The ability to communicate is vital to all elements of

humanitarian operations, especially emergency

response. We use communications for everything from

coordinating and reporting, to ensuring the safety and

security of staff in the field.

Simple, streamlined, secure

Moving from analogue to digital radio technology allows devices

that were once incompatible to connect, simplifying and

streamlining voice communications within your operation.

With digital technology it is possible to initiate and receive voice

conversations between digital mobile radios (DMR), desktop

computers and smartphones. Features include private calls and

text messaging, meaning a DMR is just as simple and intuitive to

use as the smartphone in your pocket.

Unlike analogue radios which require manual channel selection,

digital radios can ‘roam' automatically, selecting the appropriate

channel and seamlessly connecting to the network in a given

area. This capability enables wider radio coverage, minimises

dead spots and makes DMR a more user-friendly system than

analogue radio.

Depending on local office policies and billing restrictions, digital

mobile radio can even be integrated with the telephone network.

FITTEST

Digital Mobile Radio

In context of the rapidly evolving emergency environment, analogue radio technology is not

capable of providing the service required by humanitarians for an effective response. More

user-friendly, safer and reliable than analogue systems, and with a more robust network,

Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) is the next generation of radio communications.

In the same way that mobile phones, televisions and computers have evolved over the years,

so, too, has radio technology.

Text messaging, one-to-one calls, seamless roaming and GPS tracking are just some of the

benefits this new technology will bring to your humanitarian operation.

DMR Training—Let’s Comm Digital

Training is crucial to ensure ICT staff are familiar with the DMR solution, so

they can use it to its full potential. Delivered by FITTEST Training Services,

Let’s Comm Digital is a five-day radio training course that expands the

capacity of IT staff enabling them to maintain and support the digital radio

system.

The Fast IT &

Telecommunications

Emergency & Support Team

(FITTEST) is the IT emergency

response capacity of the World

Food Programme (WFP) that

assist the humanitarian

community in establishing and

maintaining IT infrastructure

systems and services in some

of the world’s most hostile and

challenging environments.

For more information about implementing Digital Mobile Radio, please contact:

Fast IT & Telecommunications Emergency & Support Team (FITTEST)

World Food Programme (WFP)

Phone: +971 4 454 9560

wfp.ghs@wfp.org

ghs.wfp.org November 2015

Digital Mobile Radio offers:

Text messaging

Private one-to-one calls

Integration with telephone network

and other communication devices

Seamless roaming

GPS tracking

Better voice-quality

Wider coverage area

DMR in Iraq

In October 2014, Iraq became the first country where DMR security

telecommunication services were deployed during an emergency to enhance

the safety of the humanitarian community on the ground, including UN

agencies, INGOs and local NGOs.

FITTEST installed 10 digital repeaters linked via wireless links in Dohuk,

Sulimaniyah and Erbil to support inter-agency operations, also covering

Domiz and Arbat.

To familiarise responders with this new technology, frequent radio training

courses for users and operators are delivered and over 500 radios have been

programmed for the DMR network.

Standard features of DMR services in Iraq include the ability to make private

one-to-one calls, pre-configuring radios to allow closed group

communications., e.g. Security Management Team (SMT), and a panic alarm.

Implementing the ETC DMR standard

FITTEST deploys Digital Mobile Radio, the short to medium range radio

communication standard adopted by the Emergency Telecommunications

Cluster (ETC). The cost and time to implement digital mobile radio varies

according to a number of factors including the size of the operation,

number of users, existing infrastructure and the number of features

required.

To deploy digital mobile radio in your operation, FITTEST will first conduct

an assessment to determine the equipment required and the estimated

cost. The team will then define the most suitable migration path for your

needs.