TETRA Ireland Completes Multi-Stage Upgrades to Position MNDRS as One of Europe’s Most Advanced Critical Communications Networks

Motorola Solutions-owned operator refreshes core infrastructure, prepares broadband roaming and moves to Ethernet backhaul, with its contract to run the network extended to December 2029.

TETRA Ireland, a Motorola Solutions company, has completed a series of upgrades to the Managed National Digital Radio Service (MNDRS), the national mission-critical communications network used by Ireland’s public safety organisations.

The investment, delivered as part of a long-term strategy, brings additional resiliency and functionality to all 26,000 emergency service users and places the network among the most advanced TETRA systems in Europe. Following the upgrades, TETRA Ireland’s contract to operate the network has been extended to December 2029.

Investing for the long term

MNDRS is used by An Garda Síochána, the National Ambulance Service and the Irish Fire Service. It provides mission-critical connectivity across the country, including the most rural and remote areas, and extends up to 20 kilometres offshore. Police officers rely on it to call for backup, firefighters to communicate during an incident, and paramedics to alert hospitals to incoming patients.

Meeting increasingly complex public safety demands requires continuous evolution, and mission-critical networks must be proactively hardened and modernised to anticipate future communication challenges. In response, TETRA Ireland has invested to further enhance the network’s reliability, security and performance as part of a long-term strategy.

Delivering enhanced security, capacity and interoperability

The upgrades have been a multi-stage process aimed at strengthening security, capacity and interoperability between government agencies. Three key upgrades form the core of the programme.

The first is a refresh of the core TETRA infrastructure, which has transitioned to the latest-generation DIMETRA X Core, including the capability to run DIMETRA Connect. DIMETRA X Core runs on virtual servers, making it easier to add new features and capabilities as technology develops and helping to future-proof the network.

The second is the addition of DIMETRA Connect capability. Once deployed, DIMETRA Connect extends the network’s reach with seamless roaming to broadband, while maintaining secure TETRA radio features and encryption. If a user moves beyond MNDRS’s 99% land mass coverage, the system automatically switches to send and receive the radio’s voice and data via the mobile phone network or a WiFi hotspot with zero manual intervention, allowing first responders to stay focused on the mission at hand.

The third is the migration from legacy copper and leased line infrastructure to the latest Ethernet and fibre-based backhaul technologies, which has enhanced the efficiency and resiliency of the network for end users.

TETRA Ireland contract extension

Following the network upgrades, TETRA Ireland’s contract to operate MNDRS has been extended through 2029.

Commenting on the extension, Neville Reilly, managing director of TETRA Ireland, said:

A track record of performance

TETRA Ireland has a strong record of running the MNDRS network, including during severe weather and major public events. Since its launch in 2009, the network has proven its reliability, even in the harshest conditions, consistently exceeding 99.9% recorded uptime.

Fergal Stack, Head of National Mobilisation and Communications System at the Irish Fire Service, said:

“Reliable voice communication is something we simply can’t go without, so MNDRS is a critical lifeline for us, delivering the reliability we prize above all else. It’s always reassuring to see further enhancements to the network to help sustain its high performance into the future, enabling our teams to operate in demanding environments with the knowledge that multiple layers of resiliency protect their vital communications.”

With MNDRS providing a reliable platform for further innovation in the country’s mission-critical communications, the contract extension represents a commitment to ensuring that Ireland’s first responders have the tools they need to protect the public and themselves, both now and in the future.