Motorola Solutions has successfully upgraded the Isle of Man's TETRA public safety network. To mark this important milestone, representatives of the Department of Home Affairs and Motorola Solutions celebrated the success of the project on the Isle of Man.
Work to upgrade the system was completed on schedule and within budget in September 2015. The Department of Home Affairs' flagship communications project, which was approved by Tynwald in December 2014, provides greater resilience and enhanced coverage for the emergency services and other government users. It also puts in place a new 10-year maintenance and support contract with the supplier, Motorola Solutions.
The Motorola TETRA solution provides secure and reliable communications for the Isle of Man Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Service and Ambulance Service, and is an integral part of the Emergency Services Joint Control Room. The system is used by a number of other government organisations and is essential to the safe running of high-profile events, including the Isle of Man TT motorcycling festivals. The TETRA system also helps to coordinate the multi-agency response to major incidents, such as road traffic collisions and emergencies caused by severe weather.
Speaking on the effects of the upgrade on the network's performance, Jane Quayle, head of the communications division, Department of Home Affairs, said: "From the user's point of view, we're getting reports that the [the sound] is clearer. We're pleased with the sound now, the system certainly seems to be getting more compliments on its [clarity]"¦Â Although I thought it was pretty good before"¦ We do have slightly better coverage. We've also moved some sites to give us more coverage. We have pretty much 99.5 per cent coverage on the Isle of Man... On the whole the coverage is superb for us."
L-R: Juan Watterson MHK, minister for home affairs, Greg King, director, solutions & services, Northern Europe at Motorola Solutions
"TETRA makes an important contribution towards our priority of keeping people safe," said home affairs minister Juan Watterson MHK. "The system is vital to the work of the emergency services and the TT Races and Festival of Motorcycling simply could not function without it. Together with the Emergency Services Joint Control Room, TETRA has helped to establish the Isle of Man as a global leader in terms of integrated communications. This project in partnership with Motorola Solutions has put in place a new and improved system along with a maintenance and support programme."
