TITLE
Title
LEASE PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT MOTOROLA RADIOS
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Jim Albright, Don Warn, Fran Cameron and Toy Beeninga
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BACKGROUND
Background
Guilford County has operated a simulcast 800 MHz trunked public safety radio since 1996, in partnership with the City of Greensboro. The subscriber units (portable and mobile radios) used by the County staff have a useful life of approximately 7-10 years. The radios currently being used are twelve (12) years old (purchased in FY 2011) and have reached end of service life with the vendor, and will not migrate to Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) to maintain compatibility with enhancements made to the state Voice Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders (VIPER) system as of July 1, 2025. Total radios to be replaced is 1,100.
While the current radio system infrastructure remains reliable, the radios themselves are outdated, end of life, and do not utilize the latest technology that is required for the state VIPER system. The state is requiring all public safety agencies have TDMA ability in their radios by July 1, 2025 to continue to work on this system. None of the current radios are able to upgraded to this standard. The County departments are currently having to consistently fix broken radios and no longer can get parts to these. Upgrading to new 800 MHz radios will provide several key benefits for multiple County departments:
1. Improved Coverage and Clarity: The updated radios will offer better coverage, have LTE coverage in areas where the 800 MHz system does not reach (such as in buildings where BDAs do not currently exist) and ensuring clear communication, even in remote or challenging areas. The microphones have enhanced noise reduction to assist public safety resources when on the scene of calls to allow ease of listening to communications and other responders.
2. Enhanced Interoperability: The new radios facilitate better communication and coordination between different p...
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