Tait & Zetron launch New Zealand emergency radio network

Tait Communications and Zetron have implemented voice console technology for New Zealand's new Land Mobile Radio network, which is now being used by emergency services agencies moving onto the Public Safety Network.

The work involved integrating voice consoles into communications systems for agencies using the new Public Safety Network Land Mobile Radio network. SafetyNet Critical Communications, a Crown company, coordinated the agencies and supported the project. Implementation was completed in the first half of 2026.

New Zealand Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand have migrated to the new solution and are using it. Hato Hone St John and Wellington Free Ambulance are expected to follow as the wider network rollout continues.

The Land Mobile Radio network is one part of New Zealand's Public Safety Network, a critical communications project backed by NZD $1.7 billion in investment over 10 years. SafetyNet is delivering the network on behalf of New Zealand Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Wellington Free Ambulance and Hato Hone St John.

Since 2022, Tait has been a central supplier in building the Public Safety Network's Land Mobile Radio system across New Zealand. The network is based on Project 25 standards technology, which is widely used in public safety radio systems.

Network rollout

The console deployment is intended to support dispatchers managing voice traffic and coordinating with first responders in the field. It is designed as an interoperable system for use by multiple public safety agencies across the country.

The project combined voice console technology for the P25 network with governance and aggregation oversight across the agencies involved. The broader Public Safety Network also includes cellular services and the modernisation of personal alerting technology.

Under the cellular element, users can roam across Spark and One NZ networks. Emergency service users can also receive priority access to both networks when they are congested or degraded.

Yoram Benit, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tait Communications, said the company's use of open standards gives customers flexibility when selecting suppliers.

"Tait's open-standards interoperable technology allows our customers to select the best technology partners to best serve their needs," Benit said.

"Zetron is a member of Tait's Technology Partner Program, and we value Zetron's collaboration to deliver a robust mission-critical radio network to New Zealand's emergency services agencies."

Zetron said its voice consoles are being deployed for voice communications across the nationwide P25 network. It added that its systems are also compatible with wider SafetyNet communications initiatives, including broadband push-to-talk over cellular and 3GPP standards-based mission-critical communications for voice, video and data.

Scott French, President and Executive General Manager of Zetron, pointed to the companies' previous work together on large communications projects.

"Tait and Zetron have a long history of working together to successfully deliver some of the largest and most critical communications networks in the world, and we are honoured to partner with Tait in support of the New Zealand PSN initiative," French said.

"Our shared commitments to high-quality, standards-based solutions are aligned to offer customers optimal interoperability, flexibility and choice in meeting their specific requirements at every step of the emergency response continuum."

Agency response

Steve Lawrence, Head of Product, Design and Innovation at SafetyNet Critical Communications, described Zetron as a close project partner during the implementation.

"They were proactive from the outset, consistently went beyond what was asked of them and worked openly with us and the agencies at every stage. They gave value throughout the project in ways we hadn't anticipated, largely due to the effort and time they put into understanding SafetyNet and our emergency services customers' operational needs," Lawrence said.

Zetron has supplied communications systems for more than 40 years, while Tait has operated for more than 50 years. Their latest work in New Zealand is part of a broader overhaul of emergency communications infrastructure intended to serve police, fire and ambulance services nationwide.