O2 in race to build €100m Irish police radio network

O2 Airwave set to go up against BT and Eircom, among others...

O2 is up against BT and Eircom in the battle to win a contract to build a €100m secure digital radio network for the Irish police, fire and ambulance services.

Two other consortia reported to be in the frame for the deal are Arqiva and Galway-owned Rivada Networks.

O2's Airwave digital radio network is already used by police in England and the company recently won £740m-worth of contracts to extend it across the ambulance and fire services.

Bidders for the 10-year contract have until 1 August 2006 to lodge their tenders with the Irish Department of Finance. Work to replace the Irish emergency services' 23-year-old analogue radio system is due to begin next year.

BT, Eircom and O2 did not respond to requests for comment on the new Irish emergency services radio network deal.

Governments have been pushing for better communication and interoperability between emergency services in response to the heightened threat of terrorist attacks, and just last month a report into the 7 July bombings in London last year found that communication failings had hampered rescue efforts.