Comms Connect to cover iAward-winning Cell on Wheels program

This year’s Comms Connect Melbourne conference, being held at MCEC on 15–16 October, will feature a presentation outlining the challenges, technical considerations and operational outcomes associated with delivering a fleet of Cell on Wheels (CoW) units to support emergency response in disaster-affected areas of NSW. The initiative, helmed by the NSW Telco Authority (NSWTA), was recently named the winner of the Government & Public Sector category at the 2025 NSW iAwards, hosted by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).

Back in September 2024, NSWTA had identified the need for a rapidly deployable connectivity solution to support communities and response agencies during major weather events, particularly in regions prone to flooding and infrastructure damage. To meet this need, NSWTA engaged Pivotel through a competitive procurement process to deliver a fleet of self-powered, trailer-mounted CoW units designed to operate independently of fixed or mobile networks, using satellite backhaul via Starlink and/or OneWeb.

Each CoW provides public Wi-Fi, emergency voice services and wide-area coverage (up to 500 m) through high-gain antennas mounted on an 8-metre mast — with the ability to link multiple units together to extend coverage even further. Pivotel agreed to supply and operate four CoW units as part of the project, which also included the development of a managed service framework incorporating 24/7 network monitoring, remote diagnostics, scheduled maintenance, and integration with NSW’s emergency management protocols.

Designed to be quickly set up at evacuation and community centres, the CoWs have already been deployed in several real-world scenarios — including during Cyclone Alfred — and are maintained in a state of readiness for rapid mobilisation across the state. As explained by Darren Cooley, Head of Sales & Marketing at Pivotel, “Our dedicated field services team, in collaboration with our 24-hour Network Operations Centre, will deploy these valuable resources whenever and wherever they are needed, ensuring communities can remain connected during critical moments.”

Cooley will be joined on the Comms Connect stage by ex-NSW Fire Chief Shane Fitzsimmons as well as Rania Wannous, Executive Director of Customer and Emergency Management at NSWTA, for the presentation ‘Keeping communities connected with rapidly deployable connectivity when it matters most’ on 15 October. A separate presentation on CoW deployments, ‘Cell on Wheels & shared infrastructure’, will be delivered by Matthew Schultz from Gravelroad Group on 16 October. A CoW unit will also be on display at the Pivotel stand on the expo floor.

Register for your pass at https://melbourne.comms-connect.com.au.