Motorola to maintain Vic's Metropolitan Mobile Radio network

The Victorian Government has signed a 10-year, $500 million contract extension with Motorola Solutions to maintain and enhance the Metropolitan Mobile Radio (MMR) network relied upon by the state’s emergency services.

Since its implementation in 2005, MMR has helped Victoria’s public safety agencies respond to major crises, including the 2023 flood crisis and 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. More than 50.5 million push-to-talk voice calls were made on MMR in the past 12 months alone, affirming the continuing high demand and value of the resilient communications it provides.

The contract with the Department of Justice and Community Safety will extend MMR’s operation until 2035, providing secure and trusted radio communications for public safety agencies including Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria State Emergency Service and Life Saving Victoria. Motorola Solutions’ Melbourne-based operations control centre and field engineering teams will provide 24/7 support and service, helping to keep MMR and a fleet of more than 32,000 radios used on the network optimised and performing at the highest levels of the P25 radio standard.

Under the contract, Marine, Search & Rescue will join MMR in 2025. Additionally, SmartConnect, a cloud-based service, will expand coverage for users by automatically switching between land mobile radio (LMR) and broadband, Wi-Fi and satellite networks when users travel outside of radio coverage areas. Ambulance Victoria’s regional units will also gain state-wide coverage and access to productivity-enhancing data applications via 1600 new APX NEXT all-band smart radios, with an additional 750 APX series multiband mobile radios to be installed in regional ambulances.

“First responders face complex and unpredictable challenges that call for safe and resilient communications that are reliable in the harshest conditions, with the ability to connect and collaborate with other emergency services for multi-agency responses,” said Con Balaskas, Managing Director for Motorola Solutions Australia and New Zealand.

“We’re extremely proud that Motorola Solutions’ MMR network has supported Victoria’s emergency services for 20 years, providing essential communications while they’ve faced some of the most extreme events and disasters in the state’s history,” Balaskas continued. “Now, through new software and broadband innovations, MMR’s interoperable communication will extend to the farthest reaches of our state, from Mildura to Mallacoota, while enabling more agencies to connect to the network.”