TETRA  |  2014-01-16

Questions about Nødnett development in Northern Buskerud after helicoper crash

Source: MCCResources

The area where the helicopter accident occurred, was in the Northern Buskerud Police District on the busy E16 highway which serves as the main highway towards Bergen. This is an area where is Nødnett still under development.

In the aftermath of a tragic helicopter accident in Sollihøgda near the city of Oslo this week Monday, a number of questions about the Nødnett development in Northern Buskerud and development within the country in general have been addressed.

The area where the helicopter accident occurred, was in the Northern Buskerud Police District on the busy E16 highway which serves as the main highway towards Bergen. This is an area where is Nødnett still under development.

According to Nødnett, during the Nødnett development period until the end of 2015, there will be areas where Nødnett is developed and implemented, as well as adjacent areas where Nødnett will still be under construction and where the emergency services are still using analog circuits.

The emergency services have established measures and procedures to ensure the radio communication. This is entered in the introduction plans for each district.
 
Nødnett development takes place after an agreed plan that the Nødnett TETRA network should be completed in the country by the end of 2015. Recognizing the need for a well-functioning, Public Safety network, Nødnett is one of the reasons why the development was approved in Parliament in summer 2011. This is also one of the reasons why there is huge pressure on rapid development of the network.

According to Nødnett, it is important to ensure good communication between emergency services and other organizations contributing at events and that the nationwide rollout of Nødnett should be in place by the end of 2015. According to Nødnett, this is a tight but realistic plan. Base stations are built and prepared every day to ensure good coverage. This is an extensive project that requires contributions from many players. Construction of the radio network and the quality of the coverage is extensive and is a time consuming process.

Finally the Emergency Network will provide radio coverage for most of mainland Norway. It is a goal that Nødnett finally will have coverage close to 100 percent in area’s where people live and 79 percent of the land area. The emergency network will provide almost full coverage along European roads, highways and county roads and in cities and towns. There are requirements for enhanced signal strength in the cities / towns to provide the best possible indoor coverage. Also there will be separate coverage for helicopters.

The Norwegian Parliament decided in June 2011, that Nødnett should be developed throughout mainland Norway. The police districts in Østfold, Follo, Oslo, Asker og Bærum, Søndre Buskerud and  Romerike are already used Nødnett fro the last three years. The rest of the construction should be completed by the end of 2015 where the development is divided into phases based on the various Police Districs (PDI).

Source: MCCResources