Motorola upgrades emergency comms in Portsmouth

First responders in the City of Portsmouth will receive upgraded mission-critical radio equipment from Motorola Solutions as part of a multimillion-dollar contract.

The ASTRO 25 radio system will be deployed to provide interoperable coverage to first responders, modernising the city’s emergency communications platform and integrating with its approximately 1000 P25 APX radios currently deployed.

The ASTRO 25 system is a software-defined platform that converges radio and broadband services with additional functionality through the integration of voice and data, to provide features like group services, advanced text messaging and location awareness via time and distance reports as well as push-to-talk. This system also enhances security with radio verification and encryption to prevent third parties from accessing conversations that includes mission-critical and/or personal information.

"For more than 30 years, Motorola Solutions has teamed up with the City of Portsmouth to equip first responders with reliable communications equipment to perform their mission-critical work," said Mike Leonard, Mid-Atlantic Territory Vice-President at Motorola Solutions.

"We are honoured to continue that relationship with the deployment of the ASTRO 25 radio system. This deployment represents Portsmouth's continued investment in not just the latest in critical communications technology, but also in maintaining the highest levels of safety in its community."

Motorola Solutions' ASTRO 25 radio system also offers interoperability with other P25-compliant systems, radios and dispatch consoles. As a result, the ASTRO 25 LMR system ensures that alerts are communicated automatically when using Motorola Solutions' APX two-way radios or on broadband networks, for maximum coverage. This interoperability also enables a smooth transition marked by continued service between the new and existing systems.

"The safety and security of Portsmouth will always be priority one, and it's essential that we equip our first responders with unparalleled technology for mission-critical communications,” said Daniel Jones, Chief Information Officer of Portsmouth.

"Based on our long history together, we knew that Motorola Solutions was the right partner to understand the weight and importance of our investment in these systems. Together, we're empowering our first responders to communicate quickly and effectively in those emergency situations when every second counts."

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/annette shaff

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