Raytheon has been awarded a contract to provide Rock County, Wis., with its first interoperable communications system, a 20-site conventional P25 digital land mobile radio system. It will provide seamless communications across public safety and municipal services within the county, which spans more than 700 miles in the South-Central portion of the state.

"Because of the upcoming Narrowband Mandate, our vendor, General Communications of Madison, Wis., recommended Raytheon's P25net system. We currently have an analog VHS conventional voted system and were looking to continue utilizing our installed bases and receivers," stated Dave Sleeter, director of Rock County Communications Center.

"Raytheon's system will allow us to convert our existing equipment to P25 conventional voting at a fraction of the price of replacing all of our equipment."

The Raytheon P25net system provides more than 100 channels with voting, multicast and simulcast technologies to provide communications for police, fire, EMS, Sheriff, transportation and municipal city workers. The system offers Rock County cost savings, service improvements and customer-driven migration benefits.

"Raytheon goes to great lengths to provide each of our customers with the best solution for their unique requirements and situation," said Bill Iannacci, director of Civil Communications Solutions for Raytheon's Network Centric Systems.

"We were able to provide Rock County with a solution that leveraged their existing investment and enabled a smooth migration to a new digital P25 radio system. Raytheon is proud to provide a solution that meets our customers' needs today and enables them to grow into the future."

The Raytheon solution will promote customer choice, enabling cities to acquire their P25 subscriber units as budgets allow from their preferred vendor. Raytheon will be responsible for system design, equipment, installation, testing, training, warranty and maintenance services.