German BOS Network Completes Largest Test Ever
During the G7 meeting with the seven heads of state, up to 18,000 TETRA devices in the network ensured communication between the various emergency services. In some parts of the area up to 7,500 devices were simultaneously connected with one base station.
The BOS digital radio network graduated last week during the G7 summit in the Bavarian Elmau. It was its most extensive test successfully.
During the G7 meeting with the seven heads of state up to 18,000 TETRA devices in the network ensured communication between the various emergency services. In some parts of the area up to 7,500 devices were simultaneously connected with one base station. Despite this high number of users and thunderstorms, the emergency services were able to use the equipment properly.
"We have not yet seen such a huge network load on the BOS network until now. Thanks to extensive, joint preparations of BDBOS with the authorised office of Bavaria, this extraordinary large-scale operation with digital radios could be performed safely and reliably," explains Rolf Krost, President of the Federal Agency for Digital Radio of Security Authorities and organisations with security tasks (BDBOS). "The use of the radios during this event confirms the arrival and operation of digital radio in Germany. But most important was that the users were satisfied using the work," continued Krost.
The large-scale operation was preceded due to the full support and with extensive preparation of BDBOS. Thus, the necessary infrastructure has been built in the country since the end of February 2014 and was fine-tuned to ensure maximum availability and capacity in the area of operations.
The control centres and staff were equipped in parallel with the corresponding digital radio technology. From the end of April this year, the police, fire and rescue workers were already able to use BOS digital radio in the mission area. In parallel, extensive load tests were conducted in order to verify the digital radio network.
One of these tests was completed in the area of Oberland on 13 and 14 March were up to 600 emergency personnel from police, fire and emergency services tested more than 1,000 TETRA hand portables and about 150 emergency vehicles in order to test the resilience of the system.
BDBOS established for the preparations a special task force. The team was as a permanent contact to the authorised bodies of the federal and state governments and provided coordination from one central location to conduct measurements of the network. Important focus points here were the uniform use of the network and the necessary capacity expansion locally.
Moreover, from June, 3 professionals of BDBOS, the operator (Alcatel Lucent Digital Radio mbH) and system technology supplier (Airbus Defence and Space) assisted in the authorised office in Bavaria on site. This was to ensure that possible reaction times were as short as possible.
