Paris 2024 Olympic Security Boosted by Two way radio-Inspired Tech

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Paris 2024 Olympic Security Boosted by Two way radio-Inspired Tech Aug 12, 2024

It's a massive undertaking to deliver clear and consistent Olympic Games broadcasts while serving an estimated 15 million attendees hungry for smartphone connectivity in Paris. The telecommunications company Orange — the sole internet provider for the Paris Games — has nearly 1,000 staffers running its 5G-connectivity project at the Olympics.

Most people in Paris use 5G to access the internet for the Olympics and beyond. But a small number of key staffers are using a 4G-powered walkie talkie style technology called push-to-talk.

Ensuring PTT communications are clear for all parties using the system is a top priority for Orange, according to Bertrand Rojat, Orange's chief marketing and innovation officer.

Rojat told Business Insider that 13,000 5W two way radios were being used by emergency-services personnel and organizers throughout the Games. He said these devices use a "special mechanism" to give them priority over attendees who are using devices on the default public 4G network.

Walkie-talkie-style systems like PTT are often used in a public-safety capacity, such as with firefighting and emergency services, where relaying information quickly and clearly is essential.

Rojat said the Paris Games are the first Olympics where the PTT service is running on an operator's current mobile network. But PTT technology has long been essential for the event.

The International Olympic Committee has used these devices to oversee athlete teams competing in events and communicate with volunteers, health and safety workers, and Olympic security teams in a simple and secure manner.

At previous Games, PTT services ran over a Terrestrial Trunked Radio network. TETRA is a standardized way of hosting two-way radio communications across a narrowband network.