Comms contract for Swedish security services

Cassidian has signed a seven-year, system maintenance contract with the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) for the Rakel nationwide radio communications network. The contract includes third-line support, a hardware repair service and the supply of TETRA system equipment and software, and will be effective from 1 April 2015.

The Rakel network is one of the largest TETRA networks in the world. It consists of almost 1800 base stations and 22 switches covering almost all of the Swedish population. In March 2013, the network handled 3.3 million group and individual calls as well as 166 million short data services (SDS), the counterpart to SMS, with an average availability of 99.97%.

Helena Lindberg, General Director at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), and Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Secure Communications Solutions at Cassidian, during the signing of the contract.

The secure TETRA radio communications network serves all main security forces in Sweden, totalling more than 300 organisations such as the police, coastguard, customs, rescue services, ambulance services, armed forces, defence forces and also municipalities and private companies. It enables the user organisations to cooperate fully on a national scale.

Serving public order, security and health organisations, it is also used by commercial parties such as utility companies. The network has more than 50,000 subscribers, a number expected to rise to 70,000 within a few years.