The City of Augusta, Maine, has chosen Tait Radio Communications to install a P25 digital simulcast system to improve two-way radio coverage.

The City has been using a 20-year old conventional system, which operates at an average 60 percent mobile and portable coverage, but the Tait system will provide saturated coverage for the 59 miles of challenging terrain along the Kennebec River and downtown area.

Augusta maintains and operates its government radio sites and locations throughout the city with a broad spectrum of emergency communications services to the Police Department, Fire Department as well as E911 dispatch services that contract with the City.

"The City of Augusta is yet another municipal organisation recognising the value of Tait's public safety focus," said Michael Chick, Managing Director of Tait Electronics Limited. “Tait offers a real choice when it comes to digital solutions and P25 simulcast is a good fit for the needs of Augusta.”

The TaitNet® P25 Simulcast 2-site, 4-channel Mobiles System solution is designed to offer improved coverage and voice clarity and emergency backup communications for the City of Augusta. The two sites are designed with a significant coverage overlap. If one site is ever disabled, the second site will continue to provide required radio coverage and meet emergency backup requirements, while operating autonomously in the event of system failures to provide seamless service to system users.

“The City of Augusta Maine has selected the Tait radio company to provide the City of Augusta with a P25 digital VHF simulcast radio system for our Police and Fire Public Safety two way radio infrastructure. Additionally the City will be purchasing P25 digital mobiles and portables for use on the new system,” says Raphael St. Pierre, Assistant City Manager for the City of Augusta.

The TB9100 base station network repeats in both analogue and digital signals further supplying wide area coverage, network expandability and design flexibility.

In addition to analogue compatibility, P25 digital radio is an open standard supported by many public safety agencies which will allow the City to communicate with other emergency services should the need arise.

Tait is collaborating with Horizon Communications on this project. Horizon will manage the installation, training and support for the City.

“Tait’s professional sales and technical staff presented a digital solution package that was technically compliant, cost effective and provided the critical two-way portable radio coverage needed for Public Safety communications for officer safety in the City of Augusta. We look forward to our business partnership with the Tait radio company,” says St. Pierre.