Hytera digital radios are helping Leeds businesses
combat crime and anti-social behaviour.

The challenge.

BACIL’s existing radio system needed to be upgraded and its capacity expanded. The new business against crime radio communications solution had to work across multiple platforms and support interoperability between different radio standards to provide a bridge between businesses located in the city centre and those in outlying areas.

The client reviewed various radio systems and terminals from a number of manufacturers, but the Hytera PD600 hand portable radio series was favoured due to its lightweight casing and multiple device options.

The solution.

BACIL implemented a competitive tender to select its radio communications supplier for the design, commissioning, and deployment of the new solution. Hytera partner Radiocoms Systems was awarded the contract.

A Hytera XPT (Extended Pseudo Trunking) Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) system was chosen. The great benefit of choosing XPT is that it turns a DMR Tier 2 conventional system into a DMR Tier 3-style multi-site digital trunking solution. It enables dynamic assignment of channel resources, but without the need for a dedicated network control channel, as with DMR Tier 3. XPT is a very cost-effective way to increase the capacity of the radio network when limited spectrum resources are available.

Radiocoms supplied 400 Hytera PD665 hand portable terminals. The PD665 is a slim, professional, digital two-way radio delivering excellent voice clarity. It is just 27mm thick and only weighs 310g, making it ideal for retail staff, who don’t want to carry a heavy radio all day. Emergency mode, priority interrupt and lone worker features are provided as standard to enhance worker safety.

It features an LCD screen, programmable keys and is IP67 rated for resistance to dust and water ingress. It is both rugged and reliable and able to stand up to a lot of daily wear. Its long-life battery provides approximately 16 hours of use, making it ideal for the long opening hours associated with retail and entertainment businesses.

The results.

BACIL reports that there has been a significant reduction in business crime since it was founded. The Hytera DMR solution has given BACIL greater capacity, as it grows the system across Leeds City Centre, including high street businesses and retail parks where there has been an increase in crime.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a surge in crime, but the radio system has continued to provide vital support for the initiative. BACIL is planning to extend coverage to outer city areas such as Morley and Headingley by implementing Radiocom’s Private Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) server.

Users in these areas will be given PoC devices, which will be patched into the main DMR radio solution to enable radio and PoC users to talk to each other and to provide a communications bridge between the city centre and outlying areas.

  Connect with Paul Jenkins