In the summer of 2020 Telent secured a new ten-year agreement with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to design, build and operate a next-generation mission critical network.
With the first sites going live earlier in December 2021, the new network will connect 165 remote radio sites situated around 11,000 miles of UK coastline, replacing the existing legacy infrastructure with a combination of full-fibre and microwave technology.
Lee-on-the-Solent became one of the first of these 165 HM Coastguard radio sites to switch to the new state-of-the-art search and rescue radio network. The new network will allow HM Coastguard to continue to receive distress calls from all maritime users and seafarers and co-ordinate rescue operations.
Lee-on-the-Solent was closely followed by radio sites in Crystal Palace, Humber Bridlington and Brighton Marina with all 165 sites to be migrated over to the new network over the next two years.
The Maritime Coastguard Agency is investing over £175 million in upgrading the Coastguard’s national radio network, as the legacy copper-based network becomes increasingly outdated.
The replacement technology will bring improvements across the radio network such as increased security and bandwidth. This will allow the Coastguard to invest in advanced search and rescue technology that requires a digital connection and high bandwidth, to enhance life-saving operations, where every second is essential.
Peter Moir, Managing Director of Network Services at Telent, said: “As a provider of critical digital infrastructure services, we are proud to have been selected by the MCA to provide the new full fibre network to HM Coastguard’s remote radio sites. Today is an important milestone and we will continue to work collaboratively with HM Coastguard to deliver the new network to support their lifesaving work.”
Find out more about Telent’s work with mission critical networks and the emergency services here.