News

26 Feb 2014

The P.A. People bring affordable multi-site and intercity two-way radio communication to the events industry

In an industry-changing move, Australia’s leading Event Communications supplier The P.A. People has partnered with Australia’s number one digital two-way radio network Orion to bring Motorola’s MOTOTRBO™ technology to the events industry.

For the first time, the combination of The P.A. People’s communications experience and the reach and flexibility of the Orion network means deeply integrated, multi-site two-way communications are finally within the budgets of short-term events.

The P.A. People has been granted access via IP to Orion’s network, allowing them to patch any and all radio channels through digital matrix keystations. This enables any control room or production centre in Australia to monitor any channel of radio, from any site, at any time. Only The P.A. People has the unique capability to utilise the Orion network in this way.

Advertisement

“We can now offer these services to customers on a single site, multiple metropolitan sites, or interstate” said Chris Dodds, Managing Director of The P.A. People. “This means a Sydney-based Production Manager can be solving problems in Melbourne and Perth simultaneously by monitoring the traffic on their radio; something that is not practical on a mobile phone.”

The Orion Network is powered by MOTOTRBO™ Connect Plus. Hamish Duff – Managing Director, Orion Network said; “The Orion network makes it easier to do outdoor events. Orion is delighted to partner with The P.A. People – assisting in bringing event communications to new and wider audiences” he said. “The people behind Orion are radio specialists and their wealth of experience is unmatched – which means the strength and resilience of the network is delivered on the ground, with assurance”.

The P.A. People fleet of Motorola DP4801 radios have already been tested and deployed on several large-scale, multi-site urban events, such as Sydney New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year Celebrations, and the massive St Kilda Festival in Melbourne, which draws over 300,000 people to sites across the bayside suburb.

Advertisement

The Motorola DP4801 was chosen for its durability in event conditions and its features such as intelligent audio that automatically adjusts volume according to conditions, text message support, and a large, easy to navigate full-colour screen with excellent low and bright light readability that can be customised to display event logos. Orion’s industry-leading network covers all major capital cities in Australia, with comprehensive redundancy and back-ups to ensure that any event continues seamlessly if a site failure occurs. Future developments slated for Orion include GPS tracking – ideal for advanced touring personnel and multisite, multistage events.

“Our speciality is understanding the requirements of events-based users and using the Orion network in the appropriate way to deliver high performance” said Matt Kirby, Manager – Event Communications at The P.A. People. “It’s great to be able to offer this new generation of product and service to our extensive portfolio of Event Communication solutions.”

To enquire about this exciting new capability from The P.A. People and to discuss how they can assist you with your communications needs, please contact eventcomms@papeople.com.au – or call their Event Communications team on 02 8755 8700.

Subscribe

Published monthly since 1991, our famous AV industry magazine is free for download or pay for print. Subscribers also receive CX News, our free weekly email with the latest industry news and jobs.