New South Wales Government Appoints Airwaves to Operate Network

Airwave Solutions Australia was appointed by the New South Wales (NSW) (Australia) government to operate and maintain the NSW Government Radio Network (GRN), one of the world’s largest government radio networks.

Consisting of about 160 sites with 30,000 users from 30 government agencies and departments, the GRN serves agencies such as the Ambulance Service of NSW, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW State Emergency Service.

Airwave was appointed via a competitive tender process by the NSW Telco Authority, and the decision was made based upon a range of factors, including the ability to draw on Airwave’s extensive resources, which in turn will ensure the delivery of robust and reliable services throughout NSW, company officials said.

In the United Kingdom, Airwave Solutions operates one of the world’s largest and complex public-safety voice and data networks, providing a nationwide secure digital network for more than 300 individual emergency services and government agencies and more than 300,000 subscribers.

“Other priorities for the operation of the network are to reduce operational and technological risks, and for the network to be operated in a more cost-efficient manner,” said Airwave CEO Malcolm Keys. “Airwave is able to deliver cost savings to the NSW taxpayer by using many existing resources — including an existing trained field workforce in NSW.”

Airwave’s appointment will have direct economic benefits for NSW, with the creation of new jobs supporting the delivery of these technical services, said Keys.

Airwave will take over operations of the network as of 1 Aug. 2013, with the transition period already under way.

Source: Airwave Solutions Australia