Hytera Awarded Powerco's Radio Voice Project in New Zealand

In the upcoming 12 months, a Hytera Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Tier 3 trunked system will be deployed to build a private, fully digital, and secure network for Powerco that covers 80% territories of New Zealand North Island electricity distribution area.

Considering the high probability of geological hazard in New Zealand, the electric-power industry has been strict with disaster backup. In Powerco project, a deliberate design of redundancy backup for Mobile Switch Office (MSO) will be extensively applied in response to Powerco’s concern: Radio network backs up to replace cell phone network in times of phone network block in disaster; Hours or days of battery backs up to prevent the power cut with cell sites.

An other major benefit is confidentiality. All the radios on the system are under Powerco’s supervision, and nobody can access the network without the company’s knowledge. A lost or stolen radio could be removed at once from the system and unable to make any radio call. All communications will be encrypted so that people cannot listen in to conversations.

In addition, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) solution will also be deployed in the Powerco project to achieve smart management and higher operation efficiency of power network as well as to shorten processing time of fault and ensure safe and even power distribution. The key of the solution is to utilize the dedicated SCADA digital channel to collect data from remote sites and important facilities, which is an in-depth and further application of DMR Tier 3 trunking network. It is believed that the adoption of SCADA solution by Powerco will set up an excellent model of how to build up a radio network in meeting the need of a safe and efficient power network for other electric-power providers in New Zealand.

"The winning of Powerco project once again proves the leading position of Hytera solutions and technologies, especially in the field of large coverage with DMR Tier 3 technology. As of 2015, Hytera has owned more than 60% in the DMR Tier 3 market across the world," said Terry Feng, Managing Director of Hytera Australia. "We are honored to be awarded the radio voice project by Powerco and we are confident to achieve a successful project delivery to our client," he added.

According to the project timeframe, the Powerco project will be fulfilled with two phases. The first phase will set up the remote backup of MSO and install 15 base stations to cover the eastern territories; while the second phase will install 20 base stations to cover the western territories.

Hytera solutions and technologies have been widely used by a variety of industries and customers in New Zealand, such as America Cup, Napier Port, Canterbury University, and Hamilton Hospital, since 2009 when Hytera entered the New Zealand market.