I recently attended the annual conference of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials conference in Melbourne where I presented on a new trial technology designed by Ericsson known as Group Radio Solutions along with the prototype Satellite Cell on Wheels (SatCOW). You can check my previous blog for more information on the SatCOW:

Late last year Telstra and Ericsson completed the world-first trial of Group Radio Solutions to understand the potential application and capability of the technology for essential and emergency services.

The trial found a very real potential to combine the advantages of Telstra’s expansive Next G™ coverage footprint and range of services with the specific needs of private radio network operators. This technology is still in its early days; however if adopted by Telstra it could one day provide a complementary interworking service to our existing private emergency networks by allowing customers to use the same device to access specific private radio features, together with their Next G™ mobile voice and broadband services.

Building a network that delivers to the requirements of emergency organisations will also require the development and optimisation of a range of network features that are coming up in the technology roadmap, one of the most significant of those is Quality of Service (QoS). The QoS capability would allow different priority levels to be assigned to data flows and would form part of the solution we would develop with GRS.

Telstra will make a decision about the potential broad deployment of Group Radio Solutions following consultation with the industry.

If interest is expressed by private mobile radio network operators, the Group Radio Solutions capability could be available across the entirety of the expansive Next G™ network footprint and complement existing essential and emergency radio networks.

At the conference I performed a live demonstration showing the interoperability potential of a conventional Private Mobile Radio (PMR) device to call a Next G™ Group Radio Solutions (GRS) capable device.

Telstra is currently working with equipment manufacturers to develop devices that seamlessly integrate public mobile voice and data services with two-way radio functionality on a single device should Telstra decide to deploy the Group Radio Solution.

So what does this mean for emergency service organisations? Essentially Telstra could extend the reach and interworking of their existing communications networks through access to a single nation-wide network, our Next G™ network. This could help provide a rapid and synchronised response, especially in large-scale disasters that cross state and territory borders. This is likely to facilitate a clearer and quicker assessment of incidents, as well as support effective command, control and co-ordination across the various organisations and their agents and assets in the field.