Public Safety Network
The Public Safety Network (PSN) is delivering new critical communications capabilities for New Zealand’s frontline emergency services responders. Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Police, Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance are the foundation users of the PSN services and there is scope for other organisations involved in public safety to join in the future.
Next Generation Critical Communications is responsible for developing the Public Safety Network capabilities on behalf of the emergency services. Hourua is the vendor for the Public Safety Network's Cellular Services and Tait Systems NZ is the vendor for the Public Safety Network's Land Mobile Radio network.
The goal in creating this new secure digital communications ecosystem is to support the operational capability of New Zealand’s emergency services staff and volunteers, the ability for the emergency services to work together - every day and for large emergencies - and to keep the public and themselves, safe.
Today, the emergency services are already using the Public Safety Network's Cellular Roaming and Cellular Priority services which means more cellular coverage and increased reliability of access to cellular coverage.
A resilient ecosystem of three complementary elements
Existing analogue radio networks are being replaced with a single nationwide secure digital radio service, and multi-network priority cellular broadband capability - including voice, video, messaging and data - in urban, state highway and rural areas commonly accessed by frontline emergency services. Secure digital radio will provide voice and messaging services in many areas where cellular service is not available.
The Public Safety Network is made up of:
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Digital Land Mobile Radio: a digital radio network built with sufficient resilience to enable emergency services to communicate even in the event of a significant natural disaster. Land Mobile Radio supports push to talk communications which are used extensively by emergency services, and provides location services, is encrypted and secure. |
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Priority Cellular and Roaming Services: improves existing cellular network coverage resilience through a multi-network solution and allows sharing of information via apps. Emergency communications will take priority over other mobile users on cellular networks when the networks are congested or degraded. |
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Personal Alerting: personal alerting service for FENZ, Wellington Free Ambulance and St John provided over a stabilised paging network which is critical for emergency responses in remote communities supported by volunteers. |
Download Public Safety Network information and timeline [PDF, 814 KB]
Project timing
The Public Safety Network Programme is aiming to start transitioning agencies to Priority Cellular services in mid-2023 and Digital Land Mobile Radio in early 2024.
