Emergency services plan next generation comms

Despite shrinking budgets, public safety organisations plan to make increasing use of next generation mobile broadband and mission-critical TETRA networks.

Research conducted by technology analyst house IDC for Motorola Solutions shows that two thirds (64 per cent) of emergency services across EMEA plan to deploy or extend their use of TETRA/TETRA II (TEDS – TETRA Enhanced Data Services) in the next five years and many (61 per cent) are interested in next generation mobile broadband services for public safety, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks.

Advancing TETRA technology will allow agencies to deploy instant messaging and more precise location tracking for field-based personnel, allowing the emergency services to provide a faster and more effective response.

Tom Quirke, vice president and general manager, Global TETRA Organisation, Motorola Solutions, said: “Emergency organisations are under pressure to enhance their service capabilities while dealing with tough budgetary constraints. They see that expanding access to TETRA and mobile broadband technologies in the future is essential to maintaining their high standards.”