Our work.
Why Resilient communications?
New Zealand is no stranger to earthquakes and extreme weather events. For organisations that manage the critical infrastructure powering NZ’s towns and cities, communications equipment that holds up in an emergency is vital.
Events like Cyclone Gabrielle and the Christchurch earthquakes have made it clear that resilient communications are a critical tool for teams responding to natural disasters.
In an emergency, rock-solid communications support utilities to coordinate repairs, identify issues and keep their front-line workers safe.
Below are a few examples of how we use radio and microwave radio to provide resilient communications that hold up when they’re needed most.
Resilient DIGITAL RADIO.
CONNECTING TEAMS BY VOICE.
Instant voice communications make a big difference in an emergency situation. From reporting incidents to coordinating repairs, reliable, fast communications help keep people safe and infrastructure running.
We work alongside our customers to build and manage digital radio networks designed with earthquake readiness in mind.
RESILIENCE.
Our radio sites can be equipped with back-up batteries that are able to power sites for 72 hours. To add an extra layer of resilience, Vital’s nationwide commercial digital radio network can function as an additional failover for dedicated networks.
Coverage.
Our radio networks are built to connect frontline teams in areas where there’s little to no cellular coverage. When radios are outside of their dedicated network coverage area, they can automatically switch over to Vital’s Digital Radio Network.
capacity.
Our digital radio networks are designed to provide uninterrupted voice communications in an emergency. Digital radio handles a high number of calls simultaneously and offers call prioritisation to ensure important group and individual calls get through when they need to.
security.
Digital radio can be encrypted to ensure communications remain private – whether radios are on a dedicated network or our national one.
microwave radio.
Resilient wireless internet.
Underground internet cables are susceptible to damage in an earthquake, potentially leaving buildings without connectivity for long periods of time. Leveraging our ethernet digital microwave network (eDMR), we offer resilient wireless internet that can be restored quickly in an emergency.
Like our digital radio network, our carrier grade eDMR network is built with resilience in mind. We use multiple pathways to connect the nodes in our network. If one node is taken offline, traffic takes an alternate path to keep customers connected. In earthquake prone areas, like Wellington, we also have a lifeline connection that heads outside of the region to maintain connectivity when it’s needed most.
