Radio Waves Facilitate Ski Contest in Finland

Elancourt, 24 February 2017 – Airbus and Erillisverkot, the operator of the nationwide public safety radio network VIRVE, supply modern Tetra radio communications for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships’ security in the Finnish city Lahti. Event organisers, volunteers, the police and rescue workers need a secure and reliable communications infrastructure around the clock to ensure efficient procedures.

“Additional capacity and a transportable base station enhance the nationwide VIRVE network covering the competition venues. Furthermore, we provide Tetra radios for organisations ensuring event security”, says Olivier Koczan, Head of Secure Land Communications at Airbus.

Last year, Airbus technology supported major sport events, such as the Biathlon World Championships in Oslo-Holmenkollen in 2016, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and the European Football Championship EURO2016 in France. Similarly, the Airbus customer Erillisverkot successfully provided reliable communications services during large events in Finland before, for instance the motor sports event Neste Rally.

VIRVE currently serves around 37,000 subscribers from all public safety and security services (police, fire, social, health and ambulance services) and the armed forces in Finland.

Photo copyright: Eetu Pekka Heiskanen

Airbus

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of €67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as Europe’s number one space enterprise and the world’s second largest space business. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Secure Land Communications 

Secure Land Communications (SLC), a business unit of Airbus, develops, installs and maintains professional and land mobile radio (PMR/LMR) networks based on Tetra, Tetrapol and P25 technologies and offers a wide range of radio solutions and devices for customers worldwide. The portfolio also encompasses mission-critical broadband solutions based on 3GPP standards and emergency response centres (911/112). SLC is a leader in PMR, with more than 280 radio networks in over 74 countries, and the US leader for 911 response centres with the VESTA 911 call handling solution serving more than 60% of the market. SLC employs nearly 1,700 people in 20 countries.

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