Bangor, ME, has installed IP communications technology to enhance its emergency response communications system

The city of Bangor, ME, has installed IP communications technology from Harris to enhance its emergency response communications system. Bangor is using Harris NetXpress IP multiplexers, which enable its legacy radio systems to interoperate with high-speed
Ethernet systems.

This allows Bangor to operate its two-way radio system over fiber — significantly improving the ability of the city’s police, fire and ambulance systems to communicate. Fiber is easier to maintain and faster than copper telephone lines, which makes moving to fiber extremely important to public safety organizations that cannot afford to have any downtime when they are running a community's 911 response system.

The NetXpress system helped the city of Bangor solve the latency issues between its legacy system and the new fiber system.

For the first time, Bangor officials are able to flawlessly operate land mobile radio repeaters and auxiliary receivers with a voting system connected over an IP network. The technology has resulted in a reliable system that provides real-time voice and data as well as increased safety for first responders.

The City of Bangor chose systems integrator RITEC Wireless for the mobile data project, which contracted Harris for its NetXpress system. NetXpress technology was credited with solving the latency issues between the legacy system and the new fiber system.

The overall project includes a fiber interface for voter receivers and connectivity for mobile data access points, SCADA, telemetry, video security and future expansion at all city-owned facilities on one private infrastructure. On a single network, the City of Bangor will have total interoperability for public safety, including police, fire and EMS. The system will provide for future expansion of the system for Bangor’s Public Works Department, the county of Penobscot and Bangor Hydro Electric Utility.

For more information, visit http://www.harris.com/.