The Dutch ICT Review Advisory College has recently provided an opinion on the future resilience of mission-critical communications systems, specifically those utilized by the police, security regions, ambulance services, and Defence. This request was made by the Second Chamber of States-General, with a particular focus on the existing C2000 system.

The C2000 (TETRA) system is utilized by a substantial workforce of over 80,000 individuals, including employees from police, fire services, ambulance services, various branches of the Defense sector, as well as organizations authorized by the ministry or affiliated with emergency services within The Netherlands.

In order to ensure the long-term viability of mission-critical communication, the Ministry of Justice and Security has implemented three strategic initiatives:

• The objectives include the successful implementation of the C2000 renewal programme, enhancing the current C2000 network, exploring the utilization of Push-To-Talk apps as a supplementary contingency measure

• The establishment of a novel infrastructure known as NOOVA (New OOV Architecture) to supersede the present C2000 system.

The primary finding of the study suggests that the three-track system employed for future-proofing mission-critical communications is at risk of encountering obstacles, potentially hindering the adequate assurance of quality and continuity in mission-critical communication over an extended period of time.

There are several reasons for this:

• The NOOVA renewal programme lacks a clearly defined objective and a well-defined roadmap to achieve it.

• The continued necessity of C2000 until at least 2030 highlights the challenges faced in maintaining continuity and ensuring high quality

• The existing implementation of Push-To-Talk applications does not facilitate communication between the columns within the (OOV) sector.

The Advisory Board proposes that the Minister of Justice and Security, in their capacity as the system manager, ensure the security of mission-critical communications for emergency services through the following actions:

• Stop the NOOVA programme. The NOOVA renewal programme does not have a clear end goal and path to it.

• Strongly invest in the quality and continuity of C2000.

• Take advantage of the opportunities offered by Push-To-Talk applications.