Halifax, Nova Scotia — April 2, 2015 — Nova Scotia’s planned upgrade to a new radio communications network for public safety could soon have the province’s towing companies feeling left out of the loop. The Chronicle Herald reports businesses dependent on the current Trunked Mobile Radio service (TMR) for two-way radio communications with their drivers will lose access once the system is switched over to the fully digital Trunked Mobile Radio 2 (TMR2). “They will not allow commercial use of the new system,” Goodwood-based Ace Towing owner Junior Lohnes told the Herald. “This may force us to put a 50 or 70-foot tower here and hope it will provide the coverage we need.” The current TMR system has allowed towing companies, as well other businesses with fleets of vehicles, to piggyback the network—its wide range allowing them to communicate with their drivers across and around the province—for close to 15 years. According to the report, Halifax Regional Police and Halifax District RCMP will have switched to TMR2 mobile communications by mid-April, with full implementation of the new system scheduled for June. It has not been announced as to how long commercial access will be available leading up to the upgrade. Companies like Axis Mobility are in place to help affected businesses with the transition and offer alternative solutions.
