US Government drives mobile radio growth

The North American land mobile radio market is expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2010, according to a recent study.

The North American land mobile radio (LMR) market is expected to reach $7.5 billion by 2010, according to a study recently published by VDC.

This considerable growth is driven by recent US Government communications grants to public safety organisations to help modernise their equipment so they will have interoperable solutions.

VDC expects that LMR public safety/military radios will have a CAGR of 11.3% during the 2005-2010 forecast period of this report.

US Government grants are the primary driver for this double-digit growth.

Data indicate that UHF radios will see a surge in sales.

UHF radios will witness a near doubling in sales, ultimately reaching more than $1.7 billion in 2010.

There will be a major shift analogue systems to digital systems during the forecast period of this report.

This transition was expected with the emergence and acceptance of the APCO-25 operating protocol.

With so many new systems being purchased and new protocols being adopted, there will have to be new infrastructure and networks installed to allow for the utilisation of these new protocols and standards.

VDC expects that the North American Market for LMR infrastructure will reach more than $2.5 billion by 2010.

"The US Department of Homeland Security has taken on the responsibility of providing public safety agencies with the necessary funds to modernise their communications' systems", says Lance Sobelman, Senior Analyst of VDC's Telecom Practice.

"Most US first responders do not currently have the equipment necessary to meet new industry association standards to achieve interoperability".

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