June 30, 2014
Western Australia Police Extends Mission-Critical Communications Network for Public Safety into Rural Areas
PERTH, Australia – July 1, 2014 - Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MSI), a leading provider of mission-critical communication solutions and services for government and enterprise customers, announced the completion of a P25 digital simulcast trunked radio system in Albany, as part of its commitment to the Western Australia Police (WA Police). This is a significant milestone for the multi-year, multi-site project to extend the reach and provide a unified, digital and centrally managed communications network for the Western Australian community.
This milestone sees voice access coverage of nearly 5,000 km2 surrounding Albany and key population areas of the great southern region. Benefits to the community include increased clarity, secure digital communications and coverage along the coastal strip which had limited coverage previously. In conjunction with WA Police, Motorola Solutions has also designed and assisted with the physical deployment of the network, ensuring full integration and seamless transition into the existing police operations.
As part of a multi-year, expansive regional Community Safety Network project for a unified, centrally managed emergency communications network, this milestone brings WA Police a step closer toward improved inter-agency communication. As a result, mobile intelligence in the field, crime prevention and incident response will be greatly enhanced, helping to build a safer, more resilient community.
At a ceremony to mark the milestone, the Western Australia Minister for Emergency Services, Joe Francis said that the new radio network would provide a clearer and more secure form of communication for agencies and allow them to work together, inter-operate better toward a safer community and working environment.
KEY FACTS
In 2011, Motorola Solutions was awarded a five-year contract worth AUD 40 million (USD 37 million) to extend the digital emergency services radio communications network beyond the greater metropolitan area into the rest of Western Australia.
The network covers 20,000 km2 surrounding Perth’s metropolitan area plus an additional 25,000 km2 throughout regional areas including the Pilbara, mid-west, Goldfields-Esperance and southwest regions, servicing nearly 95 percent of the Western Australian population. The network will be used for mission-critical voice services including push-to-talk and radio encryption management.
The multi-phase rollout will involve more than 3,000 subscribers using Motorola ASTRO P25 radios, 200 simulcast trunking and P25 sites, as well as upgrades to the existing network’s central core.
While remote from Perth, Albany has a growing population, and ensuring the future safety of the community is paramount. The IP-based simulcast network at Albany was built to ensure service is maintained throughout various redundancy levels.
Other than integration into the customer’s core and voice recording system, voice logging is also in place to enable police users in Albany to be monitored in emergency situations.
The network is connected to the WA Police network operations centre in Perth via its IP network to allow WA Police technicians to monitor the network 24/7.
SUPPORTING QUOTE
Steve Crutchfield, managing director, Australia & New Zealand, Motorola Solutions
“First responders and the community are the greatest beneficiaries of the work we are doing with the State of Western Australia. The WA government has the foresight and an unwavering commitment toward its citizens and residents to ensure that remote communities have the same feeling of safety and security as metropolitan areas, allowing these communities to continue to grow and thrive. As a long-term technology partner, we share the state’s mission to be proactive, helping to arm first responders, no matter where they are, with the right tools to build safer, more resilient communities.”