Network operators
intends to conduct a feasibility study that will come up with
recommendations for the implementation of a nationwide
hybrid public safety network.
“A tendering process to acquire MNOs as contractors for
the technical tests in Berlin has already started,” says Held.
“We will be looking into the legal and commercial challenges
of a hybrid scenario and certainly at the governance processes
to operate such a complex infrastructure. Evidently, security
in broadband will be an issue. e outcome of the study will
lay the ground for the discussion and decision about our
future implementation strategy.”
Same goals, different roads
At the moment the Netherlands lags behind its neighbour in
terms of making the switch to mission-critical broadband. It
is currently replacing its existing C2000 TETRA system with
a Hytera Mobilfunk system.
Herman van Sprakelaar, project manager, Vernieuwing
C2000 at Politie Nederland, says even though it is essentially
just a case of switching out one system and replacing it with
another, the project has encountered a number of dierent
challenges and as a result it is running behind schedule.
He adds the country has estimated that it can continue
to rely on its TETRA system for at least another ve years
following the switch to the new system, although it is already
preparing the groundwork for an eventual move to missioncritical
broadband.
“We are working on the set-up of a programme that
will probably have the same kind of outline that you see in
Scandinavian countries like Norway and Finland,” says van
Sprakelaar. “So, it will be more an evolution of functionality
and building a mission-critical platform, but we will
not do a one-step migration from nothing to everything
within the next ve to six years. We will move gradually if
possible, introducing a mission-critical data service rst and
then introducing 3GPP-compliant mission-critical voice
(MCPTT) at a later date.”
He adds it is unlikely that the country will seek to build its
own network. “We will buy services from an MNO, so we
will be looking at how good are our MNOs and what kind
of security, access, availability, capacity and priority they can
oer us on their normal networks,” he explains.
According to van Sprakelaar, at the end of the day all
It will be more an evolution of
functionality and building a missioncritical
platform, but we will not do a
one-step migration from nothing to
everything within the next six years
public safety operators have the “same goal in mind, but the
road towards that goal for each country is a bit dierent”. At
the moment he says his organisation is investigating what the
dierent paths towards the Netherlands’ ultimate goal may be.
“We are looking at our operators and we are also making
contact with our partners in Europe and looking at what
they’re doing and what their experiences have been. We expect
that during this year we will come up with a nationwide
approach as to how we are going to make those steps in the
coming years,” says van Sprakelaar.
One country he is watching closely to see what lessons he
could learn, based on its recent experience, is the UK. Initially
the UK government intended to move public safety users
onto the Emergency Services Network (ESN) – a commercial
network running 4G LTE technology – and turn o the
existing Airwave system in 2019. However, the project
has encountered a number of diculties, which were
summarised in a report published in May by the National
Audit Oce (NAO).
In 2017, the Home Oce, which has been tasked with
implementing ESN, admitted it could not deliver the new
network in the way it initially intended, so it decided to
“reset” the programme. As a result of this reset, the Home
Oce forecasts the project will now cost £9.3bn – 49 per
cent more than initially planned – with circa £1.4bn of this
being spent on extending Airwave. It is now anticipated that
Airwave will be switched o in December 2022 – three years
late. In its recent audit of the project, the NAO cast doubts
on the forecast revised costs and expressed scepticism that
ESN would be ready by 2022.
A spokesperson for the Home Oce admits there have
been many challenges associated with the roll-out of the
newsystem.
“Among the biggest is ensuring the network is secure and
oers the level of coverage and service management support
our users need,” says the spokesperson. “Further challenges
include ensuring we have a range of devices suitable for the
various user groups, delivering a full ‘air to ground’ network
and devices using 4G LTE and ensuring the various control
room system suppliers are able to upgrade their systems in
time for the users to commence transition.”
To address these challenges the spokesperson says the team
in charge of deploying the new network has been working
closely with industry to understand what technology is
currently available and how this can help to shape the market.
“is has included, for example, both leading and working
within the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 3GPP
standards bodies to ensure public safety requirements are part
of the standards from the start,” says the spokesperson. ey
add that the Home Oce is happy to share its technology
solutions and lessons learnt with government peers from
around the world and has already hosted “at least a dozen
delegations” to do just that.
One challenge
for the UK Home
Ofce and other
organisations
migrating to
mission-critical
broadband is the
need for air-toground
coverage
June 2019 @CritCommsToday 15
Credit: James from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire