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Reach Issue 5 2013 | 1

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here’s a saying: ‘If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.’ Here’s the exception. We are changing the way that we charge our customers for usage of the Airwave Service – with guaranteed savings. The new structure will enable better cost control for our customers. Usage will be reported and billed on a monthly basis, rather than the annual charges currently applied.

Based on ‘TETRA minutes’, each Airwave customer will receive a yearly allocation of voice and short data services (SDS). If users need more minutes, a higher minutes “bundle” can be purchased at a discounted rate. Voice and SDS “bundles” can be added to the contract, in the same way that the mobile phone customers can manage their tariffs. Whilst

Making sense of

the minutes means £5 million saving

users who do not use their total allocation, can purchase a lower “bundle”, effectively allowing them to “sell back” unused allocation and generate saving for the frst time. Josh Berle, Airwave’s Head of Core Sales, said: “Our customers are operating on a tried, tested and trusted Network and have clear established usage patterns. We are now able to integrate this information with a new monthly billing and reporting programme that will enable users to have an accurate and up-to-date view of their expenditure. “The new system will be simple, straightforward, transparent and manageable, enabling our customers to forecast usage and budget accordingly, with the safety net of discounted bundles of additional minutes, and additional savings available for light usage.

Police Traffc Unit savings: doing what’s familiar

»» Controllability: charges one month in arrears means improvements to usage now could impact costs almost immediately. Volume discounted annual bundles provide budgetary certainty »» Transparency: users will simply pay for what they use, offering much improved clarity around the value of Airwave usage »» Familiarity: the approach borrows from the world of mobile phone tariffs and should offer a more intuitive means of understanding value for those less close to the world of Airwave

»» Ease of implementation: a transition year based on last year’s usage will give users time to familiarise themselves with the new approach

»» Savings: Airwave is delivering up to £4m per annum in savings direct to Police forces with call rates on average less than 2 pence per minute and short data charges a tiny fraction of this

“For the frst 12 months, Airwave is guaranteeing that every customer will save money. Once the new system is familiar, we expect that users will be able to accurately predict their needs to ensure ongoing cost control and further opportunities for cost reduction.” Reviewed and agreed with the Home Offce, the new charging structure is being implemented for all Police forces. Savings are expected to be approximately £4 million in the current fnancial year. Additional savings for the Ambulance and Fire and Rescue Services are predicted to be a further £1 million.