The Norwegian Public Safety Network is a vital part of the country's emergency services infrastructure. It's designed to ensure that first responders and emergency services have reliable and secure communication.
The network is built on a decentralized architecture, with multiple nodes and a mesh topology. This allows for greater resilience and flexibility in the event of a network failure.
Norway's unique geography and climate present significant challenges for public safety communication. The network must be able to operate effectively in a country with vast wilderness areas and harsh weather conditions.
The Norwegian Public Safety Network is designed to be highly secure, with robust encryption and authentication protocols in place. This ensures that sensitive information remains confidential and protected.
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Norway Expands LTE-TETRA Connectivity
Norway is expanding its nationwide public safety network to connect LTE and TETRA systems, making it possible for teams to communicate and collaborate more effectively.
Motorola Solutions' innovative WAVE technology is being used to extend the reach of land mobile radio (LMR) and offer radio-like "push-to-talk" (PTT) capabilities.
The pilot project in Norway will run for selected user groups through 2015 to evaluate use cases, features, quality, and security.
A total of 1,000 licenses have been signed with Motorola Solutions for the WAVE technology.
WAVE enables secure transmission of mission-critical voice and data, with AES 256-bit encryption on voice and data.
The Norwegian TETRA system, which delivers instant, resilient, and secure public safety grade communications, will remain the primary system for mission-critical users.
WAVE's smartphone and computer interoperability over LTE is planned as an additional service.
Here are some key features of WAVE:
- Connects disparate land mobile radio systems and removes barriers to interoperability and mutual aide.
- Extends communications beyond radio to include smartphones, connected-tablet devices, and broadband carrier networks.
- Replaces carrier PTT by providing secure, over-the-top PTT applications over public or private broadband networks.
- Provides user interface for a WAVE communications system through a series of client applications called WAVE Communicators.
- IP PBX voice ports also enable PTT channel access from desk phones.
Network Organization and Users
Nødnett is owned by the Directorate for Emergency Communication, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice. The directorate is led by Tor Helge Lyngstøl and has its offices in Nydalen in Oslo.
The cost of constructing the network has been covered by the ministry, while the costs of operating and maintaining the network are covered by the users. For a terminal only used for stand-by, the annual subscription cost is NOK 1,700 per year (2016), while that for a terminal in a control room is NOK 45,000 (2016).
The network has approximately 150,000 users across more than 1,000 organizations, with around 70,000 subscriptions in the network.
Organization
The organization behind Nødnett is quite interesting. The system is owned by the Directorate for Emergency Communication, which falls under the Ministry of Justice.
The Directorate for Emergency Communication is led by Tor Helge Lyngstøl and is based in Nydalen in Oslo. This is where the directorate's offices are located.
One of the key agreements that made Nødnett possible was with Nokia Siemens Networks, which was later taken over by Motorola Solutions in 2012. This switch in ownership didn't seem to disrupt the project's progress.
The cost of building the network was covered by the Ministry of Justice. This is a significant investment, but it's worth noting that the users of the network pay for its operation and maintenance through annual subscription fees.
Here's a breakdown of the annual subscription costs for different types of terminals:
Users of Nødnett
Nødnett has a wide range of users, including the three emergency services: fire and rescue, healthcare, and police. They are considered the core users of the network.
Municipalities, county governors, and volunteer organizations also use Nødnett in their daily operations. The power supply sector and the Armed Forces are among the other users.
In total, there are approximately 150,000 Nødnett users across more than 1,000 organizations. This includes around 70,000 subscriptions in the network.
Terminals
The terminals used in this system are quite advanced. They come in two types: radio terminals and desktop equipment for control centers.
Radio terminals can be hand-held or mounted in vehicles, and there will be 40,000 radios throughout the country. This is a significant upgrade from the analog network, which will be replaced by digital radio equipment.
The digital equipment is smaller and has more features, such as hands-free options and special radios for motorcycles, snowmobiles, boats, undercover activities, and smoke diving. This is a big improvement over the old system.
Communication can be done in various ways, including one-to-one conversations, group calls for predefined or ad-hoc groups, and walkie-talkie mode in areas without network coverage. This flexibility is a major advantage.
One of the key features of the digital transmission is reduced background noise and the ability to monitor terminal identity to prevent unauthorized use. This is a significant security improvement.
All radios come equipped with an emergency button that gives priority in the network, which is a vital feature for emergency situations.
Control room terminals have new functionality, including identification of all users and radio terminal positioning. This will help operators keep track of who is using the system and where they are located.
Operators can also use the control room terminals to make radio and telephone inquiries, use loudspeakers or headsets, and listen to other operators' conversations. This will improve communication and coordination between operators.
Additionally, operators have access to telephone books and speed dials, touch screen operations of voice and data traffic, and monitoring of other talk groups. This will streamline operations and make it easier to manage the system.
Operators can also make simultaneous calls to several talk groups and access voice logs. This will help them keep track of important conversations and make informed decisions.
Here is a list of the different types of users and their corresponding terminals:
This list shows the different types of users and the terminals they will be using. It's essential to understand the different roles and their corresponding terminals to ensure effective communication and coordination.
Network Features and Trials
The Norwegian Public Safety Network has a robust network architecture that supports both 4G and 5G technologies, enabling seamless communication across different devices and networks.
The network is designed with a high level of redundancy, ensuring that critical services remain available even in the event of a network failure or disaster.
Telia Norway has implemented a number of network features to enhance the network's performance and reliability, including advanced routing protocols and network monitoring systems.
The network's core infrastructure is built on a distributed architecture, with multiple nodes and servers working together to provide a highly available and scalable service.
Telia Norway has also implemented a number of trials to test the network's capabilities and identify areas for improvement, including a trial of 5G-based emergency services.
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