Contract let for radio base station

Contracts have been issued for the construction of a Government Radio Network (GRN) base station at Umina.

Five-year contracts totalling $40 million have been issued for the GRN, which includes the Umina base station.

The network is used by more than 12,000 Government officers and volunteers, and a new communications system for the NSW Ambulance Service.

"The new Ambulance Service system enables radio operators to quickly locate the nearest ambulance and dispatch it to the scene of an emergency," said Minister for Information Technology Mr Kim Yeadon.

"The system involves fitting more than 300 ambulances with mobile data terminals, as well as upgrading the computer-aided dispatch system and a new network of radio base stations.

"The communications network is expected to come online within 12 months.

"The contract for up to five years was awarded under competitive tender to Technisyst Computing, an Australian company based in Queensland.

"Technisyst wilt build and manage a dedicated digital mobile data radio service for the Ambulance Service in the greater Sydney region.

"The Technisyst mobile data radio service is already successfully used by the Queensland Ambulance Service and in other countries."

Mr Yeadon said Telstra had won a competitive bid to manage the Statewide Government Radio Network (GRN) for up to five years.

"The GRN plays an important role in the management of emergencies such as the current bushfires where it is vital firefighters maintain radio communication at all times.

"The GRN services more than 30 NSW agencies, with more than 12,000 active radios in use.

"The GRN is also subject to ongoing improvements in reach and efficiency."

Three new GRN base stations are being finalised on the Central Coast and another four are planned for Sydney.

Press release, January 21