Airwave and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

As the Olympic Games have started, Airwave's Apollo network has become fully operational.
Please, find below some of the key facts:

• Airwave is the Official Private Mobile Radio (PMR) Services Provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is the first time in Olympic history that this has become a sponsorship category.
• Airwave will deliver a private mobile radio service across all the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues by building a completely new, independent critical communications infrastructure in operation from May 2011 when testing commenced and throughout the London 2012 Games themselves. This will include dedicated base stations ensuring radio coverage across East London, and in venues across the UK  including Weymouth for sailing and Old Trafford for football.
• The network being built is called Apollo, and will be used by LOCOG personnel to allow them to remain in contact with one another. We anticipate that up to 18,000 people will use the system. In addition to building Apollo, Airwave will maintain the system and make sure that LOCOG personnel are trained in its use.
• The Airwave private mobile radio service will play a vital role of making sure that the 2012 Games run safely and smoothly. It will also be used in the run up to the 2012 Games as part of the test events series to make sure that they are a success.
• As the largest international event ever staged in the UK, the London 2012 Games are an opportunity to showcase the UK’s world-leading critical communications infrastructure - the Airwave Network. This is the largest emergency communications network in the world.
• The Apollo Network is built using TETRA technology. The same technology is behind the Airwave Network - the UK’s national emergency communications network. Both the Airwave and Apollo networks are very resilient and not subject to interference from other radio systems.
• The Apollo Network will be operationally separate from the main Airwave Network, which is used by the emergency services. This is to make sure that both systems remain secure and efficient.
• To prepare the existing Airwave Network for Games time, Airwave has upgraded its network in and around London 2012 venues where the public safety impact will be greatest. Airwave has done this by re-tuning all 312 London base sites and 1,280 base radios as well as other key sites across the country where Olympic and Paralympic competitions will be staged. This has increased the network’s capacity, ensuring the additional police, fire and ambulance personnel deployed to support London 2012 will maintain secure, reliable communications.
• The Apollo Network will be a valuable legacy asset after London 2012, and could be used in several ways to enhance critical communications across the capital in particular.  We are investigating options including using the Apollo Network to enhance the emergency services’ network, or provide a dedicated system for transport

Source: Airwave Solutions