Norway's options for mission-critical broadband

Norway’s Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) has issued a short paper describing alternatives for implementing a possible mission-critical mobile broadband communications system via commercial mobile networks.

In December last year, the Norwegian Government decided to allocate the 700 MHz band to commercial telcos, meaning that a “dedicated broadband network for mission-critical use is no longer an option in Norway”, according to the paper’s authors.

Norway’s current narrowband network, Nødnett, uses TETRA technology and has some impressive statistics:

• 2100 radio sites
• 55,000 users
• 322 road tunnel installations
• 255 emergency call centres for police, fire and health services
• Coverage: area, approximately 86%; population, effectively 100%
   

“DSB is currently doing a concept study for the realisation of a robust and secured broadband data solution to Norwegian public safety and emergency preparedness organisations,” the paper says.

“It is the vision that in a longer term, the solution will also carry voice services and substitute the present Nødnett. The term “Next Generation Nødnett” (NGN) is used… to describe such a network solution.”

The paper summarises input received from industry and other involved parties, and sets out several options for the provision of mission-critical mobile broadband.

“The dialogue with the Norwegian mobile operators has illustrated that there are many considerations to make in order to find the best solution for a mission-critical broadband system inside commercial mobile networks,” the authors state.

“A number of commercial and technical arrangements are possible, and further assessments are required.”

The paper is available for download from the Nødnett website.

Image courtesy DSB.