Cross-border comms
Radio communications Group (PSRG), an informal working
group linking European Safety TETRA, TETRAPOL and
P25 operators and users, which meet twice a year.
The Law Enforcement Working Party (LEWP) was
established within the Council of the European Union.
One of the party’s subgroups, the Radio Communications
Expert Group (RCEG), aims to set up a technology-neutral,
EU-wide fleetmap standard. Currently, a first white paper on
international fleetmapping, developed and approved by the
PSRG, is to be submitted to the Council via the LEWP.
Etienne Lezaack, the systems architect for operations in
the Belgian Federal Police, adds: “Looking to the future
with LTE, and next-generation PTT applications, LEWP/
RCEG is looking forward to the possibility to realise the first
plugtests between public agency networks using 4G networks.
In principle, agencies will use the PSRG WG International
fleetmapping framework to work together. If we consider
France and Belgium, France is working to implement a Public
Safety Broadband System for the Olympic Games in Paris in
2024; the projected implementation for a similar system in
Belgium is 2025-2026, with the TETRA network maintained
until 2030 in order to allow a smooth migration.
“Eleven countries, including France and Belgium, are
participating in the European HORIZON2020 project,
called BroadWay (www.broadway-info.eu), with the goal of
procuring the development of a solution capable of enabling
cross-border and cross-organisation operability between
European public safety organisations within their future
broadband radio networks.”
David Lund, BroadWay’s project co-ordinator, says it has
received a “suitable number of tenders”. The contracts with
the successful suppliers were signed on 7 October.
Turning to Belgium’s approach to cross-border critical
comms, Lezaack says: “At this time Belgium and the
Netherlands have semi-roaming in place for pursuit
Eleven countries, including France
and Belgium, are participating in
the European HORIZON2020 project,
called BroadWay
situations. This interim arrangement should remain in place
until the deployment of the new Dutch TETRA network
from Hytera and the development of a structural connection
between the networks of Belgium and the Netherlands.”
Between Belgium and Luxembourg, technical
developments by the two manufacturers Airbus and
Motorola are available and are installed on the ASTRID and
RENITA networks by their respective network operators.
The implementation of a full ISI (ISI phase 3) was recently
initiated during a common kick-off meeting. The steering
group, composed of technical experts, user representatives and
operator representatives of both countries, intends to make
the ISI functionalities available to the user communities of
ASTRID and RENITA by July 2020.
Belgium also has borders with Germany and France;
some limited PTT interaction with control centres in these
countries are enabled, but this is not as comprehensive as with
the Netherlands.
Nordic update
The two-nation Sweden-Norway project for cross-border
communications has extended to include Finland, the
first such arrangement in the world. The Finnish Virve,
Norwegian Nødnett and Swedish Rakel TETRA networks
have been linked, allowing operators to access shared talk
groups using their own radio terminals.
“We need to focus on developing shared routines,
procedures and terminology,” says Matilde Brown Megård,
project manager for the Norwegian ISI project. “Further, we
need to arrange, monitor and evaluate cross-border exercises
to make sure that we maintain the high level of service and
security that our operators and our citizens are accustomed
to. By focusing on such measures, we will achieve adequate
expertise on all levels.”
“Work on the technical settings for the network and radios
is largely complete,” adds Peteveikko Lyly from Erillisverkot,
the Finnish emergency communications provider. “Users have
defined around 300 talk groups to connect officers from all
three countries, and these are being tested. Work groups meet
regularly, and now the focus is moving to deployment and
training. The control rooms and network cores are connected
already. Radios on the Finnish side will need one upgrade to
fully use the international networks; this will include vehicle
radios. Finnish ambulances and fire engines are already
upgraded, police car upgrades are in progress.” Lyly expects
the process to be complete by mid-2020 and adds: “At this
time there is no plan to use 4G/LTE networks in any crossborder
operations.”
In terms of joint exercises, Sweden hosted Barents Rescue
2019, which took place in September, to test the readiness
of the equipment and the users, as well as the operational
procedures. The Barents Agreement was signed in 2008
between the governments of Sweden, Norway, Finland and
the Russian Federation. The event included practical training
Cross-border
comms in the
Nordic countries
have come a long
way since the
trial of ISI that
took place on the
Sweden-Norway
border back in
November 2016
October 2019 @CritCommsToday 29
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