Gareth Owen, nominated and sponsored by the UK Home Office and representing Great Britain’s Emergency Services Network (ESN), has been elected as the new chair of TCCA’s Critical Communications Broadband Group (CCBG). Gareth takes over from Tero Pesonen, who was elected chair of TCCA’s Board in June this year.
Tero has led the CCBG since 2014, sponsored by Erillisverkot Finland. The largest Working Group in TCCA with 325 members, under Tero’s leadership the CCBG has grown to become the de facto forum for the discussion and development of key aspects of critical broadband enhancement and implementation.
The aim of the CCBG is to enable all mission critical and business critical users to access their information systems, intranet and internet at broadband speeds using their professional mobile devices wherever they are and whenever they have the need. This broadband capability should meet the specific needs of the user in the same way that critical voice and narrowband data services are currently delivered by technologies such as TETRA and P25.
Within the Group are a number of critical task forces that work on specific topics, including AI, Cybersecurity, 5G Sidelink, Massive Mission Critical Video, Control Room Interface and Non-Terrestrial Networks, producing outputs such as white papers, technical specifications and authoritative presentations, generating widespread media coverage to promote the Group’s work and its members.
“Tero, CCBG vice-chair Massimo Lenzi sponsored by Leonardo, and CCBG members have produced invaluable work since the Group’s formation in 2012,” said TCCA CEO Kevin Graham. “The CCBG is a highly respected and influential Group, and we look forward to its next chapter under Gareth’s leadership.”
“I am very much looking forward to providing focused and collaborative leadership as chair of CCBG,” said Gareth. “Working with all CCBG members and wider stakeholders, I will use my technical understanding, delivery experience and sector relationships to help accelerate the practical adoption of broadband communications solutions, strengthen cooperation and ensure that emerging capabilities address the operational needs of mission-critical and business-critical users.” Gareth Owen is a senior programme and delivery leader with more than three decades of experience in mission-critical communications, technology integration and enterprise mobility, from national TETRA and Airwave delivery to London 2012 readiness working with Motorola Solutions, EMEA Professional Services Lead for Zebra Technologies. He is currently Technical Project Manager with the UK Home Office, working on the transition to the Emergency Services Network, applying his extensive mission-critical communications experience to a major national transformation programme.
