Council improves workforce safety with P25 solution

A P25 digital communications solution from Tait, running over a Vertel next-generation network, is providing organisational benefits for the Armidale Dumaresq Council in NSW.

The P25 system is helping to increase the safety and efficiency of the council’s utilities and road network staff who operate throughout the urban centre of Armidale and the surrounding rural Dumaresq Shire.

With the amalgamation of the Armidale and Durmaresq Regional Councils, the new Armidale Dumaresq Council was struggling with a congested communications network which had reached its end of life and was becoming nearly impossible to maintain.

“Our communications system was approaching 20 years of age and we needed to update it,” says Andrew Levingston, plant manager, Armidale Dumaresq Council.

“Some challenges we needed to address included location services and ensuring complete coverage within the Armidale Dumaresq Council region. Coverage is a challenge in itself with 4235 square kilometres to cover over steep terrain.”

The three-site P25 TaitNet conventional network has been implemented by local partner Vertel, incorporating Tait P25 TB9100 base stations and replacing the Council’s old analog network. Vertel constructed a new digital radio tower and designed the associated digital network to address the specific coverage challenges, which the geographically remote area covered by the Armidale Dumaresq Council presents. 

“The most important outcome for us is increased safety for staff,” adds Levingston.

“We operate across a large, mostly rural area, and a lot of our staff work in small, remote crews.

“In the event of an accident, where there isn’t mobile coverage and it’s a half-hour drive to reach a public telephone, staff can now rely on a direct link back to the Council, with the reassurance that, if required, emergency services can be dispatched to their exact location as quickly as possible.”

“Our decision to go digital, specifically P25, was based on the requirement to futureproof our communication system and allow for future growth of our Council,” Levingston explains.

“The P25 network will provide long-term sustainability for our council operations, as the design of the P25 network easily lends itself to expansion, when and if ever required.”

The Council’s radio network has been expanded to include ranger staff, the sewerage treatment plant and water treatment plant.

“The Tait network means there’s a lot more cross-team communication happening, which means better use of resources in the field and greater day-to-day workforce management and efficiency across the whole organisation,” adds Levingston.

“Furthermore, we are now able to drastically reduce our reliance on mobile phones for operations. Truly reliable communications is now a reality, and that will make a real and lasting difference to the way we operate as a team, as well as the outcomes we achieve for the community.”

“Vertel has extensive experience in microwave backhaul and digital land mobile radio networks implementation, and we are uniquely positioned to assist Armidale Dumaresq Council with the design, installation and maintenance of its upgraded network,” says Andrew Findlay, managing director, Vertel.

“The project also included the implementation of additional features such as the GPS tracking of handsets, and vehicle emergency alarm systems, as well as integration with the existing phones system, which were a vital part of the project to ensure staff safety on the road.”

Brett Smythe, general manager, Tait Communications Asia Pacific, comments, “We are delighted that the Armidale Dumaresq Council is able to reap the benefits of an open-standards communications system that meets its organisational needs today, while still ensuring the flexibility to expand and upgrade as needs dictate in the future.”