Firefighters warm to Airwave contract

O2 Airwave has clinched a multimillion-pound deal with the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) to provide a new voice and data digital radio system.

According to the FRS, the radio overhaul will mean improved voice quality and assured continuity in any major emergency that may bring down mobile networks, as well as encryption and national roaming.

The rollout of the new system, known as Firelink, will begin next year and be completed by 2009.

The Fire and Rescue Service said O2 Airwave is now the preferred bidder for the radio contract and will seal the deal subject to the company fulfilling "final details".

As well as listing the Highways Agency and the MoD among its customers, the O2 subsidiary signed a similar deal with the ambulance service and completed a £2.9bn radio rollout for the police earlier this year.

Airwave's blanket coverage of the emergency services will ensure interoperability between the forces' individual radio systems.