Tech developments on show at NZ conference

Comms Connect New Zealand brings communications industry users, dealers, consultants, manufacturers and other stakeholders together to network, learn, share ideas and do business together. The conference will include technical presentations, case studies and workshops presented by a line-up of top local and international speakers and subject matter experts.

Sessions

The opening plenary address will be given by Len Starling, Manager of Policy & Planning at New Zealand’s Radio Spectrum Management. This will be followed by the keynote address given by Carlos L’ Abbate, Senior Director, Product Technology and Architecture for the US First Responder Network Authority, who will present an overview of the initial deployment of mission-critical push-to-talk by the FirstNet. The second day will feature two plenaries, by Andrew Christie (Business Change Manager for St John Ambulance) speaking on the topic of next-generation communications in New Zealand, and Andrew Miller (CEO, Vital), who will speak about transforming to digital communications and beyond.

The full speaker program can be found at comms-connect.co.nz, but here’s a small selection of sessions:

• Protecting marine VHF repeater sites from lightning in Fiordland National Park
• A multi-site simulcast DMR network trial
• Migration of power utilities communications networks to IP/MPLS
• Investing in futureproofed TETRA solutions
• LTE public safety deployables
• Tracing interference into land mobile VHF repeaters
• Correctly project engineering a radio network
• Essential 5G field tests
• The next decade of satellite communication
• Securing NZ industrial environments
   

The final session on the second day will be a panel discussion that will focus on the capabilities frontline services in New Zealand can reasonably expect to have by 2030.

Workshops

There will be two workshops, each of which have run at the Australian Comms Connect events and have proven very popular. The first workshop will cover how mapping and GIS fit in with modern critical communications systems. The second will provide industry professionals with targeted industry-specific training as it relates to multi-coupling, to enhance their professional learning and development pathways.

Exhibition

The exhibition will showcase more than 30 exhibitors, including all the big names in the Australasian comms market — led by gold sponsors Zetron and Collaborative Digital Networks, and Aviat Networks, the delegate lunch sponsor — with an emphasis on innovative New Zealand firms. You can see a full list of exhibitors and sponsors at comms-connect.co.nz/visit-exhibition.

RFUANZ Gala Dinner and Awards

The Radio Frequency Users Association of New Zealand’s annual Industry Excellence Awards and Gala Dinner will be held at Te Papa – Te Marae, Wellington, on the evening of 6 May. For ticketing information, visit rfuanz.org.nz/gala-dinner-and-awards-night-registration-2020.

Essential event

It’s vital that all users of radio and converged communications in business- and mission-critical working environments — as well as dealers, manufacturers or suppliers in this sector — seek out the very latest information, technologies and solutions, and build relationships. Comms Connect New Zealand will deliver that opportunity for you and your colleagues.

Comms Connect New Zealand 2020

Conference: 6 May (8.50 am–5.00 pm), 7 May (9.00 am–4.30 pm)

Exhibition: 6 May (9.00 am–5.00 pm), 7 May (9.00 am–3.30 pm)

Networking drinks: 6 May (5.00 pm–6.00 pm) Open to all registered attendees

Where: Lower Hutt Events Centre, Wellington (lowerhutteventscentre.co.nz)

Who: More than 300 delegates and 30-plus exhibitors

Web: comms-connect.co.nz