Satellite Considered being the Key to the NSW Emergency Response Network

Satellite connectivity helps to deliver communications services during emergency operations. This is the reason why the NSW Telco Authority continues to rely on this technology.

According to senior communications lead Rania Wannous, the satellite technology will form a component of the Authority’s commitment to delivering a state-wide public safety network for all emergency services organisations. This was mentioned during the NSW Telco Authority’s fourth Technology Innovation Forum.

On the other hand, Jeremy Thearle, the Authority’s telecommunications in emergency management officer said that satellite technology is the only feasible solution for providing connectivity to certain parts of NSW.

“Is satellite comms going to be part of the backhaul for fixed infrastructure? That’s probably more of a question for our engineers and network architects. But certainly in operations and mobile assets SATCOM is going to play a very, very important role in providing that backhaul option for our mobile assets.”

In addition to this, Thearle also said that data networks have been playing a growing role in delivering critical incident response by first responders over the past five years. He further added: “What we’re seeing is [demand] for large data parks, right from the very forward edge of response, all the way back through to the strategic headquarters of organisations.”

According to Thearle, the authority has three main considerations while factoring in SATCOM into emergency operations. These considerations include mobility, throughput, and cost. He then said that: “We rely on SATCOM as an option, particularly in those rural and remote areas where there's very little fixed infrastructure. So we need a solution that we can have delivered with where there isn't much else there.”

Thearle further added that: “We [therefore] can't afford to fit or carry dish sizes or antenna sizes much bigger than two metres, or that are going to have back end equipment on them that are going to be bulky and difficult to transport.”

The authority also needs to plan for the high traffic volumes involved in live streaming and the delivery of high-quality imagery. Again, this one is in terms of throughput.

Thearle then said: “And the third factor is the cost. Through lived experience, I’ve had some solutions fail not because of a technical reason, but because the person who has signed the agreement has been under the assumption that a 5Mbps contingency service would be better than a 512k dedicated service, and spoiler alert, it’s not.”