- Hon Mark Mitchell
- Hon Brooke van Velden
Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, and Internal Affairs Minister, Brooke van Velden, today launched a further Public Safety Network cellular service that alongside last year's Cellular Roaming roll-out, puts globally-leading cellular communications capability into the hands of our emergency responders.
The Public Safety Network's new Cellular Priority service means Police, Wellington Free Ambulance, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Hato Hone St John get access to both Spark and One NZ cellular networks ahead of other users if there's congestion or degradation on those networks, like might be experienced during large concerts and sporting events, and high-demand natural disasters.
Mr Mitchell said the emergency services are increasingly using cellular communications to access real time, data-rich information when they are out working which helps them do their jobs effectively and efficiently, stay safe and get better results for the public.
"The Public Safety Network solutions including Cellular Roaming and Priority, along with the new digital Land Mobile Radio network, are about ensuring reliable, secure worldclass communications so our frontline responders can do their jobs quickly and decisively when the worst happens.
"With these two new Public Safety Network cellular services New Zealand's frontline responders now have some of the most modern cellular critical communications in the world."
"Fire and Emergency will benefit from the cellular service especially when responding to large scale incidents and areas with limited cellular coverage," says Ms van Velden.
"The change will increase the efficiency of the emergency response system, ultimately making New Zealand safer for the public."
"The new cellular services equip our frontline responders to perform their difficult roles as effectively as possible when we need them to, and all New Zealanders will benefit from that," Mr Mitchell says.
Notes to Editors:
- Under the new Public Safety Network Cellular Priority service, 111 calls will continue to get first access to cellular networks when there is degradation or congestion.
- There are currently around 6,000 first responders using the Cellular Priority service; and an expected 20,000 users in mid-2025, and 35,000 users in 2026.
- 22,000 frontline responders are using the Cellular Roaming service. They have already relied on it more than 855,000 times.
- Earlier this year, the Minister launched the pilot for the digital Land Mobile Radio network which is another major component of the $1.4 billion investment in the Public Safety Network for Wellington Free Ambulance, Hato Hone St John, Police and Fire and Emergency NZ.
