Moving into the implementation stage for the territory's new mobile radio system puts the territory closer to meeting both the current and future needs of public safety and service workers like the RCMP, ambulance personnel and others.

That's the message local reporters heard today during a briefing on the new system.

"MRS will be a more efficient radio system with higher reliability, increased functionality and improved inter-operability amongst emergency response agencies," said Lisa Badenhorst, the territorial government's telecom project manager.

Badenhorst was joined this morning by Lea Halliday, Northwestel Inc.'s manager of the customer support group; RCMP "M"-Division Sgt. Roger Lockwood; and Ken Morris, EF Johnson Technologies' territorial sales manager.

Northwestel has the contract to build, operate and maintain the network for the government over the next 15 years.

EF Johnson was awarded the $10-million contract to provide the radios, equipment and software for the system that will replace the current multi-department radio system.

Officials didn't have the value of the service contract with Northwestel available at the briefing, stating a breakdown of the information will be provided later.

The new system will take the mobile radio communications into the digital realm by the summer of 2010.

While it will be an upgrade of the entire system throughout the territory, Badenhorst said one of the benefits of this particular type of new system is the older radios can be used on the new system.

It uses an Internet protocol, though Badenhorst noted that doesn't mean it's on the web.

"It's a separate system," she explained. "It's voice-over IP, but it is not on the Internet."

Northwestel will provide a microwave "backbone" between the sites, separate from the Internet and only available to system users.

"So if the microwave system goes down, we have issues. If the connection to the Internet down South goes down, we don't have issues," Badenhorst said.

The technology enables users to talk directly to one another rather than going through Whitehorse, as they currently have to.

"An example would be conservation officers. Right now, quite often, they want to talk to the RCMP.

"In order to do that, they need to phone in to the operations manager in Whitehorse in order to do any kind of communications. Even if they can see the RCMP car, they need to call in," Badenhorst noted.

"With the new system, there will be what's called a top group which will allow both cars or both the RCMP officer and the conservation officer to go to the same top group and they'll be able to talk directly without having to go through the command centre here in Whitehorse."

With 13 detachments and 185 employees throughout the territory who use the mobile radio system every day, this will be a way of enhancing RCMP services throughout the territory along with other emergency services like ambulances, Lockwood said.

"We're certainly looking forward to moving over to the new system," he commented.

Along with the RCMP and territorial departments, the new system will also be used in the Yukon by the Department of National Defence, Yukon Energy, Canada Border Services Agency, Parks Canada, the City of Whitehorse (which includes the Whitehorse Fire Department), the Yukon Workers Compensation Health and Safety Board, along with the fire departments in Watson Lake and Dawson City.