DMR Backbone Across New Zealand

Can a radio modem outperform microwave links in rugged terrain—and still cut costs? In New Zealand, a successful trial proved that RACOM’s RipEX2 can do exactly that.

New Zealand’s diverse and often mountainous landscape presents significant challenges for communication networks, especially when it comes to interconnecting remote base stations in a DMR Tier 3 voice network. Traditional microwave links offer high-speed connections but come at a high cost and often require line-of-sight, limiting their practicality in rugged terrain.

Ashley, a communications provider, needed a cost-effective, full-duplex solution to link three geographically dispersed base stations to a central hub. The solution had to handle real-time voice data across the 400 MHz band—without compromising reliability.

In partnership with Holland Communications, Ashley conducted a live pilot using RACOM’s RipEX2 radio modemsoperating in the licensed 400 MHz band. The goal: to test their suitability for full-duplex communication and seamless interconnection of DMR Tier 3 base stations.

Key advantages delivered by RipEX2:

• Up to 1.7 Mbps throughput with consistent performance, even in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions
• Full-duplex communication, ensuring clear and simultaneous two-way voice traffic
• Substantially lower cost than deploying traditional microwave links
• Simplified infrastructure requirements, minimizing deployment complexity in remote areas

The trial was a complete success. RipEX2 modems not only met technical expectations but also delivered performance benefits that exceeded cost-to-value benchmarks.

Ashley’s successful experience led to a strategic decision to adopt RipEX2 modems for future DMR network rolloutsacross New Zealand. Key outcomes included:

• Improved reliability across difficult terrain and challenging weather conditions
• Lower CAPEX and OPEX, by replacing microwave with cost-efficient RipEX2 solutions
• Greater flexibility in deploying new base stations thanks to reduced dependency on line-of-sight paths
• Scalability for long-term infrastructure growth

With RipEX2, Ashley is now well-positioned to deliver stable, high-performance voice communication across some of New Zealand’s most remote and rugged environments—proving that smart radio technology can outperform legacy systems in both price and performance.