upgrades include:

• Refreshing infrastructure: The core TETRA infrastructure has been refreshed, transitioning to the latest-generation of DIMETRA X Core, including the capability to run DIMETRA Connect. DIMETRA X Core runs on virtual servers, making it easier to add new features and capabilities as technology develops, future-proofing the network.

• Adding DIMETRA Connect capability: Once deployed, DIMETRA Connect extends the network reach with seamless roaming to broadband while maintaining secure TETRA radio features and encryption. If a user moves beyond MNDRS 99% land mass coverage, the system automatically switches to send and receive the radio’s voice and data via the mobile phone network or a WiFi hotspot with zero manual intervention, allowing first responders to stay focused on the mission at hand.

• Ethernet backhaul connectivity: The efficiency and resiliency of the network has been enhanced for end-users with the migration from legacy copper and leased line infrastructure to the latest Ethernet and fibre-based backhaul technologies.

TETRA Ireland contract extension

Following the network upgrades, TETRA Ireland’s contract to operate MNDRS has been extended through 2029.

Neville Reilly, managing director, TETRA Ireland said:

"The contract extension underscores a commitment to TETRA technology as the backbone of mission-critical communications across Ireland, whilst ensuring the network remains ready for the future. The extensive upgrades to the system make it ideally suited to continue meeting the evolving needs of the 26,000 Irish emergency service personnel, who can rely on the MNDRS for many years to come.”

A track record of performance

TETRA Ireland has a strong track record of performance running the MNDRS network which can be seen in its consistent performance, including during severe weather and major public events. Since the launch of the network in 2009 it has proven its reliability, even in the harshest conditions, consistently exceeding 99.9% recorded uptime. 

Fergal Stack, Head of National Mobilisation and Communications System at the Irish Fire Service said: 

"Reliable voice communication is something we simply can’t go without, so MNDRS is a critical lifeline for us, delivering the reliability we prize above all else. It’s always reassuring to see further enhancements to the network to help sustain its high performance into the future, enabling our teams to operate in demanding environments with the knowledge that multiple layers of resiliency protect their vital communications."

With MNDRS providing a reliable platform for further innovation in the country’s mission-critical communications, the contract extension represents a commitment to ensuring that Ireland's first responders have the tools they need to protect the public and themselves both now and in the future.

Learn more
Visit our website to learn more about Motorola Solutions’ TETRA Radio solutions.
Contact daniel.pearson@motorolasolutions.com with questions.