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Introducing Airwave Smart Mobile

Published: 
25 March, 2014

Airwave Smart Mobile is the new mobile communications service from Airwave that brings the company's products to users on a mobile device for the first time.

The newly launched service sees Airwave operate as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and is designed to complement Airwave’s Emergency Service Network (ESN). Airwave Smart Mobile has been developed as a simple mobile platform onto which customer and sector specific capabilities will be loaded.

‘We have designed Airwave Smart Mobile to help the public service community meet the challenges they face today around operational resource management, cost control, efficiency and effectiveness, while coping with ever decreasing budgets. It will also allow more users to access and benefit from the Airwave service,’ says Richard Bobbett, Airwave’s chief operating officer.

Among the functionality available to users will be the ability to connect from a smartphone to a talkgroup on Airwave’s ESN. This is made possible by the company’s new Push To Talk (PTT) application, Enhance, which is controlled by the customer.

Through the PTT application, users can give permission to extend their talkgroup communication beyond existing Airwave Service users. There is no need for these groups to hold a TEA2 licence or implement additional infrastructure to use the Airwave Smart Mobile service. ‘Enabling groups such as these to interoperate with the emergency services when necessary means incidents, actions and responses can be far better coordinated and managed,’ says Richard.

Airwave Smart Mobile also provides access to the ‘rich vein’ of mobile information available to users, adds Richard, bringing the new world of mobile data to the emergency services in a way that enhances their ability to do their jobs. ‘For example, it will allow them to carry out functions such as processing suspects in-situ, filling in forms and validating details without requiring a journey back to the station, saving time and improving efficiency.’

Currently, users of Airwave Smart Mobile can use a device such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, which is preloaded with applications such as encrypted voice communications and the ability to electronically capture information at the scene of an incident, but the company is already looking to the future. ‘In our roadmap for future development we would like to see the creation of an Airwave App store where users can download the apps they need to their own devices, and we’re already starting to work on the next steps,’ says Richard.

So watch this space, and visit the Airwave product presentation, 'Today, Tomorrow, the Future', tomorrow at 11.30am to see a demo of Airwave Smart Mobile as well as other new innovations from the company.




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