Insights
Discover the Orion Network: The Key to Secure Two-Way Radio Communications
13 May 2025Reliable and secure communication is paramount for businesses and organisations.
At CSE Crosscom, we understand the critical need for robust communication solutions, which is why we are proud to be part owners of the Orion Network, Australia’s largest commercial digital two-way radio network.
The network supports over one million voice and data transmissions daily. From dense urban centres to remote, regional operations, we’re committed to providing critical, uncongested communication, no matter the location. Offering full turnkey services from rental, installs, user training and active support across all Orion locations nationally, you know your critical communication is in safe hands.
The Orion Network: A Specialised WAN for Radio Communications
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over large geographical areas, connecting multiple sites and enabling communication and data transfer across vast distances.
The Orion Network is a specialised type of WAN designed specifically for two-way radio communications. Established in 2010 and recently upgraded to the latest Motorola DMR Tier III compliant Capacity Max network, the Orion Network provides extensive coverage across Australia, including major cities and regional areas.
Designed to enhance operational productivity and safety across a range of industries, the network is primarily used for real-time voice communication, GPS tracking, text messaging and emergency alarms. While traditional WANs are versatile and suitable for a wide range of applications, the Orion Network offers several distinct advantages for secure radio communication.
Why Choose the Orion Network Over Public WANs?
Enhanced Connectivity for Scalable Operations
The Orion Network is built with seamless connectivity in mind, supporting a diverse array of devices and platforms. Whether your operations are small or large, the Orion Network’s interoperability ensures it integrates smoothly with your existing infrastructure, effortlessly accommodating growing data and user demands.
The network features dual connections and seamless auto-failover, ensuring continuous connectivity. In the event of an outage, it automatically switches to a secondary connection, maintaining uninterrupted communication. With a multi-tenanted gateway combining Orion Radio network coverage with LTE, radios can communicate outside the Orion Network, allowing companies with multiple depots or those travelling vast distances to stay connected.
Addressing Regional Communication Constraints
The Orion Network extends far beyond urban centres, with repeater base stations strategically placed across the country to ensure seamless roaming and maintain connectivity in remote areas. In Victoria, the network utilises VHF (Very High Frequency) to enhance signal reach and reliability in regions where traditional UHF (Ultra High Frequency) signals struggle. This robust infrastructure is designed to withstand even the most rugged and remote terrains, ensuring consistent communication.
In high-traffic locations such as Western Australia, major infrastructure upgrades are underway to improve network redundancy. These enhancements encourage a seamless flow of information, minimise downtime, and increase availability.
For operations concerned about connectivity, mobile and portable two-way radio solutions programmed to your specific location offer additional flexibility, ensuring reliable communication wherever you are.
Advanced Encryption for Secure Communication
One of the standout features of the Orion Network is its use of advanced encryption methods to ensure secure communication. The network operates on dedicated and secure servers in every state, safeguarding data and communications. By employing the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with 256-bit encryption, all communications are protected from unauthorised access. This level of encryption is crucial for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information.
Data transmitted over the Orion Network is encrypted at the source and only decrypted at the destination, preventing any interception or unauthorised access during transmission. This end-to-end security ensures that your communications remain private and secure. Coupled with dynamic key management, the risk of compromised data is significantly reduced, making it more challenging for potential attackers to access communication channels.
Optimal Network Performance
With high uptime guarantees, you can trust that Orion and the CSE Crosscom team are dedicated to minimising latency, ensuring fast and reliable connections for critical applications. Preventative Maintenance Inspections (PMI) are regularly conducted at all sites to keep the Orion Network running smoothly and to identify any potential weak links.
The Orion Network also incorporates advanced Quality of Service (QoS) features that prioritise critical business traffic. This ensures that your essential applications receive the necessary bandwidth and performance, preventing congestion and maintaining optimal service levels. By focusing on both reliability and performance, the Orion Network provides a robust solution for your communication needs.
Specialised Emergency Features
The Orion Network includes several specialised emergency features designed to enhance safety and ensure rapid response in critical situations. Users can trigger emergency alarms on their devices, which immediately alert the appropriate operator group. The Man Down feature detects if a worker has fallen or is immobile, automatically sending an alarm to notify the control centre. Lone worker protection requires users to periodically check in, triggering an alarm if a user fails to do so within a specified time.
These emergency features are crucial for ensuring the safety of personnel working in hazardous conditions and providing rapid response in critical situations. The network also supports voice logging, which records and replays radio conversations, essential for understanding the dialogue preceding an incident and useful for investigative and training purposes.
The Orion Network Advantage with CSE Crosscom
Cost savings
The Orion Network is a cost-effective investment, eliminating the need for expensive on-premise infrastructure. By leveraging existing network connections and systems, customers can avoid the costs associated with new physical infrastructure and improve operational efficiency. This also lowers energy consumption and associated costs due to reduced reliance on physical infrastructure. Cloud resources make the network an environmentally friendly option for customers investing in a greener future.
For network management, automated monitoring and optimisation tools help identify and resolve issues quickly, minimising costly downtime and reducing the time and resources needed for maintenance.
Full Turnkey Service
The Orion Network offers a comprehensive full turnkey service that manages every aspect of your network project from start to finish. This includes detailed project management, expert design and engineering, material sourcing, and professional installation and configuration.
With CSE Crosscom as the single point of contact, businesses benefit from simplified communication and coordination, ensuring a seamless and efficient process. The service also includes ongoing support and maintenance, providing regular updates, troubleshooting, and proactive monitoring to keep the network running smoothly.
Designed for scalability and future-proofing, the turnkey service allows businesses to easily expand their network as their needs grow, while incorporating measures to adapt to emerging technologies. By handling the entire process, the CSE Crosscom’s Orion Network turnkey service helps businesses save time and reduce costs, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
The Orion Network stands out as a premier solution for secure, reliable, and efficient two-way radio communications. With its extensive coverage, advanced encryption, and specialised features, it is designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses and organisations across Australia. Whether you are looking to enhance connectivity, ensure data security, or improve operational efficiency, the Orion Network offers unparalleled benefits.
Ready to transform your communication infrastructure? Contact our sales team today to learn more about how the Orion Network can benefit your organisation.
