New Zealand Public Safety Mobile Radio Network Replacement Changes Amber, Transition ‘Complex’

Next Generation Critical Communications (NGCC), responsible for overhauling New Zealand’s emergency services communications network, has announced significant progress towards building the nation’s new land mobile radio (LMR) system. The roll-out is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland are scheduled to go live in 2025, with the remaining eight regions following throughout 2026, according to information provided by Police in the 2025/26 Budget estimates. The transition involves equipping over 7,000 vehicles and 1,300 stations nationwide with new devices and hardware—a major undertaking, but one that is progressing according to plan.

The project, part of a ten-year, $1.4 billion initiative, began with an early pilot in Canterbury last year. This pilot enabled operational testing of new radios, equipment installation, and the development of service management tools—all critical to reducing risks as agencies migrate to the new system.

Police noted that, due to the project’s scale and recent changes in vendors, the LMR project is currently rated “amber” on a risk scale, indicating moderate risk. Originally a joint venture between Tait and Kordia, the LMR build is now being delivered solely by Tait after Kordia’s withdrawal. While the network’s cellular component—including roaming, priority, and network visibility services—was delivered on time and on budget, the LMR build is described as “slightly behind schedule” and has faced cost pressures from higher-than-expected inflation, macroeconomic factors, and supply chain disruptions. Despite these challenges, NGCC has not requested additional funding.

To control costs, NGCC has reduced its reliance on contractors in favor of fixed-term staff and negotiated a capped price for the LMR build with Tait. The organization continues to closely monitor and reforecast budgets to proactively manage costs.

Transitioning the four emergency services agencies to the new network will proceed region by region as each is completed. Police emphasized the complexity of this transition, which includes repurposing legacy radio spectrum and minimizing operational disruptions. The full transition of all agencies across all 11 regions is expected to be completed by early to mid-2028.

Securing sites for network infrastructure remains a challenge, with approximately 500 sites required. Two-thirds of these involve co-locating equipment on existing sites, but the acquisition process is often lengthy due to the variety of landowners and necessary consent procedures. Tait Systems NZ is addressing these challenges by contracting experienced third-party infrastructure organizations and scheduling alpine builds outside of winter where possible.

The new programme has already improved cellular coverage for emergency staff, providing access to the Spark network where One NZ coverage is lacking. This ensures staff remain connected across multiple networks, while new priority services help maintain communication during periods of network congestion.