Airwave provides voice and data communication services to over 300 British emergency service agencies
Motorola has entered an agreement which will see it acquire UK-based communications company Airwave Solutions.
The £817 million agreement will give Motorola access to Airwave’s network, which currently covers 99 per cent of Great Britain’s landmass.
The deal will see Motorola pay £700 million once it has been agreed. A further deferred cash payment of £64 million is expected to be made in November 2018. It is still subject to approval, but the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.
Motorola Solutions CEO Greg Brown said the agreement will help improve the way emergency services operate in Britain. He said: “The Airwave acquisition demonstrates our commitment to public safety in Great Britain.
“The combination of our years of experience in communications and Airwave’s proven service delivery platform will provide Great Britain with innovative emergency services technology that enhances public safety today and the future.”
Slough-based Airwave specialises in providing voice and data communications equipment to over 300 emergency and public service agencies in Britain.
Airwave currently holds the emergency services contract for the existing network, supplying 300,000 police, fire, ambulance and other emergency service personnel the connectivity to privately and securely communicate with each other.
The bulk of the equipment used by is made by Motorola. The deal, valued at £7 billion came up for tender last summer. The Home Office awarded EE the tender in November and will host the Emergency Services Network on its own 4G network from mid-2017. The existing network held by Airwave is due to be switch off by 2020.
