Christchurch Airport has deployed communications software and hardware from Motorola Solutions to improve communications between staff using two-way radios and those using other devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Christchurch Airport's manager of airfield operations Tim Morris, said applications including Motorola WAVE enabled instant communication between all employees regardless of the type of device they use.
"Additionally, with GPS and messaging services we can locate and mobilise our resources instantly in an emergency," he said. "This improves situational awareness across the board so we can make better-informed and faster decisions when it matters most."
According to Motorola Solutions its WAVE Broadband Push-To-Talk application enables those on radios, smartphones, tablets and laptops to communicate seamlessly with one another, and to easily share voice, text, photos, video and more with a group or individual at the push of a button.
Christchurch Airport worked with Motorola Solutions and Motorola channel partner, TL Parker to implement the upgrade. TL Parker CEO Gary Parker said the value of the radio network had been demonstrated in the 2011 earthquake.
“Cellular communications went down … but the radio network remained operational … due to a single channel dedicated to all airline companies provided by TL Parker and Motorola Solutions," he said.
"It proved its resilience through each aftershock and was used to help coordinate the safe arrival of civil defence and other emergency personnel into Christchurch within 90 minutes of the earthquake." TL Parker has been a Motorola Solutions partner for over two decades.
It is a founding member of Orion New Zealand, a group of Motorola Solutions channel partners formed to build and operate a wide area network across the North and South Islands using Motorola Solutions' Mototrbo digital mobile radio platform.