tait p25 digital solutions tait Modern analogue solutions

News about Tait SOLUTIONS, services and people
Tait P25
Digital Solutions
Spotlight on encryption
management
PAGE 4
Victoria’s Country Fire
Authority chooses Tait
for analogue-to-digital
migration
PAGE 6
Tait Modern
Analogue Solutions
Telstra commits to
Fleetcoms customers
with nationwide TaitNet
MPT 1327 upgrade
PAGE 8
Tait MPT 1327 upgrade for
Australia’s first multi-utility
PAGE 10
2011 edition
Photograph by Keith Pakenham, CFA
Wavelengths
Brett Smythe, Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region
Welcome to the
2011 edition of
Tait Update. In this
issue we feature
some interesting
insights into how
our customers
are upgrading
their radio
communication
systems to meet their communication
and financial requirements.
Protecting the investment is extremely
important, and our focus is to provide
our customers with high-performing
solutions which are also future-proof.
This means that our systems are scalable
to meet the ever-changing business
environments, flexible to add functionality
for greater efficiency and migratable to
new technologies when the time is right.
­­­2
In the last issue I wrote of the digital
versus analogue questions that many
have been deliberating, and now other
costs such as regulatory pressure are
looming large, especially for 400MHz
users in Australia. There are a raft of
changes which may lead to the need to
upgrade or replace radio equipment and
for some people these costs, including
lost productivity, are significant.
The regulatory changes in Australia
however allow room for choice, only
stipulating 12.5kHz in some areas, and no
mandatory requirement to go to digital.
The Australian Radio Communications
Industry Association (ARCIA, www.arcia.
org.au) has taken the lead on these
issues and is a good point of contact for
independent advice.
Tait continues to produce both digital
and modern analogue solutions meeting
the needs and requirements of our
customers. Additionally our customers
who identify the requirement for new
equipment, whether analogue or digital,
are being migrated at their speed, with
minimal interruption to their operation.
Around the world Tait is providing
customers with staged migration plans,
spreading the cost of upgrading over
several phases. Some that have been
worried about being forced into digital
technology are finding that the cost and
interruption can be minimised through
regular maintenance and upgrade of
modern analogue equipment, providing
all the right features to get the job
done, at the right price. Their ongoing
communications investments are
protected by selecting a technology
partner that will support their needs in
the long term, with equipment that can
adapt and grow with their business.
We also continue to deliver better value
for money for customers through our
commitment to open standards such as
MPT 1327 and P25, which you will read
about in this issue, and migration plans
to the new DMR standard in the future. I
encourage all radio users to take control
of your communications solutions and
take the right advice to select an open
standard which will return the best value
to you.
Brett Smythe
Radio industry unites in the name of charity
Tait partnered with RF Industries,
Zetron and Omnitronics to host an
inaugural industry charity day in Brisbane,
Australia on the 8th of July, 2010.
This event was dedicated to fostering
a community of representatives of
the radio industry in Queensland, and
supporting one of Tait’s nominated
charities, The Smith Family Learning for
Life programme.
Travellers came from as far as
Rockhampton and Sydney for the
event, which was well attended by local
ARCIA members as well as a range
of end-user customers from rail and
emergency services. It was a social day
for the attendees, who commented
that it had been a long time between
drinks and were looking forward to the
next event.
The group was in high spirits for the
opportunity to get together after so
many years, and incredibly generous in
uniting to support the cause for the
day, The Smith Family Learning for Life
programme. Special thanks must go to
RF Industries, Nixon Communications,
Zetron and Omnitronics for their
significant donations, which were added
to the total raised by all the attendees,
and matched by Tait dollar for dollar.
Together, $6,600 was raised for The
Smith Family on this day to go towards
their Queensland Winter Appeal Target of
$500,000.
A representative from The Smith Family
attended the event and shared with the
group her own emotional and inspiring
story, illustrating how the programme can
change lives. Even contributions as small
as $100 towards an aspect of a child’s
education can be life-changing for a family.
We are dedicated to the memory of Sir
Angus Tait and his ethos of education
and charity. The Smith Family Learning
for Life programme is one of Tait’s
nominated charities in Australia, which
has also been supported through a
similar event held by Tait in Melbourne
for the past two years.
The group is now resolved to ensure
that this gathering becomes an annual
industry event in Queensland.
São Paulo passenger rail
company CPTM goes digital
CPTM is responsible for the transportation of nearly two million
people that commute around the metropolitan area of the São
Paulo state every day. The company strives to be the best and
most efficient provider of transportation in Brazil.
and rail lines, TM9100 mobiles for installation into CPTM trains
and vehicles, and TP9100 portables for CPTM personnel. The
platform base stations will be configured to directly connect
with their Zetron console system via an analogue interface.
The state government has allocated US$12 billion to improve
and extend the metropolitan rail network. The expansion will
include the purchase of new trains, the modernisation of railway
stations, an upgrade of the signalling and telecommunications
system, and an extension of their railway lines to make the
network four times bigger.
Together, Tait Radio Communications and Grupo MPE (MPE
Group) will work together to integrate a new signalling and
telecommunications system to reduce passenger travel time and
the intervals between trains from six minutes to three minutes.
CPTM needed to invest in a digital radio communications
technology supported by multiple vendors. Open standard
technology is a driver for local government entities seeking to
benefit from the market’s aggressive price competition.
For many passenger rail companies and their employees,
communicating in the workplace with high background noise
from train engines is a well-known problem. Radios that deliver
intelligible audio, high-quality voice communications and noise
suppression are key requirements for CPTM.
CPTM selected Tait as a trusted provider to supply a 16-site
digital P25 Conventional network. The network will consist of
TB9100 base stations to provide coverage to CPTM platforms
The company’s personnel were already very familiar with Tait
equipment, having previously used Tait analogue equipment on
a Quasi-sync system. This benefits CPTM since they will not
require costly re-training.
“Tait’s strong relationship with Brazilian telecommunications
dealer SGM Telecom once again enabled us to be very flexible
with our pricing structure. This played a key part in the success
of securing the contract with CPTM,” comments Tait Business
Development Manager Fatima Garcete.
“Designing and delivering high-quality products and services is
only part of providing a radio solution. Taking the time to listen
and understand your customer is something that makes a Tait
solution unique,” adds Garcete.
­­­3
Dealer Profile:
AA Radio Services, Melbourne
which is an important skill when maintaining, upgrading and
replacing legacy systems. It is also a strong point of credibility
with the customer that their best interests are at heart.
Ian Miller (left) pictured with Brett Smythe at a meeting in Brisbane
Ten years ago AA Radio Services was approached by Tait
Radio Communications to become an authorised dealer of Tait
products. This dealer contract still stands, and in 2010 AA Radio
and Tait enter a new phase of their business relationship with
AA Radio being subcontracted by Tait to execute the installation
phase of the CFA Radio Replacement Project.
“The Tait/AA Radio partnership is one built upon the mutual
respect that the customer is paramount and providing a solution
that is the best fit for them is what truly matters,” says Ian Miller,
co-owner of AA Radio. AA Radio are fiercely independent, and are
experienced in integrating equipment from many manufacturers,
Gavin Brain and Ian Miller, the owners and operators of AA Radio,
just might be the most experienced business partnership in
the Victorian radio industry. Both have been honoured with the
prestigious ARCIA Jonathan Livingston Award, recognising those
in the industry who go above and beyond the ordinary and then
pass their knowledge on to others.
Mr Miller adds, “As a company that has been around since 1968
and under the current management for the last 15 years, we
have a massive pool of experience to draw from, which means we
can provide exceptional service for our customers – especially
when it comes to after-sales support.”
AA Radio were among the first dealers to become Australian
Radio Communications Industry Association (ARCIA) Accredited.
Mr Miller states, “It was a way that we could ensure we were
providing our customers with the highest quality business
practices, consistency and reliability in the delivery of service and
professional standards, while remaining dedicated to continuous
improvement.”
www.taitradio.com
P 2 5 D I G I TA L S O L U T I O N S
DFAT and Tonga Police
join the group of public safety
agencies to choose Tait and its
partners for P25 digital solutions
Kingdom of Tonga
Latitude 20°00’S
Longitude 175°00’W
Tait Radio Communications and AA Radio Services
have shared in the success of implementing new Tait
P25 and analogue radio solutions for the Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, as well as for
police in the Kingdom of Tonga.
The clients’ chief requirements were
to have radio solutions in a variety of
locations that would operate for many
years with extremely high reliability and
performance, and be easy to maintain.
­­­4
Australian and Pacific Island government
departments chose the partnership
between Tait and AA Radio, trusting
them to deliver reliable solutions which
meet their communications needs.
“Where the Tait and AA Radio partnership
really stands out, is the commitment
to the solution. The solution does not
stop at the delivery phase – support,
maintenance and expert advice is offered
for the life of the solution,” comments
Ian Miller of AA Radio Services.
Tait Country Manager for Australia
Kevin Lawrance says, “By choosing local
suppliers, government departments
have solution providers with better
knowledge of local conditions, design
standards and quality requirements along
with more timely delivery and shorter
supply times. As a result of this, AA
Radio has particular strengths in project
management of the installation phase of
customer solutions.”
The ability to provide local support and,
most importantly, on-site technical
assistance at short notice is one
of the many advantages of a Tait/
AA Radio partnership servicing the
Victorian market. “Tait support extends
to training, and several times now Tait
technical staff have supported AA Radio
in providing detailed training to clients’
technical staff,” adds Mr Miller.
In the example of Tonga Police, the
long-term reliability of the system was
paramount in the system design and
product choice. “Police officers have to
work in all kinds of tropical weather, so
the combination of Ingress Protection
rating and rugged design was important
for the hand-held and vehicle radios. The
rugged design means that the radios will
withstand the rigours of daily use, and
the IP rating of the radios means that,
even in tropical locations, the radios can
be used in all types of weather, thus
contributing to the overall reliability of
the radio solution over its long lifetime.
We are confident in the performance of
Tait products and have provided a threeyear warranty period, which is a common
requirement for public safety customers,”
says Mr Miller.
Mo re important
th an th e radio
What the new system for Tonga Police
really means is that the capability of the
force is effectively doubled. Before the
radio system, any time a police car left a
station, it would have four officers inside,
even if only two were required, just in case
they needed backup, because there was no
way to call for help. Now officers can move
in twos to assess the situation, and only
call for extra support when it is needed.
This is one small part of a larger
programme improving the professionalism
of the Tonga Police Force, jointly funded
by the Australian, New Zealand and Tongan
Governments. As well as the new radio
network, the project includes 30 new
vehicles on the roads, uniform upgrades,
which have lifted the pride of the officers
in the community, and an upgrade
to Information and Communications
Technology facilities such as email and
traffic records.
Tonga is becoming increasingly important
in the region, with much more crossborder activity occurring with many
ocean-going yachts passing through the
region, and regular flights four times a
week from Auckland, and twice a week
from Sydney and the US West Coast.
Mr Miller comments that working
on overseas installations is not that
different an experience to working in the
remote areas of Australia, in terms of
travel time and supply chain: Help and
spare parts are a long way away, meaning
that you need people with the best skills
and thorough planning to execute the job
professionally and on time.
What the new system for
Tonga Police really means is
that the capability of the
force is effectively doubled.
Spotlight on encryption management
Tait helping to secure communications over the air
Secure radio communications are
essential for public safety organisations
wanting to improve the safety of their
staff and the communities they serve.
Crucial and sensitive information is often
exchanged across radio communications
networks, and if intercepted by
third parties, this information could
compromise the safety of staff as
well as the general public. These staff
will share high-quality information and
perform at their best when they are
confident that their messages are heard
only by the intended recipients.
For these reasons, public safety
organisations choose to incorporate
encryption into a radio solution, and
the introduction of the P25 standard is
leading many agencies such as fire and
ambulance, as well as police, to consider
their options. P25 digital radio is well
suited for encryption, provides excellent
coverage, and is an open standard,
delivering multi-vendor interoperability.
(KMF), Key Fill Device (KFD), and over-theair rekeying (OTAR) supported by Tait P25
networks and terminals.
The Tait KMF is a client-server system
that enables organisations to deploy, store
and manage numerous P25 encryption
keys, and can apply varying security
levels across multiple teams with a high
degree of flexibility and efficiency. The
Tait KMF has been designed with the user
in mind and is easy to navigate through
its functions and scroll between common
key references, groups and devices, and
the screen includes a dashboard display
to keep up-to-date with the currency of
devices, users or groups.
While there are a number of issues to be
considered in encryption management,
the good news is there are just as
many tactics that can be deployed to
achieve success. One benefit of the
P25 standard is that purchasing radios
from one manufacturer does not mean
an organisation needs to purchase
encryption tools from the same vendor
or vice-versa.
For example, the Tait KMF can be used
to rekey radios from any manufacturer
that has implemented standards-based
OTAR. Encryption managers can check
the open standards support and evidence
of interoperability of any encryption
product being sourced. Interoperability
among P25 radio manufacturers is
becoming more transparent through the
P25 Compliance Assessment Program
(CAP), which tests the performance
and interoperability of P25 radios and
systems.
­­­5
However, investing in encryption is a
long-term commitment , and purchasing
encrypted radios and keying tools is only
the start.
Tait Senior Product Manager Simon
Britten says, “The biggest threat to
secure encryption comes internally. In
particular, key and radio mismanagement
can leave an organisation more vulnerable
than if they do not have encryption. If
encryption is compromised as a result
of poor key management procedures,
it can often lead to a heavily increased
workload, resulting in heavy financial
costs or worse: put first responders and
the public in danger. Tait has developed
an encryption solution and offers a
range of services to ease the burden of
secure communications for public safety
agencies.”
Tait P25 solutions focus on their need
for easy-to-use, reliable communications.
Tait has developed an industry-leading
encryption management solution based
on the requirements and advice of our
customers. The solution components
comprise a Key Management Facility
P25 I nteroper abilit y: COMPLIANC E ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
When products successfully pass CAP testing, a Supplier’s
Declaration of Compliance (SDoC) is published on the
Responder’s Knowledge Base – to see the list of suppliers
and products visit www.rkb.us and search for “SDoC”.
www.taitradio.com
Victoria’s
Country Fire
Authority
chooses Tait Radio Communications
for analogue-to-digital migration
­­­6
One of the world’s largest community safety and emergency
service organisations, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) in Victoria,
has selected Tait Radio Communications to replace its 10,000
hand-held and vehicle-mounted radios following a comprehensive
tender process. CFA has signed this $32 million contract to
acquire new digital radios for its firefighters who are responsible
for fighting all rural fires on private land in the state of Victoria.
Tait’s Asia Pacific Regional Manager Brett
Smythe says, “CFA’s dedicated team
operates in challenging environments
and extremely hazardous situations such
as bushfires. Communications doesn’t
get more mission-critical than that! Tait
has the public-safety focus and proven
track record to understand what is at
stake. The Tait TM9100 and TP9100 radios
were designed specifically for police and
firefighters, so are tough enough to
withstand the harshest environments.”
As well as being potentially deadly, a
fast-spreading fire presents specific
communications challenges. Tait has
experience in designing solutions for
organisations like CFA that can maintain
coverage even if some sites are
compromised.
The new P25 radios can operate in both
analogue and digital modes and will
replace CFA’s existing analogue radios,
which have been in service since 1995 and
are now at the end of their service life.
The statewide installation project for the
replacement digital radios is significant.
They will be progressively introduced
into service and the roll-out to CFA
brigades and locations is expected to
be completed by mid-2012. Tait will also
provide maintenance of the equipment,
so that CFA protects its investment in
digital technology.
At the time of the contract signing,
CFA Acting Chief Executive Officer
Michael Wootten, said the introduction
of the new radios would take CFA’s
field communications to a new and
sophisticated level of operations.
“This is an exciting step and forerunner
to a new generation of technology that
will be the platform for the evolution of
improved field communications for our
dedicated firefighters,” says Mr Wootten.
Photograph by Keith Pakenham, CFA
CFA brigades were consulted on the
capabilities of the new radios, and a
number of customisations for CFA use.
This included:
ww Manufacturing an orange casing so
they are easy to see in low light on
the fire-ground.
ww The vehicle-mounted radios will have
the option to send digital messages
at the press of a button rather
than relying on slower verbal radio
response.
ww Safety will also improve as
firefighters will have the ability
to instantly confirm receipt of
critical “red flag” warnings that
detail changes in weather and fire
conditions.
“The new digital radios have in-built
capabilities that will allow the sending
of GPS information to pinpoint truck
locations and short status messages
from fire crews in the field,” says Mr
Wootten. “The digital mode will deliver
clearer voice, especially in fringe areas,
and will enhance the safety of all CFA
firefighters in communities right across
Victoria.”
The digital Tait portable and mobile
radios are designed to filter out much of
the background noise from helicopters,
trucks, sirens, hoses and machinery
P 2 5 D I G I TA L solutions
for greater audio clarity. Being able to
hear and be heard clearly makes all the
difference when lives are at stake.
Command and control depends on reliable
voice and data communications. With
Location Data combined with high-quality
voice for accurate situation reporting,
resources can be co-ordinated more
effectively.
The new radios will also allow CFA to
communicate more effectively with other
emergency response agencies as new
digital networks become available. By
selecting the P25 open digital standard
and a Compliance Assessment Program
certified supplier, CFA has also ensured
future flexibility as a variety of vendors’
radio equipment is interoperable,
delivering long-term value for taxpayers.
­­­7
Managing Director of Tait Radio
Communications Frank Owen adds, “We
are thrilled to be setting up such an
in-depth partnership with this type of
public safety agency. Not just because
our company focus is delivering real
results, but because of the benefits we,
as a New Zealand and Australian team,
can bring to those brave men and women
and the communities that they serve.”
The first Tait P25 radios
have been installed in
a CFA concept vehicle,
pictured to the left
www.taitradio.com
M O D ER N A N A L O G U E S O L U T I O N S
Telstra commits
to Fleetcoms
customers
with nationwide TaitNet
MPT 1327 upgrade
“The successful continuation of a long-term
partnership” is how Brett Smythe, Managing Director
of Tait Radio Communications Asia Pacific, describes
Telstra’s decision to choose Tait to upgrade its
national Fleetcoms trunked network.
Earlier this year Telstra made a significant announcement to
the market – the upgrade of its MPT 1327 network, replacing the
existing switching infrastructure with new Tait nodes.
Telstra Fleetcoms provides virtual Australia-wide coverage
to two-way radio users working in utilities, government and
general business sectors. The network features 105 base station
sites throughout Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia,
Queensland and New South Wales. This upgrade will see Tait
supply five new nodes to complement the existing five nodes on
the Victoria StateNet Mobile Radio (SMR) network to enable the
network to support 624 channels.
­­­8
Tait has already provided the TaitNet MPT 1327 trunked SMR
network, which features 118 sites and 569 channels across the
state of Victoria. The centrepiece of Tait’s solution for the SMR
trunked network upgrade is the innovative gateway interface
built between the Nokia Actionet and TaitNet MPT 1327 trunked
radio networks.
Mr Smythe says the Fleetcoms upgrade is a chance to build on an
already-successful partnership between Tait and Telstra to supply
reliable radio communications throughout the Victorian state.
“MPT 1327 trunked solutions continue to provide excellent
long-term return on investment for radio users – it is an
open standard that provides users with the choice of several
providers for networks and radio terminals. The technology
offering is modern, able to accommodate essential voice services
and data applications and it is still one of the most reliable land
mobile radio technologies available today,” says Mr Smythe.
MPT 1327 is a proven technology with users including North
American electrical distribution organisations such as Basin
Electric Power Cooperative and European public transport
providers like London Buses.
Coverage maps sourced from the Telstra Fleetcoms brochure. For more information
about the Telstra Fleetcoms network visit www.telstraenterprise.com
“The upgraded SMR network offers increased functionality,
greater security, and improved voice quality and channel capacity.
Now many commercial and government radios on the SMR and
Fleetcoms networks will have access to many of these features
which are improving the communications of public safety
organisations in Victoria,” says Mr Smythe.
* Telstra is a telecommunications and information services organisation that operates public-access trunked mobile radio networks in five Australian states
New Zealand partnership
delivers new level of safety to rescuers
Volunteer rescuers are now safer thanks to a new partnership
between LandSAR New Zealand and Tait Radio Communications.
The agreement will give LandSAR search
and rescue volunteers discounted
rates on the latest mobile radios and
nationwide support to help ensure their
own safety when they are looking for the
lost, missing, and injured.
LandSAR CEO Hadyn Smith says he is
thrilled to be partnering with Tait Radio
Communications because it means
LandSAR groups will be using the best
technology available, supplied by a New
Zealand company, manufacturing within
New Zealand.
“Our volunteers are highly skilled and
often they’re tackling some of the
country’s toughest terrain in extreme
conditions. Having more Tait radios
will elevate the level of communication
between the search teams and search
headquarters. Messages can now
be relayed more quickly and there’s
less chance of messages not getting
through,” says Mr Smith.
“The safety of our volunteers when
they’re out in the field is our priority. We
don’t want them getting into trouble
when they are out there trying to save
the lives of others,” adds Mr Smith.
Tait Country Manager for New Zealand
Ian McKee says, “LandSAR is the perfect
partner for the Christchurch-based
company because the organisation
provides an important safety net for
outdoor enthusiasts.”
­­­9
“Tait Radio Communications is pleased to
be able to offer LandSAR NZ our highly
acclaimed TP8100 series of portable
radios and accessories. We admire
the work that this mostly volunteer
organisation does in partnership with
NZ Police and others, and we are very
pleased to be able to do our bit to help
out,” adds Mr McKee.
Mr Smith says, “Tait radios are recognised
around the world by emergency services
as being among the best, and having them
as standard issue for LandSAR is a major
step up for the organisation.”
“Ultimately, this partnership will benefit
all New Zealanders because with more
radios, our ability to communicate across
difficult terrain will be better, so we’ll
be able to narrow our search area and
locate the lost, missing and injured more
swiftly,” concludes Mr Smith.
“Messages can now be relayed
more quickly and there’s less
chance of messages not
getting through.”
www.taitradio.com
M O D ER N A N A L O G U E S O L U T I O N S
Black Hills Power
Case Study
USA utilities continue to
choose TaitNet MPT 1327
The need to replace an outdated simplex radio
system was the catalyst for Black Hills Power
investigating a new communications solution.
In addition to poor network performance, the old radio system
proved a challenge for users and dispatchers who often had to
search for the right channel to communicate with the workers in
the field.
Black Hills was also tasked with providing the communications
for Wyoming-based Cheyenne Light and Power. The two radio
systems were incompatible, so any solution needed to allow radio
users to roam within the Black Hills and Cheyenne coverage
areas and communicate either peer-to-peer or through to
dispatch.
The mountainous topography of Black Hills poses a challenge for
radio coverage, with plains at 3000ft and peaks up to 7000ft.
Extreme winter weather is common and up to 40 inches of snow
can fall, meaning some radio sites are inaccessible for up to six
months each year. Severe winter storms causing power outages
are also not uncommon.
­­­10
An independent consultant recommended a TaitNet MPT 1327
Trunked radio solution comprising a 13-site network to cover
Black Hills and four sites to cover Cheyenne. Each standalone system has a node controller and the two systems are
connected by a T1 facility.
“There’s a hundred per cent confidence in
the Tait system that people are going to be
able to get through when they need to.”
Rick Dobbe – Communications Engineer
Black Hills Power
The systems interface to an Avtec console at a single dispatch
center, where calls can be dispatched to both Cheyenne and
Black Hills. Radio users are able to roam within the two coverage
areas using the same Tait mobiles and portables in both areas.
The primary purpose of the network is to help maintain a safe
work environment on a daily basis. Any time there is a scheduled
outage for maintenance, communications are required to
coordinate the crews involved.
Black Hills also invested in a series of Tait services including a
support contract which offers 24/7 response for any issues that
may arise with the network.
As a result of the additional sites chosen for the TaitNet
network the coverage has improved significantly, exceeding the
expectations of Black Hills staff.
Radio users had low confidence in the previous radio system.
Once the new system was installed, users were amazed with the
voice quality and overall fidelity.
ActewAGL
Case Study
TaitNet MPT 1327 upgrade
for Australia’s first
multi-utility company
“The transition to a TaitNet system utilising the Actionet/TaitNet
Gateway allowed ActewAGL and other customers on the network to
retain their full functionality without a protracted service interruption.
The TaitNet system has also provided ActewAGL with more functionality
than was previously available, and ActewAGL is now actively exploring that
functionality to see how internal business processes can be improved, and
how the delivery of services to our customers can be optimised.”
John Barriga – Chief Information Officer
ActewAGL
ActewAGL, Australia’s first multi-utility, offers
electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater
services under one roof.
The ActewAGL radio network supports voice and data
communications for electrical, water and wastewater services. In
addition, ActewAGL use and manage their own radio network with
1,100 subscribers within a number of large, small and mini fleets
using the full range of call types, including multi-site group and
inter-fleet calls.
The brief from ActewAGL was to seamlessly upgrade from the
outdated, unsupported Nokia Actionet MPT 1327, while ensuring
all maintenance staff were fully trained for future operations,
and to provide full support for the product life cycle.
N O REPROGRAMMING NE CESSARY
­­­11
Tait was the only solution provider who could offer a migration
path from the Actionet system to an upgraded MPT 1327 system.
Tait was able to provide ActewAGL with a solution, which meant
they could retain full operation of their existing fleets when
upgrading without having to reprogram or replace any terminals.
Tait delivered an eight-site TaitNet MPT 1327 radio network,
which comprises two geographically diverse nodes and six base
station sites. The system offers ActewAGL cost-effective
infrastructure, which allows voice and message data on the same
system and efficient two-way radio communications over a large
geographic area.
S EA M L E SS MIG RATION TO
A D VA N CE D F E ATU RE S
The focus of Tait was to upgrade the network to TaitNet MPT
1327 without customer interruption. A new TaitNet TN5100
system and gateway provided this seamless transition, which was
made possible via the utilisation of a TaitNet Gateway between
the Actionet system and the new TaitNet node. This meant
that during the installation process radio units could log onto
sites irrespective of which system the site was connected to
and detail the registration to both systems, allowing calls to be
placed between units and/or intersystems.
The TaitNet MPT system also allows for private one-to-one, fleet
and group calls, as well as data calls using status, non-prescribed
data and short data messaging, which provides more efficient
management of communications for ActewAGL’s business
divisions. The network can also host multiple simultaneous
conversations, which is especially important when dispatching
different crews for a coordinated response.
Tait provided a holistic solution, which included the system build,
project management, installation, in-house training, and ongoing
manufacturer support, to ensure the ActewAGL network is used
to its full capacity now and in the future.
T h e Outcome
The outcome for ActewAGL was a seamless transition from the
old Nokia Actionet system to the new TaitNet system, providing
a robust, reliable and supportable radio system that will satisfy
the needs of ActewAGL for years to come.
www.taitradio.com
Directory
Radio industry youth boost
FOR MORE INFORMATION A B O U T
Congratulations to Tait’s Ryan McCabe
on completing his apprenticeship and
graduating with honours with a Certificate
III in Electro Technology Communications.
TAIT PRODUCTS AND SOLU T I O N S
P LEASE CONTACT ONE O F T H E
TAIT OFFICES BELOW.
Asia Pacific Head Office
PO Box 679 Virginia
QLD 4014, AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 7 3865 7799
Email: [email protected]
Managing Director. . . . . . . Brett Smythe
Services Manager. . . . . . . . . . Paul Sulisz
Marketing Manager. . . . . . Anthony Blyth
Customer Service and
Quality Manager. . . . . . Kathryn Tunnock
­­­12
Financial Controller. . . . . . . . . Hie Mi Ling
AUSTRALIA
Phone: 1300 304 344 Australia-wide
Country Manager. . . . . . . Kevin Lawrance
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: 0800 825 725
Country Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . Ian McKee
SINGAPORE
Phone: +65 6732 7607
Country Manager. . . . . . . . . . Wiliam Phan
CHINA
Phone: +86 10 6310 8290
Country Manager. . . . . . . . . . Larry Tsang
YOUR AUTHORISED TAI T D E A L E R
www.taitradio.com
Tait’s Brisbane Office now begins the
recruitment process for a new apprentice,
to ensure the strength of the engineering
workforce continues.
In addition to the apprentice role Tait
has also created several entirely new
training positions in its Brisbane, Houston
and Huntington offices in a new initiative
called the Global Technical Development
Programme.
Tait’s initial plan was to recruit one trainee
per region, but such was the calibre of
applicants for the Asia Pacific role, two
roles were appointed for the two-year
programme. The two new trainees, Ryan
McCabe and Ashwin Dinkar, will mean that
Tait’s engineering expertise will continue to
prosper long into the future.
The Tait Global Technical Development
Programme will begin with a three-month
initial training programme in Tait’s Global
Head Office in Christchurch, after which
they will then return to their regional
base in Brisbane to complete two years of
on-the-job training.
Tait will recruit for another to join the
Global Technical Development Programme
in 2011.
2010 Sir Angus Tait
Memorial Scholarship
Congratulations to Ben Woods on being
selected as the first recipient of the Sir
Angus Tait Memorial Scholarship in 2010.
Ben is an apprentice with Adelaidebased Tait Authorised Dealer Tetracom.
This award is administered by the
Australian Radio Communications
Industry Association (ARCIA) on behalf of
contributors Tait and Westwick Farrow. It
is intended to provide encouragement to
a student actively pursuing study leading
to a career in radio communications
engineering at an Advanced Diploma level
or higher.
Before joining Tetracom, Ben worked at
Harvey Norman as a computer technician,
but decided that RF was far more
interesting and applied to join Tetracom as
a Trainee RF Technician.
Ben started with Tetracom on the 3rd
of September, 2008 and completed his
traineeship at the end of 2009, with the
results of four Distinctions, two Credits
and two Passes.
After discussing Ben’s career path with
Tetracom’s owner, Jeff Perry, it was
agreed that he would progress to a full
apprenticeship which he commenced at
the beginning of 2010. He is continuing to
receive good grades and has become an
integral member of the service workshop
team. He has adopted a keen interest in
Tetracom apprentice, Ben Woods
radio communications beyond his role at
Tetracom.
It is excellent to see the widespread
investment in industry skills occuring
around the country, and for the first
time this scholarship has been awarded
outside of Melbourne. There are now
three scholarships available around the
nation annually, thanks to contributions
from Westwick Farrow, Tait Radio
Communications, and ARCIA, who
administer the awards. Please nominate
your trainees and apprentices for the
award by contacting [email protected].