Motorola signs $261M deal to upgrade Victoria emergency services network

Motorola has signed its highest value per annum deal in Australia to date.

The AU$261 million contract will see Motorola upgrade the radio networks of Victoria's first responders.

The newly signed deal extends an existing, long-term contract for another seven years; this extended contract is valued at AU$261 million.

The Metropolitan Mobile Radio network (MMR) commenced operation in 2005 with the aim of providing mission-critical, digitally encrypted voice communication for emergency services throughout greater metropolitan Melbourne.

The network serves the Victorian Police, Ambulance Victoria and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. These agencies use the MMR every day, and, in 2017, made more than 40 million push-to-talk voice transmission calls across the network.

The network enables the three agencies to communicate with one another for emergency response and 24/7 support from Motorola Solutions' Melbourne-based control centre.

Later this year, Victoria State Emergency Service, Corrections Victoria and Life Saving Victoria will also join the network.

In addition to upgrading the MMR, Motorola Solutions will provide data services and incremental safety features including GPS and location services, helping agencies better manage their vehicles and personnel.

The upgrade will also provide public safety agencies' with an interface for their Triple Zero emergency call and dispatch systems, enabling them to access more services and data-based capabilities over time.

Motorola Solutions vice president and managing director, Steve Crutchfield, says the MMR network will continue to provide Victoria's emergency services with the best technology to meet their daily operational needs while enabling them to be more responsive to major emergencies. "Emergency services depend on having 'always on', secure and reliable communications for their daily work," Crutchfield adds. "For the past 13 years, the MMR network has provided essential communications for Victoria's first responders when they have needed it most.

"This includes uninterrupted coverage during Victoria's tragic Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 and reliable performance during many other major emergencies." Crutchfield says the upgrade will also keep Victoria's emergency services at the forefront of technology innovation with access to the latest software and radio equipment and full-lifecycle support to keep technology up-to-date.