IGC Spectrum Refarming

Published: 08/04/2025 | Operational, Organisational change | National

The new Public Safety Network (PSN) digital LMR network requires frequency spectrum which is currently being used by Fire and Emergency for our Incident Ground Communications (IGC).

We need to free up this spectrum and move our frequencies so that all Agencies can move onto the new PSN Land Mobile Radio (LMR) network.

To do this Fire and Emergency needs to reprogramme all our yellow and green IGC radios nationwide including repeaters, tactical radios, and command units – the decision has been made by the organisation to achieve this through rolling reprogramming and swap-over of existing IGC radios.

The reprogrammed IGC radios will look, sound, and operate the same way they do today – just the frequency behind the channels will change.

Districts have reviewed their current channel plans and have combined built and natural plans to create one District Channel Plan. The National Channel Plan remains the same, with the addition of a National Tunnel channel set.

Reprogramming and swap-over of radios will be done one District at a time. This process will start with the Mid-South Canterbury District next month. Each District has a representative working with the project team to facilitate the radio swap-over process for their area. This includes an audit of where radios currently are so that the correct numbers are changed out. We also have union and association representatives as part of the project team.

It is important that all current radios are handed in/swapped out to ensure everyone is working on the right frequencies, and to ensure that the re-farming process is completed in time and doesn’t hold up Agencies’ migration to the new PSN network. This is not a replenishment exercise, and there will be no change to IGC allocation at this stage – it will be 1 in-1 out.

All stations will be contacted by the District Reps to organise logistics in the lead up to their area’s swap-over. If you would like to know who your District Rep is or have any questions, please visit the IGC Spectrum Refarming portal page, or you are welcome to contact Kate Hill, National Operations Advisor PSN through our IGC Refarming project email: IGCRefarm@fireandemergency.nz. For more information on the Public Safety Network, visit the programme page on the Portal.