Could you provide an update on ASTRID’s plans to roll out mission-critical broadband? What has been the key driver for the project?
ASTRID is currently in full preparation for the roll-out of its next-generation mobile communications programme. This initiative is mandated by a new management contract with the Belgian government, covering the 2023-2027 period. It marks a gradual transition from our current TETRA-based infrastructure to a dedicated, private mission-critical broadband network for emergency and public safety services.
The key driver behind this transformation is twofold. On one hand, we are responding to the growing demand from our user organisations for advanced mobile data services, such as real-time video, geolocation and multimedia sharing, without compromising on the reliability, security and resilience that are non-negotiable in mission-critical environments.
On the other hand, we are proactively anticipating the technological obsolescence of narrowband platforms. As TETRA and its ecosystem gradually reach end-of-life and end-of-support stages, maintaining service continuity without regression becomes imperative.
This transition is not merely about adding new functionalities; it is about future-proofing our national critical communications infrastructure. While we remain firmly committed to the proven reliability and quality of our current services, the next-generation mobile communications programme will unlock new mission-critical capabilities enabled by broadband technology.
It will be built on a hybrid network model, combining ASTRID’s dedicated core and radio access systems with selected components from public mobile networks. It will enable prioritised 3GPP-compliant MCX services such as MCPTT, MCVideo and MCData.
This standards-based approach ensures seamless integration, enhanced resilience and secured communication for emergency and security services across Belgium.
Belgium has put its plans in place a few years after projects such as ESN in the UK, FirstNet and so on. What advantage has there been in waiting until now?
Indeed, while countries like the UK and the US have taken earlier steps with projects like ESN and FirstNet, Belgium’s timeline offers us a unique strategic advantage. By observing these pioneering projects, we have been able to analyse lessons learned – both technical and operational – and integrate them into our approach.
This has enabled us to design a programme that avoids common pitfalls and aligns more closely with evolving European standards and proven best practices.
Additionally, it allowed ASTRID to ensure continued reliability and availability of the existing TETRA
network while thoroughly preparing a seamless and safe transition to broadband. And at the same time, anticipating future European critical communications initiatives such
as EUCCS.
At the heart of this transition lies a clear priority. The new solution must continue to support secure, reliable and robust push-to-talk group communications.
There is a sense that first-responders are quite reluctant to give up TETRA. What is the level of engagement/buy-in from user organisations?
That’s a valid observation: TETRA remains a cornerstone of reliable group communication for first-responders. Its robustness, simplicity and reliability are deeply valued by our users, and they want the new MCX capabilities to be ‘on par’ with the legacy services.
We fully acknowledge this and have therefore prioritised close collaboration with user organisations throughout the design and roll-out of the next gen programme to ensure a smooth introduction of the new broadband technology
and services.
Their input is central. Via consultative structures like the Users Advisory Committee and through pilot testing and phased migrations, we are building strong stakeholder engagement. Moreover, the transition strategy is phased and hybrid, allowing TETRA and broadband solutions to coexist and interwork for a significant period. This ensures confidence and operational continuity during the shift.
In moments of crisis, first-responders must be able to count on a communications network that simply does not fail. The ability to co-ordinate instantly and securely – even under pressure – is not a luxury, it is a lifeline. That is the standard ASTRID is committed to uphold.
Are you planning to retire TETRA, and if so, what’s the timescale?
ASTRID will maintain its TETRA network for as long as necessary to guarantee a secure and stable communication environment for all our users. There is no hard end-date at this stage, but the current planning foresees a gradual transition starting around 2028, with TETRA services being progressively replaced by broadband alternatives.
TETRA will remain fully operational during the transition, and we have committed to support TETRA terminals until at least 2030. The replacement will be based on operational readiness, not just technical milestones.
What have been the key difficulties for the project up until now? What do you anticipate them being in the future?
The transition to mission-critical broadband is a complex endeavour that touches every layer of technology, policy and field operations. Some key challenges so far have included:
- Ensuring strict compliance with mission-critical standards – for instance, MCPTT and MCVideo – over a hybrid network infrastructure.
- Balancing innovation with backward compatibility and user comfort, for instance, devices and accessories.
- Managing expectations and ensuring transparency during procurement and implementation phases.
- And dealing with some critical functions, like device-to-device or DMO communications, which are still challenges for standardisation and availability.
Looking ahead, we anticipate that integration, user training and ensuring real-world performance under high-load conditions will require sustained attention.
Cybersecurity and operational resilience will also remain top priorities. That said, we are confident that our user-centred, phased and partnership-driven approach is the right way forward.
