The emergency services – the police, fire, and rescue services – as well as other so-called PPDR authorities and organisations – Public Protection and Disaster Relief – are not only deployed outdoors. They are often also deployed indoors – for example in public buildings, event halls, sports facilities, shopping centres, tunnels, railway stations or airports.

Depending on how the building is constructed, reception inside may be impaired because the radio waves of the Public Safety Digital Radio find it difficult (or impossible) to penetrate the building’s structure. In this case, a system for indoor radio coverage – also known as radio equipment for indoor coverage – is required.

There are several thousand locations with these indoor radio systems throughout Germany. Several hundred railway stations and tunnels throughout Germany have been upgraded to date, with more to follow in the coming years.

Obligation to install and operate

The client or property owner is responsible for planning, setting up or retrofitting and, ultimately, operating a radio system for indoor coverage on the respective property. The obligation to do so may result from a building permit procedure or other public law regulations.

Various technical solutions are available for indoor radio coverage. The responsible fire protection authority defines which is suitable for supplying the entire respective building. As the BDBOS, we bear responsibility for connecting the radio equipment for indoor coverage to the Public Safety Digital Radio network, and for authorising its commissioning.

Further information

Further information on how the procedure for setting up digital radio coverage in buildings works, and who you can contact if you have any questions, can be found on our German website.