Motorola launches $50M digital network

This is the third in a series of country-wide launches and follows successful roll-outs of the radio communications network in the greater Melbourne and Sydney areas.

Steven Crutchfield, general manager of Zeon Digital said the network is a two-way radio communications network with telephone capabilities, text messaging and GPS location services.

Zeon Digital handsets feature GPS functionality as well as a single-push emergency ‘panic button’. This allows an organisation to track and manage its workforce and to respond quickly to dangerous or critical situations. Also, handsets are available as handheld portable units with full-colour screen, or as in-vehicle units.

Crutchfield said the vendor had vertical markets like fire, police and ambulance in mind when developing the network.

“We have been learning things from the public safety market. Where all the services had swapped from an analogue network to digital network,” he said.

He said the market transition into the public safety sector offered similar core features and benefits that can trickle down to mobile employers in other sectors such as waste management, security personnel, local councils and a large array of transportation services.

“Motorola has invested heavily in building one of the world’s best digital radio networks and we are delighted to be delivering a world leading technology to the Newcastle business community,” he said. “Newcastle is the second largest city in New South Wales and therefore an important market for Motorola. We consider our investment here as a long-term proposition.”

Zeon Digital customers currently include Professional Couriers and Bezcorp Security, both based in Sydney, and Harry the Hirer and Elite Executive Cars in Melbourne.

Crutchfield believes there will be a lot of potential for resellers looking to get in early in this field.

“We don’t want to create too much competition for our channel and we want to keep the criteria for becoming a partner, fairly strict. We live and die by the success of our dealer channel,” he said.

Currently, Xeon Digital partners include National Wireless in Newcastle (it will also be a partner in Brisbane, when the network is rolled out there). It also has Crosscomm, BTW Communications, Wireless Two-Way and Bearcom.