How do you ensure nationwide emergency communication resilience in an island nation where hurricanes, storms and fibre outages pose constant risks? For the Government of Jamaica, the answer was a robust microwave backbone built on RAy.
https//www.racom.eu/eng/case/jamaicas-national-emergency-communication-backbone
Challenge: A Reliable Backbone for a National Disaster and Emergency Network
The Jamaican government set out to build a National Disaster–Emergency Two-Way Mobile Communication System to support:
- emergency coordination
- communication between national and municipal government centres
- high-speed transfer of voice, data and images
- backup connectivity in case of fibre failure
After reviewing multiple technologies, the government concluded that microwave links offered the best performance, resilience and deployment speed for Jamaica’s mountainous and coastal terrain.
Solution: RAy 11 GHz Microwave Links Selected After Extensive Testing
Following thorough testing and evaluation, RAy was chosen as the optimal solution due to:
- high throughput and bandwidth
- excellent reliability
- robust performance during adverse island weather
- competitive pricing
- fast and simple installation
- strong long-term stability
During final network design, the solution was expanded to maximise its value and support additional government services:
- links provide broadband connectivity between central government and municipal councils
- at selected municipal sites, the RAy backbone serves as last-mile connectivity for voice, data and image transmission
- the network also supports traffic light systems, camera systems, and redundant high-speed communication
- designed to support future public-safety and smart-city applications
Deployment: Connecting 25 Radio Repeater Sites and 14 Government Centres
The nationwide backbone interconnects:
- over 25 two-way radio repeater sites
- 14 local government centres
The system functions both as a primary microwave backbone and as a fibre-backup layer, ensuring high availability even during storms.
According to Antonio Peterkin, RACOM’s distributor in Jamaica:
“There were no installation problems and everything operates exceptionally well with no downtime experienced.”
Results: A Modern, Resilient National Communication Infrastructure
The RAy microwave network provides Jamaica with:
- stable nationwide connectivity for emergency communication
- high-speed two-way communication for disaster response
- redundancy for critical fibre-optic links
- reliable connectivity despite harsh weather events
- flexible infrastructure supporting multiple government applications
RAy now forms a critical component of Jamaica’s national emergency-response capability, delivering the reliability and stability required to safeguard citizens and infrastructure.
