The UK Home Office has awarded a critical communications contract to Etherstack as part of its plan to transition UK public safety communications to its next generation 5G network known as the ESN (Emergency Services Network).

Etherstack will deploy its world-leading 3GPP LMR-IWF (InterWorking Function) into the ESN to allow public safety agencies to communicate from their existing TETRA digital radio network (known as Airwave) to the new LTE cellular based ESN. ESN is being delivered through IBM providing the User Services (US), while BT/EE are providing Mobile Services (MS).

The Etherstack LMR-IWF switching platform is software deployed in the UK that acts as a bridge between the traditional digital radio network to the new network, allowing hybrid operation across both networks and eventual migration to the new ESN solution.

ESN will be used by the primary emergency services – police, fire, ambulance services – and other critical government and public safety bodies across Great Britain.

Etherstack CEO, David Deacon said, “We are thrilled to have been chosen by the Home Office for such a prestigious and essential project for the safety of the public and the dedicated officers who serve them. This win demonstrates our ability to deploy and provide 24/7 support to our highly complex, resilient public safety solutions on multiple continents around the world.”

This announcement follows a recent award valued at more than US$20m with AT&T, the US cellular giant, for similar technology which had an initial term of 7 years. Combined, these two deals represent the two largest public safety critical communications networks that have been awarded to date that will be fully compliant to the new 3GPP standards for MCPTX.

Australia is currently planning its future PSMB (Public Safety Mobile Broadband) solution based on the 3GPP standards.