2019-11-05

GE Nett Deploys Sepura’s SC2 Series TETRA Radios to Support Safe Operations

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Sepura partner, Wireless Communications AS are pleased to announce that they have supplied Gudbrandsdal Energy Nett AS (GE Nett) with next generation hand-portable SC20 and SC21 terminals.

The terminals were supplied in a wide-ranging project to deliver significant communication advances over their previous analogue radio solution.

As part of the Gudbrandsdal Energy Group, GE Nett owns and operates the electricity grid in a number of municipalities. With a network area of around 3,700km2 serving 20,000 customers across valleys and mountainous areas, a robust and reliable communications solution is imperative to operate safely and efficiently.

Having previously utilised analogue communications under a VHF-based radio band, issues surrounding interference, voice quality and the availability of spare parts highlighted the growing need for the introduction of more robust, intelligent technology. This prompted GE Nett to join Nødnett, Norway’s Emergency Service Network. Access to the critical communications platform enabled GE Nett to take advantage of the advanced features available on the TETRA platform, complemented by Sepura’s secure, tough terminals, chosen for their superior voice quality, extended coverage and ability to keep working reliably in extreme, remote environments.

The SC20 hand-portable and its equally powerful compact counterpart the SC21, have been deployed to all users, increasing user safety and enhancing GE Nett’s operational efficiency. Operation Technician Svein Roger Aanstad praised the terminals, saying:

“After using Sepura’s SC20 and SC21 models for four months, our experience is that the radio communication delivers clear sound at all times. This is essential in the noisy environments that we work in, where there is a significant risk to life if emergency messages are not received and understood. The radios are robust and intuitive to use, even for first time users.

Our lives depend on the communications from these radios, so they need to be tough, reliable and excellent quality. We have got that from Wireless and Sepura.”