Excelerate Technology helps Irish police stay in control

Apr 26 2008 by Aled Blake, Western Mail

MOBILE communications specialist Excelerate Technology has won a major government contract in Ireland – days after securing a multi-million pound deal with the NHS.

Cardiff-based Excelerate Technology, which supplies satellite and wireless-based data, voice and video solutions, has won the contract with the Garda, the Republic of Ireland’s police service.

The contract, awarded by Wilker Auto Conversions, is for the provision of a comprehensive range of mobile satellite and communications technologies for the first four of a new fleet of command and control vehicles.

It will deliver high speed broadband within four minutes of arriving at the scene of incidents regardless of location.

David Savage, chief executive of Excelerate Technology, said: “This contract confirms our position as the leading supplier of mobile communications solutions that enable the emergency services to deliver more effective support and the resilience to enable them to meet their civil contingency responsibilities.”

The command and control vehicles are currently being coach-built by Wilker and are expected to be fully operational in four weeks.

Each will be equipped with 98cm transportable satellites, skydomes, VPNs and CCTV cameras for use both day and night.

That will provide fast, secure and seamless data, voice and video communications with the Garda’s Dublin headquarters and other command centres whether static or on the move.

The company’s contract with the NHS will see it equipping next-generation response vehicles.

It is responsible for technology and communications networks for mobile incident response vehicles (Mirvs) used by specialist ambulance crews.

The vehicles will be used by hazardous area response teams (Hart) – specialist additional ambulance crews trained to respond to major incidents and equipped to work in hazardous areas affected by a major incident including those with chemical, biological, radioactive or nuclear risks.

Typical incidents would include terrorist attacks, major accidents and disasters.

Hart is a new NHS initiative from the Department of Health and under the contract, which is initially valued at more than £6m, Excelerate Technology is supplying all the technology on the first 10 sets of three vehicles.

Most of the technology will be installed and integrated in each custom built and equipped Mirv.

Each of these vehicles will be equipped with the most comprehensive array of data, voice and video via satellite and wireless solutions ever deployed in Europe in the largest single contract of its kind.

The company has received three rounds of investment totalling £2m from Finance Wales, a provider of commercial funding to SMEs in Wales.

As well as supplying and integrating the whole of the technology requirement, Excelerate will train 400 NHS operational personnel as the contract is rolled out.

It will also support and manage all the technology and related satellite and telecoms networks throughout the lifetime of the vehicles from its base in St Mellons, Cardiff.

Mr Savage, chief executive of Excelerate Technology, said the technology and back up service provided by Excelerate was a vital tool for the emergency services.

He added: “It means that wherever the emergency services deploy their command vehicles they have access to as much broadband as they need within minutes of arrival at a major incident. It enables them to do anything they would expect to be able to do at their headquarters.”