Welcome
JANUARY 2019
Here, there and
everywhere
Critical Communications Today editor Sam Fenwick discusses the
push for mission-critical broadband in Australia and Germany, the
issues facing control room operators and the vital and ongoing work
to keep TETRA networks up and running
Australia may have been in the news for its record temperatures, but as you
will see on page 10, its mission-critical sector is also heating up, given New
South Wales’ RFP for a public safety mobile broadband concept last year.
Last year’s PMRExpo also had a lot of news, with the BDBOS setting out its
proposals, including a hybrid approach to devices that could involve a TETRA
module being controlled by a separate rugged smartphone (page 24).
For a wider look at some of the issues and challenges and the work being done to
address them, I recommend our interview with Tero Pesonen, TCCA board member
and CCBG chair, on page 22.
Of course, all this hard work is being done with the goal of enabling rstresponders
to use high-bandwidth applications and services to enhance their
situational awareness and performance.
On page 14, we dive into the
While it is natural to
technology that boosts the former.
focus on the cutting
While the wave of innovation that
edge, it is important to
is expected to be unlocked by reliable
also recognise the effort
public-safety-grade mobile broadband
that goes into ensuring
is likely to have a dramatic impact on
infrastructure stays
rst-responders, control room operators
up and running
are likely to be far more aected. It’s one
thing to be out on the street, sending
messages and video feeds back to a central location, but trying to glean a complete
picture from these and potentially dozens of dierent sources is likely to stretch even
the best-trained minds. ere are many other challenges too – see page 17.
ough it is natural to focus on the cutting edge, it is important to also recognise
the eort that goes into ensuring mission-critical infrastructure stays up and running.
For an inside perspective, check out our visit to Hytera Mobilfunk’s HQ on page 28.
Finally, while it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of announcements surrounding
nationwide projects, many system installers and integrators focus on the deployments
that occur to meet the needs of new infrastructure. We look at one sector that has
grown massively in recent years, oshore wind, and its unique needs on page 20.
Sam Fenwick, editor
MISSION STATEMENT
Critical Communications Today
provides the global missioncritical
community with insight
into the latest technology
and best practice required
to ensure that its members
always have access to the
instant, one-to-many wireless
communications that can make
all the difference inmoments
of crisis.
We are dedicated to providing
our readers with the knowledge
they need when determining
their critical communications
strategies and procurements,
though delivering up-to-theminute
accurate information on
industry trends, developments,
and deployments, as well as
the latest new products and
services. Our journalists are
committed to easing out the
little details from your peers
that will allow you to draw
on the industry’s collective
experience of deploying and
implementing new projects
andsystems.
We work to stimulate and
focus debates on the topics
that matter most and provide
our readers with a means to
raise their concerns and speak
frankly about their work and
the lessons they’ve learned
while delivering the devices and
networks that the world’s blue
light organisations depend on.
4 www.criticalcomms.com January 2019
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