The Victorian government has signed a 10-year, AUD $500 million (USD ~$330 million) contract with Motorola Solutions to maintain and enhance the Metropolitan Mobile Radio network (MMR) relied upon by the state’s emergency services.

The contract with the Department of Justice and Community Safety will extend MMR’s operation until 2035, providing secure and trusted radio communications for the state’s public safety agencies, including Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria State Emergency Service and Life Saving Victoria. Motorola Solutions’ Melbourne-based operations control centre and field engineering teams will provide 24/7 support and service, helping to keep MMR and a fleet of more than 32,000 radios used on the network optimised and performing at the highest levels of the P25 radio standard.

“First responders face complex and unpredictable challenges that call for safe and resilient communications that are reliable in the harshest conditions, with the ability to connect and collaborate with other emergency services for multi-agency responses,” said Con Balaskas, managing director for Motorola Solutions Australia and New Zealand.

“We’re extremely proud that Motorola Solutions’ MMR network has supported Victoria’s emergency services for 20 years, providing essential communications while they’ve faced some of the most extreme events and disasters in the state’s history,” said Balaskas. “Now, through new software and broadband innovations, MMR’s interoperable communication will extend to the farthest reaches of our state, from Mildura to Mallacoota, while enabling more agencies to connect to the network.”

Under the contract, Marine, Search & Rescue will join MMR in 2025. Additionally, SmartConnect, a cloud-based service, will expand coverage for users by automatically switching between land mobile radio (LMR) and broadband, Wi-Fi and satellite networks when users travel outside of radio coverage areas. Ambulance Victoria’s regional units will also gain statewide coverage and access to productivity-enhancing data applications via 1,600 new APX NEXT all-band smart radios, with an additional 750 APX series multi-band mobile radios to be installed in regional ambulances.

Since its implementation in 2005, MMR has helped Victoria’s public safety agencies respond to major crises, including the 2023 flood crisis and 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. More than 50.5 million push-to-talk voice calls were made on MMR in the past 12 months alone, reaffirming the continuing high demand and value of the resilient communications it provides.

Motorola Solutions supports 13,000 land mobile radio networks in more than 100 countries around the world. Norway, Portugal, Denmark and Austria are among other governments joining the Victorian government in renewing their significant investments in LMR communications.