With the largest public safety network in the world, part of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure, Airwave provides mission critical voice and data communications to the emergency services of England, Scotland and Wales as well as other public safety organisations.
In preparation for the 2012 Games, Airwave is building a completely new and independent communications infrastructure that will be used from 2011 right up to and during the period of the Games. Like its public safety infrastructure, the service will be delivered using TETRA technology, but it will be totally separate. The new service will provide coverage allowing the 2012 Games and its workforce to operate effectively and safely. The infrastructure will predominantly provide coverage for the London venues but also includes satellite venues at places across the UK like Weymouth and Hampden Park.
Airwave’s Chief Executive, Richard Bobbett, commented; “Airwave is already the UK’s provider of secure and resilient communications for the emergency and public safety services and everyone in Airwave is immensely proud to be chosen as a partner and supplier to the 2012 Games – the world’s largest sporting event. It is testament to the capability, hard work and dedication of our employees that we have been selected. We will be drawing on our experience delivering mission critical communications to the UK’s emergency services. This will provide personnel at the Games with the most resilient and secure communications of its kind.”
London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe welcomed the deal, “We are now at the business end of organising the Games and our Tier 3 deals are coming thick and fast. Secure communication between venues and personnel at Games time will be critical to our success and Airwave has a fantastic track record in this sector. We look forward to working with them between now and 2012.”
Work on the new infrastructure is already underway and despite being at a relatively early stage, the programme team are confident it will be ready in April 2011 before the Olympic Test Events commence later that year.