Excelerate provides secure, private and robust communication to the UK’s emergency services

01/11/2006

According to The Government, all agencies involved in the protection of ‘homeland security’ and ‘national resilience’ should be prepared to ‘absorb, and then to respond to and recover from, potential disruptive challenges.’*

Those challenges include natural phenomena, impacts of climate change, acts of terrorism, industrial accidents, energy failures, marine and air accidents, major hazardous chemical spills, border incursions, etc.

Yet just a few months ago, at a press conference marking the release of the London Assembly Committee report into the aftermath of the last summer’s London bombings – July 7th Review Committee Chairman Richard Barnes said: “In the 21st century, in one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced cities in the world, it is unacceptable for the emergency services to need to rely upon runners to gain and exchange information.'

Every Police Officer, Firefighter, and Paramedic knows that robust communication is crucial to a successful operation at the scene of a major incident – yet confusion still surrounds the most effective, secure and resilient solution available to the Emergency Services.

The use of satellite broadband technology allows the creation of an all-encompassing communications solution that will not fail due to lack of coverage or signal, not have to rely on cabling or terrestrial infrastructure, not be destroyed by fire or flood, will work anywhere AND be fast, secure and able to manage all forms of digital data.

Over the past four years, Excelerate Technology has become the leading supplier of satellite broadband solutions to the UK’s Emergency Services and boasts an impressive list of Police, Fire and Ambulance clients.

As the focus further falls upon national resilience, contingency and continuity, the company has moved to challenge the myths surrounding the use of satellite as a fail-proof communications tool.

David Savage, Chairman and CEO for the Cardiff-based company said: “At Excelerate we develop, supply, integrate, support and train our customers to use solutions that enable the most comprehensive, sophisticated and secure use of any level of mobile and fixed satellite broadband and integrated wireless.

“We ask ourselves and our clients three questions when it comes to choosing the best technology that their budget will allow.

“Firstly, are you happy for your data, video and voice traffic to flow over the internet or would you prefer it didn’t? Secondly, does budget allow for the luxury of not having to share your bandwidth? And finally, what applications are needed to run over the solution now and for the future?”

It is the answers to these questions, together with Excelerate’s extensive research and development operation, that allows the company to match technology to a clients’ requirements and helps to dispel any myths surrounding satellite technology -  ensuring:

• Effective communication at major incidents under any circumstances.
• Robust and resilient communication systems which are able to cope with a loss of service  from regular networks and providers.
• That satellite communication has been considered rather than being deterred by the cost or the effectiveness of the available technology.

Thames Valley Police, the largest non-metropolitan force in the country, has embarked upon a project to install Transportable Broadband Satellite VPN (TSBV) technology within one of its communication support vehicles, recruiting the services of Excelerate.

Darren Field, Mobile Technology Manager for Thames Valley Police, explained: “We are now looking to utilise the technology that we have to improve and deliver new vital services to our Force. Covering such a large area means that we place a lot of emphasis on our communications structure and we don’t want to compromise that in any way.”

Thames Valley Police has joined an ever-growing list of Emergency Services clients, including Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and Royal Berkshire Ambulance NHS Trust, all of which are not prepared to ‘compromise’ their communications in any way, and all of which are able to take advantage of Excelerate’s growing portfolio of solutions which include instantly available, high-quality data, video and voice via VOIP, private GSM, wireless and radio.

In addition, Excelerate is also able to support its customers through its very own managed satellite VNO Network Operations Centre at its International Headquarters in Cardiff.
                                                                            
Excelerate Technology is the only company of its kind in the UK that can offer ‘tailor-made’ solutions to its clients. In fact, many of the solutions that the company supplies have been borne out of a request from a particular organisation

Savage continued: “We can see absolutely no benefit in offering a second-rate solution purely because it’s the only solution available. We want to challenge our customers. We want them to tell us exactly what they need and we then make it our mission to go away and find a solution for them, not just come back with a box from off the shelf.”

Excelerate’s fully functional demonstration vehicle is available to show all these solutions at your premises at a time to suit you – or visitors are welcome at the company’s purpose-built headquarters.
(* Dealing with Disaster, revised 3rd edition)