Planning site locations are critical when lives are on the line.

Contractor on a TSNZ LMR site

When lives are on the line, communication is everything. 

Emergency services need a radio network they can trust—one that works in the toughest conditions. That’s why we’re building New Zealand’s Public Safety Network Land Mobile Radio network: a mission-critical system enabling frontline responders to keep communities safe when it matters most. This is about resilience, reliability, and protecting lives. 

Planning a site location

To begin the process, the TSNZ radio frequency (RF) design team initiates the location planning phase of the LMR network. The sites initially take the form of a conceptual plan as interconnected dots spread across a map of New Zealand, with each dot representing a proposed site location. These sites are selected on predicted coverage, existing telecommunications infrastructure where TSNZ may integrate equipment (a co-location site) and high-altitude locations that support a strong signal for coverage and microwave linking. 

Once the nominal or ‘desktop’ plan is in place, the site design teams visit to assess suitability. Many factors determine whether a site is suitable, including line-of-sight between towers for linking purposes, physical accessibility, and land conditions.  

If a location is found to be unsuitable, adjustments are required. But, like a giant game of Tetris, moving one site can affect others. Changing a single location might create a coverage gap elsewhere, requiring a balancing act to maintain interconnectivity. 

Once a location has been confirmed, the detailed design process can begin.

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