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NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand is continuing the rollout of a nationwide digital Land Mobile Radio (LMR) network designed to strengthen communications, improve responder safety and enhance interoperability among the country's emergency services.
The new radio network forms a core component of the Public Safety Network (PSN), a major national initiative supporting the modernisation of mission-critical communications infrastructure. The programme is designed to bring New Zealand Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance onto a shared radio network, enabling more effective coordination during routine operations and large-scale emergencies.
The new digital radio infrastructure is being developed to provide secure, encrypted and resilient voice communications for frontline emergency personnel across urban, regional and remote areas of New Zealand.
The nationwide deployment involves the construction of hundreds of radio transmission sites, alongside the installation of radio equipment in emergency vehicles, stations and operational facilities. The phased implementation is intended to support a controlled transition from existing communications systems while ensuring the new network meets the demanding requirements of emergency response operations.
Based on Project 25 (P25) digital radio technology, the LMR network is designed to deliver reliable communications, including in areas where commercial mobile coverage may be unavailable or insufficient. Shared talkgroups will also enable different emergency agencies to communicate directly during joint operations, improving coordination when responding to major incidents, natural disasters and other critical events.
Beyond secure voice communications, the network is expected to introduce enhanced operational safety capabilities, including responder location information and emergency alert functions. These features are intended to help control rooms identify personnel requiring urgent assistance and support more effective management of field operations.
A common radio infrastructure will also reduce fragmentation between emergency service communications environments, enabling agencies to coordinate more efficiently while maintaining the operational reliability required for public safety.
The new LMR network will complement the Public Safety Network's cellular services, which provide emergency responders with access to multiple mobile networks through cellular roaming and priority connectivity.
The combined approach brings together the dependable voice communications of professional land mobile radio with the broader connectivity capabilities of commercial cellular networks. This hybrid communications model supports greater resilience, improved network visibility and more flexible access to communications services during periods of congestion or network disruption.
The nationwide rollout represents a significant investment in New Zealand's emergency communications capabilities. Once fully implemented, the shared network is intended to support approximately 30,000 emergency services personnel, providing a common communications foundation for agencies responsible for protecting communities across the country.
The programme also reflects a wider international trend towards modernising mission-critical communications through resilient digital radio infrastructure, complemented by broadband connectivity and enhanced interoperability.
As deployment and transition activities progress, the focus remains on delivering reliable, secure and coordinated communications that enable emergency responders to work together effectively when public safety is at stake.
Read the full article: Radio New Zealand (RNZ)
